Imperia to scratch from Spiral Stakes; Royal Son favored
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
On a day when Turfway Park held a press conference and post-position draw for Saturday’s Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral Stakes, the big news was that Imperia, who had been expected to be one of the favorites, would be scratched from the race, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed Wednesday.
In his absence, John Battaglia Memorial winner Royal Son and Metaboss should vie for favoritism in a field of 11, with Royal Son tabbed as the 7-2 morning-line choice and Metaboss at 4-1. Imperia was assigned odds of 4-1 without having been scratched before the draw.
McLaughlin texted Wednesday, a couple of hours after the draw, with news of the scratch, saying, “We will look him over good, but we are just not happy with him.”
Imperia, fifth in the Risen Star Stakes in his only race this year, had a March 13 work at Palm Meadows that drew the disapproval of clocker Mike Vesce of Daily Racing Form, who noted that the “colt will need to really step it up to remain on the Derby trail.”
The Spiral, the signature race at Turfway, is sponsored by Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, which hosted the draw luncheon Wednesday after entries closed Sunday. A midlevel Kentucky Derby prep race, it offers 85 qualifying points to the Derby, including 50 to the winner.
Riding Royal Son is local jockey Rodney Prescott, who was aboard when the colt shipped from Florida to Turfway and won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes with a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest mark in Saturday’s field. Todd Pletcher trains him for owner WinStar Farm.
As usual, there are a number of out-of-town jockeys coming to Turfway to chase the Spiral’s rich purse and the potential for a Kentucky Derby mount. Mike Smith, Joel Rosario, Jose Lezcano, and Alex Solis are just four prominent national riders with mounts in the race.
From the rail with riders, this is the field for the 44th Spiral: Royal Son, Prescott; Big Family, Albin Jimenez; Watchyourownbobber, Rajiv Maragh; Wireless Future, Florent Geroux; Another Lemon Drop, Drayden Van Dyke; Imperia, Rosario (to be scratched); Magic of Believing, Shane Laviolette; Task Force Glory, Rafael Hernandez; Conquest Typhoon, Smith; Firespike, Miguel Mena; Metaboss, Solis; and Dubai Sky, Lezcano.
Metaboss was made the second choice after winning the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in his last start.
First post Saturday is 1:10 p.m. Eastern, with the Spiral, the 11th of 12 races, set for 6:28. TVG will televise, and HRRN will provide radio coverage. The extended forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high temperature of 66.
General admission is $10 Saturday.
◗ Sharla Rae, a two-time stakes winner on synthetic tracks, landed in post 9 for the Bourbonette Oaks and was installed as the 5-2 favorite. Trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Van Dyke, she faces a full cast of 11 opponents. The Bourbonette Oaks goes a race before the Spiral, as the 10th race, at 5:42.