California shipper brings best Beyer into 13-horse Bashford Manor

For its 123rd running on Sunday at Churchill Downs, the $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes has drawn a field of 13 2-year-olds, all making their stakes debuts in the six-furlong race. Six members of the field are Churchill maiden winners. Of the others, just one is a maiden winner in California. One might be all a noteworthy West Coast contingent needs.

Bodacious earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 winning his debut on May 3 at Santa Anita for trainer Jorge Periban. The figure is the third best by a 2-year-old this year behind the 88 jointly posted by Mentee and Colloquial in a track-record performance on June 15 at Aqueduct.

Going 4 1/2 furlongs, Bodacious set the pace before powering clear to win by 5 3/4 lengths over next-out winner R Heisman.

California-bred Bodacious, owned in partnership by Griffin Stables, Terry Lovingier, and Paul Sabesky, has breezed six times since his debut win. The majority of those works have been at five furlongs with several bullet or near-bullet moves.

“He’s a big colt, but he’s very fast,” said Periban, who sent in Phantom Boss to win the 2020 Bashford Manor. “I think this race sets up well for him being so fast early. I don’t think the extra distance should be a problem.”

Bodacious, who picks up Joel Rosario, will likely find himself facing Spiralizer in the early going. Spiralizer, a $550,000 purchase in March, won his debut going five furlongs at Churchill for Steve Asmussen, who is looking for his sixth Bashford Manor win to break a tie with D. Wayne Lukas for the all-time record. Spiralizer is well drawn on the rail under Tyler Gaffalione.

After Bodacious, Enduring Spirit sports the field’s next-highest Beyer. From the first crop of Grade 1-winning juvenile and classic performer Tiz the Law, Enduring Spirit was seventh on debut on a sloppy Keeneland track. He improved with a sharp win going five furlongs at Churchill, posting a 76. He has turned in a series of strong four- and five-furlong works at Keeneland for Rafael Ramos.

Conquering Cat, from the first crop of champion juvenile Game Winner, emerged from a runner-up effort to Enduring Spirit to win his next outing going 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill for Chris Davis, who will also saddle Churchill debut winner Politicallycorrect

Heat is the lukewarm 4-1 morning-line favorite. Bodacious is 9-2. Heat is coming off a five-furlong victory over next-out winner Boundfortrouble on the synthetic track at Gulfstream Park for Mark Casse.

Smoken Wicked moves to Dallas Stewart off a debut win at Evangeline Downs. Happyflyer is also making a barn switch, as he was claimed by Saffie Joseph Jr. out of his maiden win.

Completing the field are Aqueduct debut winner War Tax; Ivan the Great, second by a nose on debut at Santa Anita; Vinegar Hill, a restricted maiden winner at Churchill; Indiana maiden winner Moneyline; and Mo Hair Sam, still a maiden after four starts.

Debutante Stakes

The sister race to the Bashford Manor, the $225,000 Debutante, is topped figure-wise by Vodka With a Twist, from the first crop of graded-winning juvenile Thousand Words.

Vodka With a Twist was fourth on debut after hopping at the start at Keeneland. She was beaten two lengths by well-regarded Tapit First, while third-place Whatintheliteral came back to win the Astoria Stakes.

Vodka With a Twist won her second start going five furlongs at Churchill with a 73 Beyer. Off that performance, she was privately purchased and now runs for Phil D’Amato.

While the 73 doesn’t tower over this field – Glee and So There She Was each earned a 69 on debut – it’s noteworthy that Vodka With a Twist earned her number locally, and at five furlongs, while the other two fillies did so at 4 1/2 furlongs.

Glee, who won on debut at Lone Star Park, is one of two in this field for Asmussen, along with morning-line favorite Adeera. From the hotly anticipated first crop of classic winner and champion Authentic, Adeera was a 3 3/4-length debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill – the only member of this field to run that far preparing for the six-furlong Debutante.

So There She Was was second on debut at Santa Anita for Doug O’Neill.

Churchill maiden winners Daisy Duke and La Marinera and Indiana winner Fortuna Mia complete the field.

Anchorage Stakes

On paper, the $175,000 Anchorage is an overnight stakes for fillies and mares on the turf. But the race has drawn a graded stakes-caliber field, with eight of the nine entrants dropping directly from that level. The lineup includes four graded winners.

Forever After All is not yet part of that quartet, but is the morning-line favorite as she comes back to Kentucky for Brendan Walsh following a solid third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in the Grade 1 Gamely on May 27 at Santa Anita.

Heavenly Sunday and Walkathon were graded winners at Churchill in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Heavenly Sunday was most recently third in the Grade 3 Mint Julep on this course. Walkathon led early before weakening to fifth in a salty edition of the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile.

Fast as Flight won the Grade 3 Modesty at Churchill. She is cross-entered in the Grade 2 Nassau at Woodbine, and is likely to run there.

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