Asmussen appears primed for big meet at Ellis

Fresh from a big closing weekend of the Churchill meet, Steve Asmussen will be casting a larger presence than ever before this summer at Ellis. Although his top horses will be active later this month at Saratoga, where he will actually be spending most of his time, the Hall of Fame trainer not only has about 80 horses in the care of assistant Mitch Dennison at Ellis, but also has reserves to call on at Churchill.

Asmussen, the leading trainer at Ellis the last two years, set the tone by winning the first race of the meet Sunday with Kristizar. His spring meet at Churchill, where he extended his own record by winning a 19th training title, ended with six winners on the final three programs, including Sir Truebadour in the Bashford Manor and a maiden victory by Meistermind, a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

◗ Corey Lanerie will ride for the first time since the death of his wife, Shantel, when he travels Saturday to Chicago for several stakes mounts on the Million Preview Day card at Arlington Park.

Lanerie has not ridden since June 17 at Churchill. His agent, Richie Price, said Lanerie’s first day back at Ellis will be next Friday, July 13. Shantel Lanerie died June 22 and was buried last week in Louisiana.

◗ No, Kenny McCarthy has not gone out on his own, as some other longtime assistants on this circuit have done in recent times. McCarthy is listed as the trainer of Locomotion for the last race Saturday at Ellis, but that’s only because his boss, Bill Mott, began serving a seven-day suspension Thursday in New York for a medication violation dating to September 2014.