King's preview: Spot plays land near the rail

Racing resumes after a dark Thursday

Churchill Downs is back racing with its usual mid-afternoon card beginning at 2:45 p.m. Friday after taking Thursday off after a card Monday, Memorial Day. The main track and the turf are firm, despite overnight rain.

The rain likely did the turf wonders, as it was looking pretty dry and playing very fast during last week’s race.

Hard to believe, but the meet is already more than halfway finished. Friday’s card is the 20th of 38 race days during the spring-summer meet here.

Jockey, trainer leaders tied

Jockeys Rosie Napravnik and Corey Lanerie enter Friday’s card deadlocked with 21 wins apiece with Julien Leparoux not far behind in third with 16 winners.

Napravnik, who has missed seven racing days this meet due to a suspension and out-of-town riding engagements, is winning at a 33 percent rate, having won with 21 of 64 mounts.

Lanerie, meanwhile, has been the most active local rider with 118 mounts at Churchill. His win percentage is 18 percent.

Steve Asmussen and Mike Maker also are tied in the trainers race with each entering Friday’s card with 11 winners. Asmussen is 11 for 35, while Maker is 11 for 47.

Six owners are tied with three wins apiece.

Spot plays

Third race
TIZ WINDY (#1, 7-2) impressed in winning a first-level allowance over next-out winner Handmade on Oaks Day, surging to victory in the deep stretch after struggling to secure room; much improved over the past few months; should offer value with Cash Control and Shanon Nicole taking support.

Seventh race
SASSY KITTEN (#1, 7-5) is a good single for multi-race gimmicks. She has won her last two races in which she has raced on the grass and looks poised to win another; Beyer Speed Figures in the 80s in those two recent grass scores.

Ninth race
AWESOME JILL (#2, 3-1) comes off a second-place finish to the Southern Honey, who has won three in a row, including the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes against older mares this past Saturday. This miss also ran third behind eventual Arlington Classic winner Istanford in her prior start.