Co-features expected to stay on turf; Field Day heavy favorite
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of six-figure turf allowances anchor a nine-race Sunday card at Churchill Downs, where weather conditions are expected to turn pleasant again following the cancellation of turf racing Friday.
Race 3 is a $106,000 turf sprint in which Field Day could be one of the heaviest favorites of the 38-day spring meet, while race 7 is a $104,000 turf route that drew a well-matched field of fillies and mares.
The co-features, along with two more races slated for turf, figure to be run as scheduled. Persistent rain forced racing off the grass course Friday, but dry conditions were expected through the weekend and ensuing days. The projected high temperature Sunday is 70.
Field Day, a Klein family homebred, was able to overcome a sluggish start to capture the opening-night William Walker as the favorite, upping his career mark to three wins from seven starts. Trainer Brad Cox is taking full advantage of the wide-open conditions governing the 5 1/2-furlong race, as Field Day, with leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione back to ride, will break from post 5. He lines up against just five other 3-year-olds as the 4-5 morning-line choice.
Race 7 appears to be less one-sided. In all, 13 are entered in the 1 1/16-mile race under a second-level allowance condition, with only as many as nine being allowed to start. Guitty, a French-bred 4-year-old, is an interesting newcomer to the local scene, having raced exclusively in California before recently being transferred into the care of Mike Maker. The graded-placed filly will have Ricardo Santana Jr. up when she breaks from post 8.
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Guitty won’t be eligible for the sizable bonuses paid out only to registered Kentucky-breds. Those supplements comprise a large chunk of purses in non-claiming/starter races on the Kentucky circuit, and in this particular race, they total $39,200 for the top finishers.
Race 7 is part of the 20-cent Derby City 6 (races 4-9), which will start with an empty jackpot Sunday because the entire pool was scheduled to be forced out Saturday during the big Foster Preview Day card.
Racing will be held here Monday, normally a dark day, because of the Memorial Day holiday. First post Sunday and Monday is 12:45 p.m. Eastern. The normal four-day schedule (Thursday-Sunday) resumes next week.