Bim Bam brings back class to turf mile

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The days are dwindling to a precious few for turf racing in Kentucky in 2014. A recent blast of arctic chill has hastened the process by adding a little crunch to the ground, as they might say.

Ron Moquett is among the many Churchill Downs trainers soon bound for warmer climes, but while still here, “you might as well take advantage of what they’ll give you,” said Moquett. “I’m just glad they let this race go.”

Moquett trains a turf pro named Bim Bam, one of seven older horses (including one main-track-only designee) entered in the nominal Sunday feature at Churchill, a $49,000 classified allowance scheduled for a mile on turf. With Ricardo Santana Jr. set to ride again, Bim Bam is approaching the $800,000 earnings mark and figures as a deserving favorite, along with Hammers Terror and Lockout.

If the race happens to move to the main track, then Agent Di Nozzo, having worked forwardly in recent weeks for Steve Margolis, would move in as a major threat.

First post Sunday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, with the feature going at 1:40. One more allowance, a $45,000, second-level, main-track mile for 3-year-old fillies, follows later as race 9 (post 4:36).

After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for two days before another five-day race week resumes Wednesday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Stormy Going (Last 3 Beyers: 77-92-90)

◗ His fourth-place effort behind that rare double disqualification Nov. 5 came in a race simply too short for him, as he now stretches back out to a more comfortable distance while well drawn toward the hedge. He gets Didiel Osorio, who could challenge for leading-rider honors at the upcoming holiday meet at Turfway Park.

Hammers Terror (Last 3 Beyers: 90-92-79)

◗ A 5-year-old grass-bred horse, he won three non-graded turf stakes for prior connections and briefly reprised that former glory when winning off the shelf for Brian Lynch at Woodbine in September. He exits a key Oct. 22 race at Keeneland won by Cyber Secret, having run creditably when sixth.

Lockout (Last 3 Beyers: 80-89-101)

◗ That three-back runner-up finish behind his Mark Casse stablemate Kaigun really points him out as a serious player here, especially considering that he gets huge class relief here when exiting four straight graded stakes. The stable is hitting on several different fronts.

Bim Bam (Last 3 Beyers: 82-90-84)

◗ A multiple stakes winner at 2 and 3, he was second in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the 2011 Belmont Stakes undercard, a trivia note to underscore his back class. Like Hammers Terror, he was unplaced, albeit respectably, in that Oct. 22 Keeneland allowance when part of a rugged crew.