Churchill Downs: Centre Court, King David top stakes co-features on Saturday night card

Big, well-matched fields have been entered for the twin turf stakes that will anchor a 11-race card when the first and only Downs After Dark program of the fall meet is run at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Twelve 3-year-old fillies are entered in the Grade 2, $175,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes, with Centre Court likely to be a slight favorite with Julien Leparoux aboard. Centre Court most recently was second to Dayatthespa in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on the Keeneland turf.

Five other graded winners are entered in the Mrs. Revere: Leading Astray, Somali Lemonade, Colonial Flag, Volcat, and Miz Ida.

Eighteen were entered in the male counterpart, the Grade 3, $100,000 Commonwealth Turf, with 16 on the program (two excluded) and as many as 14 eligible to start. Leparoux also has the mount on the likely favorite in the Commonwealth Turf in King David, winner of the Grade 1 Jamaica at Belmont in his last start.

Both stakes go at 1 1/16 miles.

First post Saturday is 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The Commonwealth Turf goes as race 7 (7:32) and the Mrs. Revere as race 9 (8:36). The 11th and final race goes at 9:36. The night theme is “The Golden Era,” with fans encouraged to wear clothing from the Roaring 1920’s.

Albarado hearing postponed

A district court hearing on whether jockey Robby Albarado will be further penalized for violating a 2011 plea agreement was postponed Wednesday until Jan. 29. The case stems from a pair of highly publicized domestic violence incidents, including one in April for which Albarado ultimately was convicted in August by a jury on a reduced charge of fourth-degree wanton assault.

Albarado, who rode primarily at Arlington Park this summer before returning to his longtime Kentucky circuit in October, announced recently that he will ride regularly for the first time at Gulfstream Park this winter.

Expanded seating for Derby, Oaks

Churchill announced Tuesday that stadium-style seating will be set up on the clubhouse turn for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby, effective next May. The new arrangement creates a Section 110 and will include about 1,500 seats, with more than half of them under cover. The seats come with all-inclusive food and beverage service and commensurate ticket pricing.

The Section 110 seats went on sale Wednesday to customers who registered in advance. The new seats replace the Trackside Village, a two-story hospitality tent. Churchill also announced that the Infield Club venue that was used for the last three years will no longer exist.

Fans in Section 110 do not have a view of much of the track and typically watch races on a huge infield Jumbotron.