Gardenia tops Ellis Park stakes

Eleven stakes worth $950,000 are scheduled for the 2001 meet at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. that begins on July 11. The richest event, the Grade 3 $200,000 Gardenia Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles, is the only graded event of the meet and has been moved up in the schedule two week to Aug. 11.

The Gardenia will share the spotlight that day with the $100,000 Ellis Park Breeders' Cup, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. Two-year-olds will be the attraction the following Saturday, Aug. 18, when the Ellis Park Juvenile and Ellis Park Debutante, both $100,000 events, will be run at seven furlongs.