Closing Bell, Shrinking Violet clear favorites in undercard stakes
Though the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup is the main event Monday at Kentucky Downs, the nine-race undercard, which includes three stakes for $300,000 apiece, offers some intriguing warm-up acts.
The card is loaded on the back end, with the three stakes preceding the Kentucky Turf Cup. The Dueling Grounds Derby (race 7) kicks off an all-stakes pick four, a wager with a 14 percent takeout and a 50-cent minimum at Kentucky Downs.
Two of the stakes – the Dueling Grounds Derby at 1 5/16 miles and the Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs – will have clear favorites despite drawing large fields. Closing Bell, second in the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the Dueling Grounds Derby, and Shrinking Violet is 5-2 on the morning line for the Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint after winning the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar with a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
The Kentucky Downs Turf Dash is a more wide-open betting affair, with Holy Lute, Green Mask, Mosler, and Channel Marker among the leading contenders.
All races will be run over Kentucky Downs’s European-style turf course.
DUELING GROUNDS DERBY (RACE 7)
Key contenders
Closing Bell (Last 3 Beyers: 93-84-84)
* Prior to his runner-up finish in the Secretariat, he ran fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, losing a photo for third by a nose.
* Regular rider Jose Lezcano comes in from New York to ride for trainer Bill Mott, who had Tourist primed for victory last week at Kentucky Downs in the More Than Ready Mile.
Conquest Pacemaker (Last 3 Beyers: 80-87-76)
* Returns to his preferred surface after tiring to third Aug. 23 in the Victoria Park Stakes over Woodbine’s Polytrack. He previously won a pair of turf routes at Woodbine, including the $131,000 Toronto Cup.
Gin Riki (Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-69)
* Invades from California, where he displayed marked improvement over the summer, most recently finishing second, beaten a nose, Aug. 8 in the Dupret Derby at Santa Rosa.
Ladies Sprint (race 8)
Key contenders
Shrinking Violet (Last 3 Beyers: 104-86-91)
* Besides being quick, she also is perfect in two starts at Kentucky Downs.
* Runs best for jockey Kent Desormeaux, who has ridden her to three wins and a second in four races. Desormeaux has the mount Monday.
Theatre Star (Last 3 Beyers: 79-86-85)
* Although accustomed to routing, she has enough tactical speed to suggest that a cutback in distance to 6 1/2 furlongs should not leave her with too much to do.
Sky Treasure (Last 3 Beyers: 73-94-89)
* Didn’t fire last out in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine, running last of nine, but in May, she beat top Canadian fillies Deceptive Vision and Overheard in the Grade 2 Nassau at a mile at Woodbine.
* Ran competitively at 6 1/2 furlongs down the hill at Santa Anita over the winter, notably falling just 1 1/2 lengths short of Shrinking Violet when fourth Jan. 4 in the Grade 2 Monrovia.
Turf Dash (race 9)
Key contenders
Channel Marker (Last 3 Beyers: 99-89-100)
* He was given the summer off to leave him fresh for a potential Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint bid, according to trainer Phil Bauer.
* Excels in longer turf sprints, winning the Jaipur Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 6 and running second in the Grade 3 Shakertown at Keeneland in April.
Holy Lute (Last 3 Beyers: 98-88-76)
* Won the Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs Aug. 19 at Del Mar but also is effective at 6 1/2 furlongs, having not finished worse than second in four starts at the distance on turf at Santa Anita earlier this year.
Green Mask (Last 3 Beyers: 94-90-83)
* Idle since rallying for third March 28 in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, where he was beaten a length in a 16-horse field. Should appreciate more ground after coming up short with his rally in Dubai and finishing second in a pair of five-furlong races in Florida over the winter.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Green Mask. Trainer Wesley Ward is 34-14-4-6 over the past five years in turf sprints at Kentucky Downs. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Mosler (Last 3 Beyers: 94-86-99)
* After a flat sixth as the favorite in the Jaipur, he rebounded with a quality effort by finishing a close third July 5 in the Grade 2 Highlander at Woodbine, losing by only 1 1/2 lengths to Go Blue Or Go Home, who established a course record in victory.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 11 Mosler. Trainer Bill Mott is 7-0-1-0 over the past five years in turf sprints at Kentucky Downs.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Skyring. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is 8-0-0-0 over the past five years with races within seven days since a prior start and 6-0-1-0 over the past five years going route to sprint on turf. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan