Cristina's Journey looks to rebound in Golden Rod
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A delightful mix of tepid favorites, capable fringe contenders, and hopeful longshots make for an intriguing renewal of the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes, the first of two Grade 2 races on the Stars of Tomorrow card Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Cristina’s Journey, back from a failed attempt in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is the 3-1 morning-line choice in a field of 12 in the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod, a traditional long-range preview of the Kentucky Oaks five months hence. A speedy daughter of Any Given Saturday, Cristina’s Journey figures prominently on an honest to fast pace in a lineup that also includes No Fault of Mine, West Coast Belle, and Kathballu as her most fancied challengers.
This is the 71st running of the Golden Rod, named for the state flower of Kentucky. The stakes record of 1:43.08 was set in 2008 by Rachel Alexandra, the Horse of the Year the following year. Post time for the Golden Rod, which precedes the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes by one hour, is 4:35 p.m. Eastern.
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Key contenders
No Fault of Mine (Last Beyer: 86)
* Clearly, her field-high Beyer Speed Figure and favorable draw make her a threat, although her relative lack of seasoning and two-turn experience make her vulnerable.
* Since the fall of 2010, Chris Block has won 10 stakes in Kentucky, a remarkable number for a trainer based in Chicago.
Simply Confection (Last 3 Beyers: 72-63-28)
* This Candy Ride filly has cycled back into peak form over the Churchill surface and now draws a favorable post for her third start of the fall meet.
* Jockey Jon Court, who turned 54 last Sunday, is enjoying yet another career resurgence, having won 14 races at this meet through Wednesday, many of them at long prices.
Cristina’s Journey (Last 3 Beyers: 52-77-66)
* Pretty much lost at the break when outgunned for the early lead at Santa Anita; an optimist would say her wire-to-wire triumph here in the Grade 2 Pocahontas in September was a far more representative effort.
* Dale Romans, who won the 2009 Golden Rod with eventual Grade 1 winner Sassy Image, is in a tight battle for leading trainer as this meet winds down to its Sunday close; he also will saddle Jojo’s Melody for this.
West Coast Belle (Last 2 Beyers: 75-66)
* Sensational opening-day romp in the ungraded Rags to Riches validated her last-to-first debut win at the Jersey shore; first two-turn attempt for this daughter of the red-hot sire Tapit is a real litmus test.
* It’s been a terrific fall meet for Wayne Catalano, who survived a perilous bout with pneumonia this summer. He and clients Gary and Mary West are title contenders in their respective categories.
Kathballu (Last 2 Beyers: 65-64)
* This cleverly named full sister to the 2010 Golden Rod winner, Kathmanblu, thumped a decent field of maidens when getting first-time Lasix earlier in the meet and might stand to benefit most if the early pace unfolds swiftly.
“Both of my fillies had what I thought were real nice breezes here Sunday, so we should be all set,” said trainer Ken McPeek, who also will saddle I’m a Chatterbox. “They’ve both got a lot of upside.”