Flatlined preps for Wise Dan in turf allowance
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Veteran trainer Scooter Dickey has a plan, but first he needs Flatlined to do his part.
“I’m wanting to run him in the Wise Dan,” Dickey said, referring to the Grade 2 turf race set for the big Stephen Foster Handicap card June 16 at Churchill Downs. “So, I’d like for him to show me something in this spot first.”
Dickey will send out Flatlined as one of the favorites in the richest of three allowances on a nine-race Memorial Day card at Churchill. Flatlined is a multiple stakes winner who has earned $475,707, and Dickey hopes the 6-year-old gelding hasn’t lost a step.
“He’s had the one race since I gave him a break,” Dickey said, referring to a respectable third-place finish here in the Opening Verse on the Thursday of Kentucky Derby week. “Hopefully, he can move up off that. He’s training like he will.”
Corey Lanerie has the call on Flatlined, who was assigned the outside post in a field of seven older horses in the fifth race, a $61,000 turf race with multiple conditions and a $100,000 claiming option. The 1 1/16-mile race is the first of three allowances (with races 7 and 8) on a Monday program that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern.
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Flatlined figures to be the second choice behind First Premio (post 4, Florent Geroux), who was second to Mr Cub in the Opening Verse. Trained by Mark Casse for Team Valor International, First Premio will be donning blinkers Monday for the first time in his 10th career start. The 4-year-old colt has raced exclusively in stakes since his most recent victory in November at Woodbine.
After the feature, Team Valor and partners also have a live one in Rocking the Boat in the seventh race. Out of back-to-back Oaklawn Park stakes, the 4-year-old Arch colt will face seven other older horses when turning back to 6 1/2 furlongs for a second-level condition and a $57,000 purse.
Race 8, a $55,000, first-level race at six furlongs, pits an interesting field of 12 3-year-olds, including Serengeti for Bob Baffert and Will’s Pioneer for Steve Asmussen.
All three allowances are part of a Single 6 sequence that spans races 4-9. Into Saturday action, the rollover jackpot in the Single 6 stood at $484,060.
After Monday, Churchill will go dark for two days before a four-day race week resumes with a Twilight Thursday program. The Thursday card kicks off the second half of the 38-day spring meet while coinciding with a 10 percent increase in overnight purses.
Churchill bugler Steve Buttleman will be tooting out patriotic songs after each of the nine post parades Monday in remembrance of those who served and died.