King's preview: Mint Julep draws soft field

Mint Julep comes up soft this year

With only two horses returning Saturday’s Mint Julep at Churchill Downs after having last raced in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile on Derby Day – I’m Already Sexy and Miz Ida – the 2014 renewal of the Mint Julep appears below average compared to past runnings.

The latter two horses are the classiest mares and the likeliest winners, with Miz Ida seemingly holding an edge, having won this race last year and being a mare that typically runs best in her second starts following layoffs. The Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile marked her first race of the year.

The reason for the drop off in quality this year has much to do with Belmont hosting the Just a Game Stakes – a race in which the first-, second-, and fourth-place finishers from the Churchill Downs Distaff landed instead.

Money talks, and with a purse of $750,000, the Just a Game is a far more lucrative spot than the $100,000 Mint Julep. The former race is also far more prestigious, being a Grade 1 compared to the Mint Julep being a Grade 3.

Sixth race draws talented turf sophomores

The sixth race, a straight maiden race for 3-year-olds at a mile, seems a better-than-average field for the level – with both Sportscaster and Afleet Moss coming off Beyer Speed Figures in the upper 80s, when par for such a race is 83.

They both exit the same race, a May 11 contest in which Sportscaster was second and Afleet Moss third. The latter rallied from a stalking position to grab the runner-up spot, while the former set the pace before weakening slightly late.

With Afleet Moss being a second-time starter, he seemingly has more right to improve upon his last race, although with at least three other speed horses in the lineup, he figures to have company up front.

Spot plays

Third Race
BERN JAMES BERN (#8, 7-2) ran decently to be third in an off-the-turf $50,000 claimer recently and figures to move forward with the return to grass. He won an entry-level allowance on turf at Fair Grounds and has the tactical speed to get a favorable trip.

Fifth Race
SET OF J’S (#7, 7-2) is a quick-working Bret Calhoun trainee who seems well prepped for his first start. Calhoun is great at preparing such runners for their first races, and this one catches what appears to be a soft group.

Seventh Race
OLDWICK (#8, 5-1) tired to third in his last race when matched against similar but certainly had a right to grow weary after setting a fast pace. He’s drawn outside today and should be in less of a hurry. Back class also adds to his appeal.

Ninth Race
BRAINWASH (#1, 5-1) comes into this race off a couple of runner-up finishes and is among the most consistent runners in this allowance, having been first or second in half of his 12 starts.