Herchee forced to try longer after being scratched from last start

The connections of Herchee entered their horse in a May 29 allowance race at Churchill Downs and in the Arlington Stakes two days later. Though Herchee stacked up decently in the Arlington, the allowance looked like the better spot. In the end, Herchee didn’t run at all.

To trainer Helen Pitts’s disappointment, regulatory veterinarians scratched Herchee from the allowance race, which also prevented him from starting in the Arlington, and while Pitts has found another allowance for Herchee, the featured fourth race Thursday, it might not come at Herchee’s best distance.

Herchee, by Twirling Candy, makes his first start over 1 1/8 miles in this third-level allowance with a $100,000 claiming option. Pitts has campaigned Herchee like a miler and the talented 4-year-old gives the impression of being one, though the way he got 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland in his 2025 debut suggests nine furlongs could work.

Herchee won at first asking about a year ago, knocked out a first-level allowance in his first try, then found himself short of room at a critical upper-stretch juncture before finishing second in the $1.5 million Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs.

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He got too much of a hot pace in the Bryan Station in October at Keeneland, holding well for third, and had gone beyond his best form finishing sixth in the Commonwealth last fall at Churchill. And at nearly 4-1 he proved a great bet returning from a winter break with a razor-sharp Keeneland second-level allowance win, showing the same traits that stood out at age 3 – positional pace and a quick burst, but only better.

Are those the traits of a nine-furlong horse? Possibly. Herchee’s dam, Gone Theatrical, topped out at 1 1/16 miles but did produce Herchee’s 5-year-old Pitts-trained brother, Clyde’s Got a Gun, who missed by a nose in a June 8 second-level Churchill turf allowance over 1 3/8 miles.

Of course, any horse can win at any distance given the right competition. But the Thursday feature has more than pushovers.

Lord Bullingdon was scratched sick from the Chorleywood Stakes over 1 3/8 miles on June 14 but worked on June 22 and probably comes to this start capable of repeating his last. In that May 11 contest, a second-level Churchill grass allowance at 1 1/8 miles, Lord Bullingdon showed a new dimension, going to the lead. Not only did he hold gamely after setting a decent tempo, at the wire he was pulling clear from pursuing Echo Lane, who returned to win the same kind of race on Saturday. Third-place Big Blue Line also won his next start, an off-turf Saratoga allowance, where he earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

The morning line lists Ole Crazy Bone as the 7-2 second choice, but he should go to post a longer price than that. Tall Boy’s the lurking danger here, though he’ll be bet well below his 15-1 morning line.

Tall Boy makes his third start after a layoff, excels at 1 1/8 miles, and is 2-0-1 from three Churchill grass starts. In his last start on April 29, he fell much farther behind the pace than he needs to be before nabbing third with a quick closing furlong in 11.99 seconds.

This strong eight-race card also includes a first-level dirt route allowance for 3-year-old fillies, race 6, headed by Chasten, Gowell’s Delight, and the upset pick, Cue the Duckboats.

Race 7 is a second-level dirt sprint allowance with an $80,000 claiming option that drew a competitive field of 12. Gold Luck, 15-1 on the morning line, can pull a surprise if jockey Mario Gutierrez can work out a trip from his rail draw.

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