Fall meet will conclude next week with six graded stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Churchill Downs fall meet once again will end with a flurry of terrific racing as six graded stakes with purses totaling almost $2 million will send horsemen and fans on their way into winter. Here’s a preview of the closing-week stakes:

◗ Grade 2, $300,000 Falls City (Thursday): The winners of the last two filly-mare stakes run at Churchill – Go Google Yourself (Sept. 14 Locust Grove) and Sally’s Curlin (Nov. 2 Chilukki) – will meet for the first time in this 1 1/8-mile race for which entries are to be taken Saturday. Both fillies are in peak form, with 4-year-old Go Google Yourself having won 4 of her last 6 starts and 3-year-old Sally’s Curlin having won 4 of her last 5.

Other starters include the Brad Cox duo of Moonlit Garden and Mylady Curlin, along with Grandaria, Ratajkowski, and probably a couple more.

◗ Grade 3, $175,000 Cardinal (Thursday): A fairly large and well-matched field of fillies and mares is expected for this 1 1/8-mile turf race, including Limari, Stave, Area, Notapradaprice, English Soul, Tough Irma, and surely a few more.

◗ Grade 1, $600,000 Clark (Friday): A terrific lineup of older runners is expected for the 145th running of the 1 1/8-mile fall showcase when entries are taken Sunday.

Likely favorites include Tom’s d’Etat, a dominant last-out winner of the Fayette at Keeneland for Al Stall Jr., and Seeking the Soul, winner of the 2017 Clark and 2019 Stephen Foster for Dallas Stewart. Other confirmed starters include Bravazo, Draft Pick, Major Cabbie, Mocito Rojo, Mr. Buff, Mr Freeze, and Snapper Sinclair.

Roadster, one of the would-be contenders, is entered this Saturday in the Native Diver at Del Mar, with Bob Baffert leaning toward keeping him in that race as opposed to waiting for the Clark. Other possible starters include Owendale, depending on how the colt breezes here this weekend, according to Cox, and several more.

This is the first time the Clark will not be run as a handicap. Allowance conditions now apply.

◗ Grade 2, $300,000 Mrs. Revere (Friday): The Chad Brown duo of Nay Lady Nay and New and Improved are among a sizable field of 3-year-old fillies expected for this 1 1/16-mile turf race. Other probables include Dalika, She’sonthewarpath, The Mackem Bullet, Tuned, Winning Envelope, Winter Sunset, and more.

◗ Grade 2, $300,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (Saturday): Tiz the Law, withheld from the Breeders’ Cup by trainer Barclay Tagg after winning the Grade 1 Champagne by four lengths, will be in from New York for this 1 1/16-mile race, expected to get a field of 8 to 10 colts and geldings when entries are taken Wednesday. Other known starters include the respective 1-2-3 finishers in the opening-day Street Sense: South Bend, Fighting Seabee, and Silver Prospector.

The KJC and its twin sister the Golden Rod are qualifying-points races (10-4-2-1) toward the Kentucky Derby and Oaks next May. They’re the anchors of a card made up of all 2-year-old races.

◗ Grade 2, $300,000 Golden Rod (Saturday): Baffert is scheduled to ship Auberge and Bast here from his California base for this 1 1/16-mile race in which they are expected to face Finite, a six-length winner of the opening-day Rags to Riches for Steve Asmussen. Other probables include Turtle Trax, stretching out off two sprint wins for Ian Wilkes.

First post Thanksgiving Day is 11:30 a.m. Eastern, with all other cards starting at 1 p.m. The 25-day meet runs through next Sunday, Dec. 1, after which nearly four months of winter action at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky gets under way Dec. 4.

Allowances featured Sunday

Ending a rare five-day week without a stakes, a 10-race Sunday card will be highlighted by a pair of allowances for 3-year-olds and upward.

Race 4 is a $105,000 multi-conditioned race going a one-turn mile on the main track. Two of the six entrants are in for an optional $150,000 claiming tag, including arguably the top contender Thirstforlife for owner-trainer Wes Hawley.

Race 9 is a $99,000 second-level route scheduled for turf. Seventeen (including seven also-eligibles) were entered, with Tigers Rule and Hierarchy the main threats, assuming the race stays on turf.

Although turf racing was conducted as scheduled here Wednesday and Thursday, early rain Friday forced all races to the main track, and more rain was in the forecast for Saturday. Sunshine and a high of 50 are predicted for Sunday.

The Single 6 spans races 5-10 Sunday. The carryover pool stood at $164,356 into Friday action.

◗ Jockey Martin Garcia enjoyed a good start on his new circuit by riding two allowance winners from his first seven mounts – Home Base on Wednesday and Infinite on Thursday. Garcia, 35, is looking to rejuvenate his career after a prolonged downturn in Southern California.

◗ The first of four wagering pools for the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, along with the once-a-year Derby Sires Wager, opens Thursday at noon Eastern and closes Sunday at 6 p.m.