He’s Comin in Hot favored on short rest in Bashford Manor

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After more than a century in existence, it should come as little surprise that the Bashford Manor Stakes has been won by horses who eventually made something of themselves. Black Gold (1923), Summer Squall (1989), Boston Harbor (1996), and Favorite Trick (1997) all went on to win classics or awards of great distinction.

The odds are fairly good that none of the eight 2-year-olds in the latest renewal of the Grade 3 Bashford Manor will soar to such lofty heights, but that doesn’t mean the 114th running Saturday night at Churchill Downs won’t be fun. An interesting assortment will go six furlongs for a $100,000 purse, with He’s Comin in Hot likely to be favored after knocking out his maiden condition here two weeks ago for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Three other last-out maiden winners also are in the lineup: Patrick Rocks, Shoot Craps, and Sapphire Storm. In fact, none of the eight has competed in anything other than a maiden race.

The Bashford Manor leads off an all-stakes pick four (races 6-9) on the final Downs After Dark program of the meet. Post time for the Bashford Manor is 8:30 p.m. Eastern.

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Key contenders

He’s Comin in Hot (Last 3 Beyers: 72-76-NA)

Texas-bred gelding owns the top two Beyers in the field (along with Shoot Craps, who also earned a 72 last out), both in maiden races, and now must prove that superiority when breaking from the tricky rail post under Jamie Theriot, who won two Breeders’ Cup races here in 2010 for Calhoun.

Patrick Rocks (Last 2 Beyers: 57-24)

Maryland-based trainer Jerry Robb won the Bashford Manor two years ago with Debt Ceiling and now returns with a Florida-bred colt who showed big improvement in his second start when capturing a Pimlico maiden sprint.

Shoot Craps (Last 2 Beyers: 72-47)

Difficult to say how he’ll match up after prevailing on the Belmont turf the day after the Triple Crown was won, but his form suggests he’ll contend. Jockey DeShawn Parker is a two-time wins leader (2010-11) in North America.

Show Bound (Last Beyer: 64)

He’s one of four non-winners in the field but the only one who’ll take serious backing, given that he ran a good third behind Shoot Craps at Belmont when favored in his career debut. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a four-time winner of this event.