King's review: Class on the grass

Thursday, May 1 review

A pair of wins by high-class turf runners, Regally Ready and Jack Milton, highlighted the Thursday card at Churchill Downs.

Regally Ready, the 2011 Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint winner at Churchill Downs who has developed into a miler since last year, proved able to carry his speed 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill turf in the eighth, albeit with a very soft pace.

Jockey Rosie Napravnik was able to coax him into setting splits of 25.14 for the opening quarter mile, and 49.11 for the half – and at that point the added distance didn’t matter. The race turned into sprint from that point, and he came out on top despite drifting well out in the course in the lane.

He opened up a 3 ½-length lead in midstretch, and lasted for a length score over Utley. His winning time for 1 1/16 miles on a firm grass was 1:42.23.

Coming off such a perfect-trip victory, he could be a horse to play against next time out, provided there is more speed to run with him early.

Jack Milton won two races later in race 10, and though he defeated a second-level allowance group, not a money allowance like the one Regally Ready defeated, he seems the more exciting long-term prospect of the two.

Making his first start as a 4-year-old, he blew past the rest of the field under Joel Rosario to win going away by three lengths. His time for a mile on the grass was 1:35.34.

The Churchill main track, which many horseplayers viewed as having a deep rail on Tuesday, seemed to play fairly Thursday. Horses won on the inside and outside, on the front end and from as far back as last.

Short fields again were the order of the day on dirt, with the last race, the Super Hi 5 race, having just seven entrants after a couple scratches. With fewer combinations and favorites finishing one-two, the wager didn’t return much. The $1 bet paid a meager $71.90 for predicting the top five finishers in precise order.

Horses to Watch

Pedrolino
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Last race: May 1, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by 2 1/4
Beyer: 77

Could not keep up with favored Hazards of Love late, but ran well in defeat to lose to a quality horse in his first start off the claim for owner-trainer Steve Asmussen. Asmussen’s claims typically move forward with more time in his barn, and this one has the makings of developing into a nice starter horse.