Eye of the Leopard will race in U.S. for now

Hotep, who is by A.P. Indy out of the Smart Strike mare Eye of the Sphynx, is a full brother to Eye of the Leopard, who is winless in four starts since the Plate. Owned by Sam-Son Farm, Eye of the Leopard now is with trainer Neil Howard at Churchill Downs.

In his first start for Howard, Eye of the Leopard finished sixth at Churchill Downs in the Kelly's Landing Stakes over seven furlongs on June 25.

"What we'd like to do is to get him some graded stakes black-type down there, and bring him back and make him a successful stallion," said Rick Balaz, president and general manager of Sam-Son Farm.

"If it's not working out, he'll come back here to race," said Balaz.

Not Bourbon now a turf sprinter

Not Bourbon, winner of the 2008 Queen's Plate for Attfield and Jones, is back in the entries Sunday under sharply different circumstances.

After missing all of 2009 with a shoulder injury, Not Bourbon will be making his third start of this season in the Grade 2, $200,000 Highlander Handicap over six furlongs of turf.

Not Bourbon, owned and bred by Charles Fipke, returned here May 12 to win a classified allowance race at six furlongs on the main track and then finished a close fifth when making his turf debut over seven furlongs in the Grade 3 Connaught Cup on May 30.

Entered back in the restricted New Providence on June 9, Not Bourbon was scratched due to minor illness but has since worked well, including an eye-catching four-furlong breeze in 46.80 seconds here last Tuesday.