Asmussen, Baze team to sweep Ellis Juvenile, Debutante

Rowdy Yates and Green Destiny gave jockey Tyler Baze and trainer Steve Asmussen a sweep of the last two stakes of the 2019 Ellis Park meet Sunday at the western Kentucky track.

Rowdy Yates continued the domination of L and N Racing and Asmussen by capturing the $84,795 Ellis Juvenile, while Green Destiny drew clear some 50 minutes later when taking the $95,500 Ellis Debutante.

Both seven-furlong races for 2-year-olds are designed as lead-ins to the Iroquois and Pocahontas, respectively, on Sept. 14. Both of those Churchill Downs races are Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In events, as well as the first qualifying-points races toward the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Oaks.

The 28-day Ellis meet runs through Labor Day, Sept. 2, with Aug. 31 being dark to accommodate opening day of the Kentucky Downs meet.

Ellis Juvenile

Rowdy Yates, the 2-1 favorite in a field of seven colts and geldings, gave L and N Racing and Asmussen their third win in four runnings of the Juvenile when leading throughout under Baze.

Sharp from the start, Rowdy Yates ($6.80) held an open lead when turning for home and had plenty left to finish 2 1/4 lengths ahead of runner-up Letmeno, going in 1:22.70 over a fast track. Night Time was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third.

Rowdy Yates, a Morning Line colt bred in Oklahoma, is named for the Clint Eastwood character of the 1960s television series, “Rawhide.” He was coming off a runner-up finish in the June 29 Bashford Manor at Churchill.

Asmussen and L and N, owned by Tulsa attorney Lee Levinson and partners, won prior runnings of the Juvenile with Lookin At Lee (2016) and Tobacco Road (2018).

The $2 exacta (4-2) paid $33, the $1 trifecta (4-2-1) returned $54.70, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-2-1-7) was worth $34.23.

Ellis Debutante

Green Destiny ($15) also was prominent from the start under Baze, gliding away when leaving the quarter pole to prevail by four lengths over 60-1 shot Monedas de Oro.

Sent away the second choice in a field of 11 fillies, Green Destiny, by Super Saver, was making her stakes debut after winning a July 14 maiden race at Ellis for owner-breeder Clearsky Farms. She finished in 1:26.21.

Lady Glamour, the 3-5 favorite, beat a steady fade leaving the far turn and finished 10th.

The $2 exacta (7-2) paid $408, the $1 trifecta (7-2-1) returned $1,526.90, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-2-1-3) was worth $3,369.81.

Local assistant Mitch Dennison represented the Asmussen stable in both winner’s circle presentation.

The start of the Debutante was delayed nearly 20 minutes because of a severe storm threat in the local area.