Dubai Sky begins comeback on turf

Grade 3 winner Dubai Sky, who was knocked out of last year’s Triple Crown series by an injury, makes his long-awaited return in Friday’s second race at Churchill Downs, a third-level allowance/optional $100,000 claiming event on turf.

Dubai Sky has won 4 of 5 career starts under trainer Bill Mott’s tutelage and has never been off the board. The colt won the 2015 Kitten’s Joy Stakes on turf, then took the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes on Turfway’s Polytrack. The latter win earned him enough qualifying points to contest the Kentucky Derby, and he was made a late nominee to the Triple Crown series. But he fractured a cannon bone in a hind leg while galloping at Churchill Downs, knocking him out for the rest of the year.

Julien Leparoux will be aboard Dubai Sky for the first time. The pair drew post 4 in the field of eight that includes several other stakes performers.

Trace Creek also comes into this race off a graded stakes victory, having posted a major upset in the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup on May 21 on Arlington Park’s Polytrack. It was his first victory in four starts since being transferred to the barn of William VanMeter. Chris Landeros has the mount.

Stakes winner Watchyourownbobber is Grade 3-placed on the Churchill Downs turf. He comes into this race off a runner-up effort in the Barbados Gold Cup. The field also includes Grade 3 winner Jessica’s Star and stakes winners Annulment, Dac, Heuston, and Jac’s Fact.

Single Six jackpot

If Churchill’s Single Six jackpot was not taken down Thursday, it could add intrigue to the penultimate card of the meet. The pot has been building since May 13, and there was a carryover of $676,761 into Thursday’s card – and additional money wagered would carry over to Friday. The pot can be emptied only if a single ticket has all six winners.

Friday’s sequence runs from races 5 through 10. A mandatory payout is scheduled for closing night Saturday if the pot is not taken down Thursday or Friday.

Consistent fillies in feature

The day’s nominal feature, which is part of the Single Six sequence as race 9, is a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming event for fillies and mares going a mile on the main track. Rising standout Dear Elaine, Miss Cobblestone, and stakes-proven Conquest Curlgirl all enter in good form.

The lightly raced Dear Elaine has won two straight for trainer Charlie LoPresti, most recently scoring on May 29 at Churchill. This race marks her first try past seven furlongs, and meet-leading rider Corey Lanerie has the mount.

Miss Cobblestone has won three of her last four starts, including two of three since being claimed for $25,000 by trainer Bernie Flint. James Graham has the call.

Conquest Curlgirl finished third in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks last year behind eventual division champion Stellar Wind. Conquest Curlgirl comes in off a pair of good outings on wet tracks at Churchill, winning an allowance race in May and finishing second in an optional event June 2.