Asmussen poised to chalk up another Churchill title

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Steve Asmussen has a head start on extending his own record to most meet titles at Churchill, taking a four-win edge (13-9) over Brad Cox into the final week of the meet. This would be the 25th meet title for Asmussen, the all-time winningest trainer at Churchill and in North America overall.

One of Asmussen’s more notable winners this meet came Saturday when La Crete immediately stamped herself as a Kentucky Oaks hopeful by winning easily on debut. The 2-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro out of Cavorting earned a 67 Beyer Speed Figure in a wire-to-wire score going 1 1/16 miles.

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Among jockeys, Tyler Gaffalione holds a 20-15 lead over Mitch Murrill. Gaffalione is seeking a sixth straight Churchill meet title.

Favorites are winning at a 39 percent clip (61 for 157), and field size is averaging 7.46 starters per race.

◗ Bonny South and Envoutante head a field of seven fillies and mares in the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature, the Grade 2, $500,000 Falls City. It’s the 11th of 12 races on a card that gets an early 11:30 a.m. start. The Falls City goes at 4:22, and the last race is at 4:50.

This is the Falls City field: Crystal Ball, Cheetara, High Regard, Envoutante, Army Wife, Bonny South, and Audrey’s Time.

◗ A terrific renewal of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is on tap for Saturday, with Classic Causeway, Tiz the Bomb, and Howling Time among those expected.

Entries for a 12-race card exclusively for 2-year-olds will be drawn Wednesday. The filly counterpart, the Grade 2 Golden Rod, also will be carded, along with two new sprint stakes, the Fern Creek and Lively Shively.

◗ Back-to-back allowance routes serve as co-features on a nine-race Wednesday program at Churchill. Race 7 is a $134,000, second-level allowance matching seven fillies and mares, and race 8 is a $127,000, first-level allowance that drew nine 3-year-olds and upward going the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles. First post is 1 p.m.

◗ Beverly Park incurred the first defeat of what has been a remarkable 2021, finishing second Sunday by a neck to Sounion in a second-level allowance. The 4-year-old colt has won 8 of 9 starts this year.