Cox, Asmussen battle for training title
LOUSVILLE, Ky. – While Corey Lanerie appears well on his way to his 15th riding title from the last 17 Churchill meets, the race for top trainer is much closer as the meet enters its final five-day stretch Wednesday.
Brad Cox, who earned his first Churchill title at the September meet, held a 9-8 lead over Steve Asmussen through the first 16 cards. Both are expecting to be very active in the final days.
Two of the Cox victories have come from Big Exchange, who won a conditioned-claiming race Saturday by a whopping 24 3/4 lengths in what track officials said was just the fourth time since 1976 that a horse had won a Churchill race by more than 20 lengths. Big Exchange was claimed from his victory in a five-way shake by trainer Kim Puhl.
Juarez wins with first Churchill mount
Nik Juarez won with his first Churchill mount when guiding Pretty Perfection to a neck score for trainer Kelly Breen in one of three allowances here Sunday. Juarez, a 24-year-old Maryland native, is regarded as one of the top young jockeys on the East Coast, with Ron Anderson as his agent.
“It was pretty special, if you ask me,” Breen said. “Nik had ridden the mare quite a bit before and said he wanted to stay with her, so I said, ‘Come on, let’s have you get a look at Churchill Downs.’ ”
◗ Dak Attack, one of several Kentucky Derby hopefuls trained by Dale Romans for the Albaugh Family Stables, had his first work since recovering from a shin ailment, breezing an easy three furlongs in 38.40 seconds here Saturday. Dak Attack is unbeaten in two starts, including a three-length triumph in the Ellis Park Juvenile in August.
◗ The first of four pools in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, along with the Derby Sires Future Wager, will open noon Thursday and run through 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in Pool 1. This is the 20th year Churchill has offered parimutuel futures.
◗ A pair of allowances serve as highlights of a 10-race Wednesday card, which starts at 1 p.m. Eastern. Melaleuca figures as the one to catch in an oversubscribed lineup of fillies and mares in a $65,000 second-level turf sprint (race 7), and Because It’s Time looks as good as any in a $62,000 first-level race at seven furlongs (race 9).
:: Watch Wednesday's Penn National card live, beginning 6:05 p.m. ET