Class Leader faces older horses for first time in return from layoff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Class Leader was climbing the class ladder in the 3-year-old division this spring when slight misfortune arose.

Just a few days after capturing the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico, the colt “had a low-grade temp going on” upon his return to Churchill Downs, said trainer Neil Howard. “He’d run a huge race, and it kind of knocked him out, so we decided to give him some time.”

Duly regrouped, and seven workouts later, Class Leader will return to action Friday night in a $43,000, second-level optional claimer that anchors a 10-race Downs After Dark program at Churchill.

Bred and owned by the Lane’s End Racing of Will Farish, Class Leader will face older horses for the first time when racing a one-turn mile in a well-matched field of nine.

“I really think we made the right decision,” said Howard. “He’s really come back well and seems like he’s ready to have a nice fall campaign.”

Among the opposition is Myositis Dan, who exits the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga, and Cameo Appearance, an impressive recent comebacker at Arlington.

Churchill has been heavily marketing an Oktoberfest theme for this second Downs After Dark card of the 12-day September meet. A crowd of 11,058 – the smallest of 30 since Churchill first began running under the lights in 2009 – turned out for the night opener Sept. 5.

First post is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 9:39. General admission after 4 p.m. is $10. The first race is a $39,000, first-level filly-mare route, the only other allowance of the evening.

KEY CONTENDERS

Myositis Dan (Last 3 Beyers: 86-94-94)

◗ Take away his 3-for-3 synthetic record, and this 3-year-old is 0 for 7, but trainer Tom Proctor long has insisted he is capable on most any surface. He met real tigers in the King’s Bishop last out when finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the victorious The Big Beast.

Cameo Appearance (Last 3 Beyers: 92-92-93)

◗ He, too, is winless on anything but synthetics, but his efforts last fall in the Super Derby and Oklahoma Derby make him an excellent fit here. He shows three nice works for trainer Wayne Catalano since returning in style at Arlington last month.

Class Leader (Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-86)

◗ Came to hand nicely over the winter with back-to-back triumphs at Fair Grounds, after which he was the second choice in the Illinois Derby. He ran just so-so in that spot before acquitting himself with the strong Sir Barton score; figures sharp off the four-month layoff.

Bellarmine (Last 3 Beyers: 74-86-97)

◗ His in-and-out form can be tough to gauge, although his 3-for-4 mark over the Churchill main track speaks for itself. He’s named for the local university attended by a daughter of one of the ownership partners, Peter Edwards.