Fig Jelly makes first start for Cox

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Back-to-back-to-back allowances highlight the Friday card at Churchill Downs, where entries continue to produce full fields meeting with bettors’ approval.

Races 7 through 9 are the co-featured allowances that anchor a 10-race program that starts at 1 p.m. Eastern. All three attracted oversubscribed fields, typical for a card that drew 153 entries (including also-eligibles and exclusions). Wagering handle for the first two cards of the 26-day spring meet was nearly triple the comparable 2019 dates.

Here’s a rundown of the Friday co-features:

Race 7

Fig Jelly, formerly trained by Jason Servis, makes his first start since being turned over to Brad Cox as a major contender in this $83,000, second-level turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

All horses previously trained by Servis have been required to pass certain health tests in the aftermath of the trainer being indicted on federal drug charges March 9. Fig Jelly, most recently second in a swift renewal of the March 7 Silks Run at Gulfstream Park, has breezed six times since late March for Cox. Javier Castellano picks up the mount.

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Other likely favorites include Chewing Gum, a stretch-runner trained by Bill Mott, and Real Money, a last-out Gulfstream winner for Mark Casse.

Race 8

A pair of sharp first-out winners who possibly stand to benefit from the Kentucky Oaks being postponed to Sept. 4 are among a promising group of 3-year-old fillies in this $81,000, first-level race at seven furlongs.

Center Aisle, an Into Mischief filly who earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure on debut for Chad Brown, will line up alongside Casual, a Curlin filly who got a 90 Beyer at first asking for Steve Asmussen. They’re the principals in a loaded lineup that will have Four Grands, Nayibeth, She Can’t Sing, and Shadilee among the next set of wagering choices.

Race 9

Hard Legacy, winner of the Grade 3 Regret here last June, returns from a layoff of nearly six months as the horse to beat in this $85,000, third-level turf mile for older fillies and mares.

“She’s been ready to race since mid-March but had no place to run,” said Norman Casse, who trains Hard Legacy for the estate of Marylou Whitney. “We’re excited to get her back going again.”

Malakeh and Silver Kitten figure as the main rivals for Hard Legacy, whose six races last year at 3 all were graded stakes.

The afternoon will start with a 4 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old maiden special weights. Wesley Ward looms large with the uncoupled duo of Sheriff Bianco, a New York-bred colt, and Spicy Marg, the only filly in the main body of the field.

Churchill continues with its no-spectator policy and with stringent health checks for essential personnel because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Purses for all allowances and maiden specials include substantial bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.