King's preview: Back-to-back stakes
Two stakes on deck
Saturday’s races at Churchill are highlighted by a pair of stakes: the $100,000 Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs and the $65,000 Roxelana for older fillies and mares at the same distance. Post time for the Debutante, which goes at the eighth race, is 4:18 p.m. Eastern, and is followed immediately by the ninth-race Roxelana at 4:49.
Both races are intriguing, the 2-year-old race because it offers a glimpse at fillies that could become serious players over the summer in graded stakes, and the Roxelana because it is a contentious race, seemingly without a short-priced favorite.
The Debutante drew a short field, which has been common in 2-year-old stakes across the country this year. There simply aren’t that many winners to go around, between stakes options in Maryland, Florida and New York – not to mention Britain, where trainer Wesley Ward sends his top juveniles.
The choice in the Debutante is Promise Me Silver, who was highly professional in winning first out at Lone Star, racing behind the leader on the inside, angling out into the clear, and then blowing away the opposition under minimal urging. She also shows fast works since at Churchill for trainer Bret Calhoun, who won this race last year with another Texas shipper, Fiftyshadesofgold.
Of the local winners, Unbridled Reward was the most eye-catching, dominating in the slop by nearly eight lengths earlier this meet. She sold for $330,000 at auction earlier this year.
Meanwhile in the Roxelana, look for Anahauc to bounce back from a ninth in the Winning Colors May 26. She was away slowly in that race and seemed to get discouraged when racing in traffic. When she has a clear trip, she can run quite quickly.
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SPOT PLAYS
Race 4
FULL (#4, 4-1) just won a nonwinners-of-three allowance at Belterra in his second start off a layoff and seems to be back in peak form. Now he makes his third start off a layoff and returns to the Churchill turf, where he has a win and a second in two grass sprints like this one.
Race 10
VALDINA'S WILL (#12, 4-1) should be fresh off the bench for her first race since last fall, when he was last seen running second to General a Rod in a maiden race on the Poly. He also ran well on turf with a second first time out at Kentucky Downs. He has also been training well for his return for a barn that does well with such types.
Early Scratches
Race: 5
#2 George and John
#5 Grey V Train
Race: 6
#4 Ginny Weasley
Race: 9
#1 Quiet Success
#6 Miffed
#8 Elusive Fate