Churchill Downs: Juveniles the focus of opening card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A sizable field of fillies is shaping up for the Grade 2, $150,000 Pocahontas, the co-feature of the Stars of Tomorrow card that opens the Churchill Downs meet Sunday. Believe You Can, winner of the Grade 3 Tempted last out for Larry Jones, is the likely favorite in a lineup also expected to include Georgie’s Angel, winner of the Schuylerville at Saratoga, and Flashy Lassie, winner of the Debutante at Churchill.

The 11-race opener also will include the Grade 3, $100,000 Iroquois, the male counterpart to the Pocahontas, with perhaps Motor City the favorite in what looks like a small- to medium-sized field.

Both the Pocahontas and Iroquois are run at a one-turn mile. Entries for all Stars of Tomorrow races were to be drawn Thursday. The card is tentatively scheduled to include four allowances and five maiden special-weight races, all for 2-year-olds.

Besides the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup being the obvious meet highlight, Churchill also will have one Downs After Dark evening program on Nov. 18, with “Animal Kingdom” being the theme. The meet will run on a Wednesday-through-Sunday schedule through Nov. 27.

Fayette has dozen lined up

Twelve 3-year-olds and upward have been entered in the closing-day feature at Keeneland, the Grade 2, $150,000 Fayette Stakes, with Wise Dan and Mission Impazible as likely favorites in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race. The Fayette anchors a 10-race Saturday card.

The others entered are Anak Nakal, Decisive Moment, Eighttofasttocatch, Future Prospect, General Quarters, Guys Reward, Ioya Bigtime, Jimmy Simms, Modern Cowboy, and Workin for Hops.