Churchill opening-weekend stakes fields taking shape

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With opening night of the September meet at Churchill Downs right around the corner, fields for the four stakes to be run on opening weekend already are taking shape.

The 12-day meet starts next Friday, Sept. 5, with a Downs After Dark program featuring a pair of two-turn graded stakes for 2-year-olds. Both the Grade 2, $200,000 Pocahontas and Grade 3, $100,000 Iroquois not only carry Win and You’re In bonuses toward the Breeders’ Cup, but they’re also the first designated points races toward the Kentucky Oaks and Derby next spring.

The opening Saturday, Sept. 6, is expected to mark the return of Lea, the Bill Mott-trained standout who has been sidelined since winning the Grade 1 Donn Handicap in February. Joel Rosario will be in to ride Lea in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack.

Churchill officials are hoping Lea’s presence won’t scare off other horses whose connections have expressed interest in the one-mile Ack Ack, including Almost Famous, Carve, Flashback, Golden Ticket, and Pants On Fire.

Also set for opening Saturday is the $100,000 Locust Grove, an ungraded, 1 1/16-mile race in which On Fire Baby is scheduled to make her first start since the Fleur de Lis in mid-June at Churchill. Other prospects include Molly Morgan, Don’t Tell Sophia, Ria Antonia, and My Option.

The Iroquois figures to have Hashtag Bourbon as one of its main players after the colt ran off to a 4 1/2-length victory in the Mountaineer Juvenile in his last start. As for the Pocahontas, the most prominent names from 25 nominees are A. P.’s Glory, Angela Renee, Magnificent Margo, Naval Command, So Cal, Starlet O’Hara, and Take Charge Brandi, although not all are expected to come.

Entries for both 2-year-old stakes, and all opening-night entries, will be drawn Tuesday. Both go at 1 1/16 miles.

The meet again will be conducted as four three-day weekends through Sept. 28. After the Pocahontas, the richest race on the schedule is the $125,000 Homecoming Classic on Sept. 27. One other Downs After Dark card (first post: 6 p.m. Eastern) is slated for Sept. 19.

This will be the second year Churchill has run a meet in September. Turfway Park in northern Kentucky traditionally held the dates through 2012.

◗ Keeneland was scheduled to debut its new dirt racing surface on Thursday morning when it reopened for training at 5:30 a.m. Eastern. The fall meet opens Oct. 3.