Henley's Joy, Miss Technicality account for Kentucky Downs Juvenile stakes

FRANKLIN, Ky. – A year after winning the Kentucky Downs Juvenile with Snapper Sinclair, Jeff Bloom enjoyed the thrill of repeating as winning owner in the same race Saturday when favored Henley’s Joy turned in a gritty effort to edge Tracksmith by a head.

Unlike last year, when Snapper Sinclair pulled clear for a 1 3/4-length score, leaving Bloom confident of victory in deep stretch, he and the others associated with Henley’s Joy had their share of anxious moments until the wire in Saturday’s $390,600 Kentucky Downs Juvenile. Henley's Joy was passed in the lane by Tracksmith, but dug in under urging from Tyler Gaffalione, getting the better end of a photo finish.

“I thought I definitely got the bob,” Gaffalione said.

A 2-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy purchased for $50,000 at OBS, Henley’s Joy raced a mile on firm turf course in 1:43.33. He paid $5.60 as the favorite in the field of 11.

Dragic, who dueled for the early lead, faded to third, four lengths behind runner-up Tracksmith.

Gaffalione said he felt the addition of blinkers helped him to keep his mount closer to the pace, sitting in in a stalking position in fourth, than his horse had been in winning a prior start at Ellis Park when closing from ninth.

Winning trainer Mike Maker said he is inclined to try graded stakes company with Bloom Racing's talented turf colt next, suggesting the Grade 3 Bourbon Stakes on Oct. 7 at Keeneland could be used as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Last year, Snapper Sinclair – trained by Steve Asmussen for Bloom – went straight to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar after his victory at Kentucky Downs, finishing 12th.

Miss Technicality rolls in Juvenile Fillies Stakes

As well as Henley’s Joy ran, he was overshadowed somewhat a race later by the winning performance of Miss Technicality, who rolled by six lengths in the $398,000 Juvenile Fillies.

Scratched from Thursday’s P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga when the course was softened by rain, Miss Technicality was made the even-money favorite in the Juvenile Fillies after winning her only other start, a maiden race at Belmont Park on July 6. She backed up those short odds, too, engulfing the leaders with rally from eighth and extended her advantage down the stretch under token pressure from Julien Leparoux.

Christophe Clement trains the winner, a 2-year-old daughter of Gio Ponti, for Namcook Stables and John McCormack. She raced a mile in 1:43.51, paying $4.

Leparoux, the leading jockey at Kentucky Downs last year and in 2014, notched his third victory of the day in winning the Juvenile Fillies.

Lightscameraction finished second, pulling past third-place finisher and early leader City Diva by a length.

$6.2 million in handle for opening-day card

All-sources handle for the 10-race program was reported at $6,205,873, second-highest in track history. The all-time record of nearly $8.5 million was set on Sept. 9, 2017.

The all-stakes late pick four (races 7-10) paid $49.80 for 50 cents. Handle was $230,850.

The late pick five (races 6-10) paid $181 for 50 cents, with handle being $93,187.

In the Jockey7 specialty wager (conducted on races 4-10), Julien Leparoux earned the most points, returning $6.20 for a $2 win wager. Handle was a mere $7,470.

– additional reporting by Marty McGee