Cure for Sale in spot to rebound

The $75,000 Indiana Live! Casino Stakes at Indiana Downs on Wednesday is just the place for Cure for Sale to show everyone she's still at the top of her game, according to trainer Raja Malek.

"She is doing very well, as good as ever," Malek said.

Cure for Sale finished sixth last time out in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs, a result Malek attributes to yielding turf and the level of competition she was facing. Prior to that, she finished second in a pair of Grade 3 turf stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. A repeat of either of those efforts would put her in the thick of things in the Indiana Live!, a mile turf race for fillies and mares.

"Basically, the track was very deep at Churchill," Malek said, "and when you set the pace with that caliber of horses behind you, it is tough to hang on. Speed was not holding at all, we would have been better to have come from just off the pace."

The Distaff Turf Mile was won by Phola, who Cure for Sale finished second to in her prior start, the Grade 3 Hillsborough at Tampa on March 13. In her seasonal debut, Cure for Sale, a 6-year-old Argentina-bred, finished second in the Grade 3 Endeavour at Tampa.

Although the Indiana Downs turf course may be off on Wednesday due to recent rains, Malek isn't concerned.

"The course seems to drain well," he said. "I don't think the rain will affect the course like it did at Churchill."

Junior Alvarado, who won back-to-back races with Cure for Sale at Arlington last summer, will retain the mount.

"She is kind of quirky, but he has her figured out." Malek said.

Of the 10 fillies and mares in the Indiana Live! Casino, Meadow Saffron is the only horse entered to have previously run over the Indiana Downs turf course, having won this race on the front end a year ago. She will be ridden by Victor Lebron, the meet's leading rider with 32 wins.

"She doesn't have to be on the lead," said Fred Seitz, her owner-trainer. "I will let Victor figure out the pace and decide where to have her."