Churchill turf remains ‘day to day'

During the racing week spanning Nov. 15-19 Chuchill moved all its grass races to dirt and has not run a grass race since the River City Stakes on Nov. 11. Churchill, however, has continued carding grass races, and Darren Rogers, senior director of media at Churchill, said in an email on Sunday that the status of the turf course remains “day to day” for the final week of the race meeting. Jockeys expressed concern over the course’s safety earlier this month.

There’s just one race, a maiden route, carded for turf on Wednesday, and handicappers should anticipate that race being moved to the main track.

Headlining the nine-race program is race 8, a second-level allowance also open to $80,000 claimers carded for 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt and restricted to older fillies and mares. Joke Sisi, a Grade 1 winner in her native Chile, makes her fourth North American start and probably is ready to clear this condition for trainer Ignacio Correas and jockey Vincent Cheminaud.

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◗ A 2-year-old colt named Carbone made a striking debut Sunday, winning a six-furlong maiden race by eight lengths for his breeders, William and Corinne Heilgbrodt, and trainer Steve Asmussen. Carbone, by Mitole, broke fast under Ricardo Santana and led throughout, clocking 1:09.84 over a fast-playing, speed-favoring track, a raw time that produced an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

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