Hot Springs tops seven in Commonwealth Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One of the final opportunities for 3-year-old turf horses to race among their own kind this year will come Saturday at Churchill Downs when the Grade 3, $100,000 Commonwealth Turf is run for the 15th time.

Hot Springs, a last-out winner of the Jefferson Cup on the Churchill turf, surely will be favored after drawing the outside post in a field of seven in the 1 1/16-mile race, especially in light of his 3-for-3 record over the local course. Steve Asmussen trains the Uncle Mo colt for the Woodford Racing partnership, headed by Bill Farish.

Other top contenders in the Commonwealth, for which entries were drawn Wednesday, are March to the Arch, winner of the Toronto Cup at Woodbine in late July for trainer Mark Casse, and Sniper Kitten, winner of the Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury in late June for trainer Mike Maker.

From the hedge, this is the field: Reride, Marzo, Sniper Kitten, March to the Arch, Year of the Kitten, Zero Gravity, and Hot Springs.

The Commonwealth Turf, the lone stakes of the five-day week at Churchill, is expected to be run on the coldest day in this region since early in the year. Overnight temperatures are forecast for below freezing, with a Saturday high of just 41.

Jockeys coming and going

The annual overlap of racing dates between Churchill and its sister track Fair Grounds means quite a few jockeys either will be leaving here early for the New Orleans track or will be going back and forth. Fair Grounds starts next Thursday (Nov. 15), while Churchill ends its fall meet Nov. 25.

A number of riders either have already left Churchill, or will leave after the race week concludes Sunday, including Joe Bravo, Miguel Mena, James Graham, Adam Beschizza, Jack Gilligan, and Ty Kennedy. Also, Shaun Bridgmohan and Gabriel Saez intend to ride at both spots during the overlap of eight racing dates (Nov. 15-18 and Nov. 22-25).

Meanwhile, Fernando De La Cruz and Alex Canchari are recent arrivals at Churchill from the Indiana Grand meet. Also, Heriberto Figueroa, whose numbers would seem to make him a consideration in Eclipse Award balloting for top apprentice, will be in from Southern California to ride here Nov. 14-15 and 21-22, said agent Jimmy McNerney.

At least four Churchill riders will be heading for the Gulfstream Park meet that starts Dec. 1: Julien Leparoux, Brian Hernandez Jr., Robby Albarado, and Chris Landeros.

Krampus in Friday feature

Krampus, most recently second as the favorite for the same condition last month at Keeneland, figures as the horse to beat in the Friday feature at Churchill, an $85,000 third-level allowance scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Bill Mott trains Krampus for owner-breeder Bill Schettine.

A field of nine older horses, plus two more entered for the main track only, were entered for the eighth of 10 Friday races. A second allowance, a first-level sprint for 2-year-old fillies worth $78,500, immediately follows as race 9 on a card that starts at 1 p.m. Eastern.