Audible will try to assert class in Cherokee Run

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Audible’s owners enjoyed one heck of a celebration following the May 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but only a small part of that was because of the Into Mischief colt finishing a solid third.

The same group that owns Audible – WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners – also happened to own Justify, who not only won the Derby but also went on to become the only Triple Crown winner to retire undefeated.

On Saturday at Churchill, just before nine straight Breeders’ Cup events, the first start for Audible since that unforgettable Derby will come in the inaugural Cherokee Run, a $200,000, seven-furlong race that goes as the second of 12 overall races. First post Saturday is 10:45 a.m. Eastern, with the Cherokee Run going at 11:15 and the first BC event, the Filly and Mare Sprint, set for noon.

Audible was initially considered for the Belmont Stakes by trainer Todd Pletcher, who ultimately withdrew him about two weeks beforehand. After a brief rest at WinStar, the colt returned to Pletcher at Belmont Park. He was back on the work tab in mid-September and now shows seven recorded breezes into the Cherokee Run.

Looking to overcome the six-month layoff and a distance that’s presumably shorter than ideal, Audible will try to assert a class edge – after all, the colt did win the Holy Bull and Florida Derby by a combined 8 1/2 lengths, and he owns superior Beyer Speed Figures in comparison to the 11 other 3-year-olds he will face. Javier Castellano will be aboard when breaking from post 3.

“The colt came around in his training quicker than Todd thought he might,” Starlight founder Jack Wolf said. “Assuming all goes well, we’d probably be looking at the Harlan’s Holiday [on Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park] and hopefully have that as our lead-in to the Pegasus” World Cup on Jan. 26.

“We’re excited about having him back.”

As for potential upsetters, the two colts assigned the outside gates would do – Still Having Fun (post 11, Jose Ortiz), winner of the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on the June 9 Belmont undercard, and Super Sol (post 12, Joe Talamo), a promising winner of his last two starts in Southern California for Bob Baffert, the trainer of Justify.

Fringe considerations in an interesting lineup include the uncoupled Dale Romans pair of Mr Freeze and Dak Attack, both stakes winners. The rest of the field is Cool Bobby, Honorable Treasure, Smart Remark, Cowboy Creed, Principe Guilherme, Kowboy Karma, and Aveenu Malcainu.

The Cherokee Run is named for the winner of the 1994 BC Sprint at Churchill. Mike Smith rode for trainer Frank Alexander.