Arklow has plenty of competition in Louisville Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Blame it on the coronavirus. The Grade 3 Louisville came up noticeably deeper this year than last, undoubtedly a result of the scheduling logjam produced over the last couple of months by the ongoing pandemic.

Arklow, a Grade 1-winning earner of more than $1.8 million, is foremost among a field of 12 old pros raring to go in the 83rd running of the $100,000 Louisville, a 1 1/2-mile turf race that ends another Saturday card as the last of 11 races at fan-free Churchill Downs. The 2019 Louisville winner, Tiz a Slam, returns Saturday, and the presence of Arklow and the larger field figure to make him a higher price than when he went wire to wire in a field of seven at 5-2 last May.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

Arklow, unraced since Jan. 25, likely would have been ready to run at Keeneland in April had that meet not been canceled because of the pandemic.

“He’s been ticking over all spring, really,” said Brad Cox, who trains the 6-year-old horse for Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway. “He’s ready – been ready.”

Arklow will have Florent Geroux back aboard when they break from post 5 in the three-turn Louisville. Although he gave subpar efforts in his last two races, an eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf and a fifth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf, Arklow usually is a bear when lined up against the caliber of opposition he’ll face Saturday.

“He’s shown his quality as he’s gotten older,” Cox said. “Hopefully these last few months have done him good and he’ll run like he’s capable.”

Tiz a Slam (post 6, Tyler Gaffalione) will be making his first start in more than six months for his Hall of Fame trainer, Roger Attfield. The speedy 6-year-old followed his Louisville triumph last year with front-running scores in the Grade 3 Singspiel and Grade 2 Nijinsky, although his form did turn a little south in his final two efforts of the year. Ten works since late March precede his return to Churchill from his home course at Woodbine in Canada.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

If Gaffalione tries stealing off early aboard a fresh Tiz a Slam, it’s possible he could have unwanted company. Longshots Ry’s the Guy, Lombo, and Golden Dragon enter off shorter races and therefore could show more pace than normal.

Golden Dragon, with Joe Talamo riding, is one of two in here (with Apreciado) trained by Mike Maker, whose prowess with older turf marathoners is well established. Maker won the 2013 Louisville with Dark Cove, ridden by Rosie Napravnik.

Admission Office (post 12, Julien Leparoux) will be looking to do better than in his last start, a fourth-place finish in the Sunshine Forever at Gulfstream Park going 1 1/16 miles. An Amerman Racing homebred, Admission Office gave the highly accomplished Zulu Alpha a stern challenge finishing second two starts back in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at 1 3/8 miles.

“We probably took him out of his element last time when he laid closer up than usual,” said his trainer, Brian Lynch. “He’s more effective when he sits back and makes one run.”

First post is 1 p.m. Eastern, with the Louisville going at 6:22. Sunshine and a high of 78 are in the forecast.

◗ Finnick the Fierce, third in a division of the May 2 Arkansas Derby behind the since-retired Nadal, will have a potential prep for the July 11 Blue Grass Stakes as one of five 3-year-olds in the fifth race Saturday, an $83,000 allowance at 1 1/16 miles. Martin Garcia will be aboard the one-eyed Finnick the Fierce for trainer Rey Hernandez. Two other allowances (race 8 and 10) also are on the undercard. Race 10 looks particularly salty, matching promising 3-year-old fillies Miss T Too, Figure of Speech, and Scolding at 6 1/2 furlongs.