Factor This extends stakes streak to four in Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup

Factor This kept showing his fine form this season with a repeat victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup Stakes on Sunday at Ellis Park as the Henderson, Ky., track hosted one of its two major cards this month.

The Tourist Mile preview was one of five turf stakes on Sunday's program at Ellis Park, dubbed Kentucky Downs Preview Day. The races were designed as preps for stakes at the lucrative all-turf meeting next month at Kentucky Downs in Franklin. Both the Ellis and Kentucky Downs meets are sponsored by freshman sire Runhappy as part of an extensive marketing campaign masterminded by owner Jim McIngvale.

Factor This won three straight races in the summer of 2019, culminating with the Turf Cup at Ellis, before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes, in which the fine campaigners Zulu Alpha and Arklow were one-two. This year, after a pair of stakes placings over the winter at Fair Grounds, Factor This has now won four consecutive races for Brad Cox and Gaining Ground Racing LLC. He won the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes and the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes in New Orleans before returning to Kentucky to win the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes on June 20 at Churchill Downs, defeating English Bee by a neck. Fourth-place Aquaphobia subsequently won the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

Factor This ($3.80), sent away favored under Shaun Bridgmohan, pressed Phantom Currency through an opening half in 50.25 seconds on a turf course rated soft, then easily put that foe away, taking command by a length through six furlongs in 1:15:06. He was headed by second choice Ry's the Guy at the quarter pole, but fought back as that one faded. He held on by a half-length at the wire over the rallying Hierarchy, who had been 10th in the field of 11 after six furlongs. The final time for the 1 1/4 miles was 2:04.52, well off the course record of 1:59.12 established by Factor This last year.

It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Split the Wickets, who edged Ry's the Guy by a head for third.

Earlier in the day, Spectacular Gem, who had been eighth behind Factor This at Fair Grounds in his first start of 2020, also continued to shine in Kentucky as he set himself up for the Kentucky Downs meet with a victory as the favorite in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile Stakes.

Spectacular Gem ($5.80), who had James Graham in the irons, was previously a three-length winner of a quality optional-claiming race on June 26 at Churchill Downs, defeating stakes-seasoned foes Mr. Misunderstood, Mr Dumas, Made You Look, Snapper Sinclair, and Seven Trumpets in a salty field. Mr. Misunderstood again finished second to him Sunday.

This was the third career stakes win for Spectacular Gem, who is trained by James Baker. He won the Jefferson Cup last September at Churchill Downs and was credited for another victory for last December's Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds. Tracksmith, who crossed the wire first, was later disqualified for a positive test, promoting dead-heat runners-up Flying Scotsman and Spectacular Gem to the win.

In other stakes action Sunday at Ellis:

* Carotari ($8.80) drove past the leaders in the stretch under Julien Leparoux, then held off a late rally from favored Tiger Blood to win the $100,000 Runhappy Preview Turf Sprint by a length. The gelding, trained by Brian Lynch, won the Silks Run Stakes earlier this year at Gulfstream Park.

* Into Mystic ($5.40) returned in style with a 1 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint Stakes for Brendan Walsh and jockey Joe Talamo. The filly had last been seen finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes on May 25 at Santa Anita, beaten less than two lengths. The popular graded stakes winner Morticia was through after a half, fading to last of eight.

* English Affair ($31.80) scored a big upset for her first victory since 2018, taking the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Stakes under Rafael Bejarano. The Calumet Farm homebred, trained by Rusty Arnold, enjoyed an outstanding season in 2018, winning the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs and placing in a pair of other stakes while only missing the board once on the year, including a runner-up effort in this race at Ellis. However, she had been unplaced in four starts since the Cardinal in November 2018, with three of those outings coming this year.

Ellis Park is set to host another major day of racing next weekend, with five stakes on Aug. 9 highlighted by the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby. Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector is expected to head the field for that race, which awards points toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby on a 50-20-10-5 scale. The Runhappy Audubon Oaks on the card awards qualifying points toward the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks, while the Groupie Doll Stakes for older fillies and mares is expected to include Grade 1 winner Street Band.