Kentucky Downs Preview Day stakes form late pick five

A week ahead of one of the most important days in its 98-year history, Ellis Park in western Kentucky will host five $100,000 turf stakes designed as previews for the September meet at its sister track and benefactor, Kentucky Downs.

The five Sunday stakes will be run consecutively as an all-stakes pick five (races 6-10) to end a terrific card that starts at 12:50 p.m. Central.

The Kentucky Downs previews come a week before the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, set for next Sunday as a 50-20-10-5 points qualifier toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby. Art Collector heads the prospective field for the Ellis Derby, one of five stakes on the Aug. 9 card.

Purses at Ellis have been supplemented in recent seasons by millions of dollars transferred from Kentucky Downs as arranged by the Kentucky division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Purses for each of the preview stakes Sunday include $25,000 in bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.

Spectators are being permitted to attend the Ellis races amid the ongoing global pandemic, although tickets must be purchased in advance through ellisparkracing.com. Sunshine and a high of 80 are in the local forecast for Sunday.

Working backward from the feature, here’s a rundown of each of the Kentucky Downs previews:

Preview Turf Cup (race 10)

The overall quality of the stakes lineups is embodied no better than with Factor This, whose 2020 form has been simply outstanding. The speedy 5-year-old won this 1 1/4-mile race last year and will be a solid favorite when he breaks from post 11 in a field of 12. Shaun Bridgmohan rides for trainer Brad Cox, who has entries in all but one of the five preview races.

Factor This will be risking a three-race win streak after going wire to wire in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds, the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial, and the Grade 2 Wise Dan, earning Beyer Speed Figures ranging from 99 to 104.

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“What can you say other than he’s shown up big-time all year,” said Cox. “He’s fast, he’s classy, he’s tough. I’ve just kept him happy and healthy and he’s taken care of the rest.”

If Factor This is to stub his toe after perhaps taking early pressure from longshot Phantom Currency, the most likely upsetters include Ry’s the Guy, Bourbon Resolution, Empire of War, or Signalman, all capable of effective late runs.

This race serves a prep for the richest race of the six-day Kentucky Downs meet, the $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup on Sept. 12, although Cox is actually looking for Factor This to use it toward the $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

Preview Ladies Turf (race 9)

Under different circumstances, Mitchell Road might have been the favorite in this one-mile race, which drew a full field of 12 fillies and mares. The 5-year-old half-sister to 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House, Mitchell Road has been a standout for Bill Mott by winning four stakes from her last 10 starts, most recently the Ellis Park Turf four weeks ago.

However, this race attracted Daddy Is a Legend, whose running lines include such names as Rushing Fall, Uni, Got Stormy, and Beau Recall. A winner of $533,310, Daddy Is a Legend is pegged as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for jockey Florent Geroux and trainer George Weaver in her seasonal debut.

She’sonthewarpath and Summer in Saratoga are among the fringe players in this prep toward the Sept. 12 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf.

Preview Ladies Sprint (race 8)

Morticia, the millionaire 6-year-old with eight stakes wins, is a lukewarm program favorite when prepping for the Sept. 12 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint, a race she won last year. She’s one of 10 fillies and mares in this 5 1/2-furlong race, which also attracted such capable turf-sprint specialists as Dance Rhythms, Into Mystic, Whimsical Muse, and Ambassador Luna.

With Tyler Gaffalione in New York, Julien Leparoux got the call from Rusty Arnold, who co-bred and trains Morticia.

Preview Tourist Mile (race 7)

This one-mile prep for the Sept. 7 Tourist Mile is arguably the deepest stakes of the day, with a busy mix of speed types and closers making for some tricky handicapping. Spectacular Gem is the 7-2 morning-line choice in a field of 12, but surely he’ll take pressure from the likes of Get Western and perhaps a couple of others, with Mr. Misunderstood, Hembree, and Dontblamerocket among those looking to pounce.

The wild card of the group is Hog Creek Hustle, a Grade 1 winner making his turf debut. The meet’s leading jockey Rafael Bejarano will be aboard when the 4-year-old colt breaks from the outside post.

Preview Sprint (race 6)

Tiger Blood, a 19-time winner, will make his second start since being claimed at Gulfstream Park by Mike Maker when he faces seven others in this 5 1/2-furlong prep for the only Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event of the Kentucky Downs meet, the $700,000 Turf Sprint on Sept. 12.

Tiger Blood is the 5-2 program choice in a lineup that includes High Crime and the Cox-trained Vanbrugh as challengers. The Preview Sprint leads off the 50-cent pick five.