Kiss Moon draws post 12 for Cardinal Handicap

Kiss Moon was assigned post 12 as the 120-pound highweight in a field of 13 fillies and mares entered in the Grade 3, $100,000 Cardinal Handicap, to be run Saturday as the lone graded stakes of the weekend at Churchill Downs.

Julien Leparoux has the call on Kiss Moon, a two-back winner of the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf for owner and breeder Carl Pollard and trainer Dave Vance. Kiss Moon will spot the opposition two to nine pounds in what shapes up as a wide-open 42nd running of the Cardinal, a 1 1/8-mile turf race carded as the 10th of 11 Saturday races.

Farewell plans uncertain for American Pharoah

As of Wednesday, there still were no plans for a public ceremony to celebrate the retirement of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, although owner and breeder Ahmed Zayat is “still hoping to have one … we are trying,” said Justin Zayat, manager of the family stable.

Officials at Churchill and Keeneland are willing to accommodate an appropriate goodbye to the colt, who is now at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., just a few miles from where he ended his career with a 6 1/2-length victory in the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland. However, “logistical issues” are making the reality of such a celebration “difficult,” said Justin Zayat.

Juveniles in turf feature

An oversubscribed lineup of 2-year-olds is entered in the lone allowance carded for Friday, a $57,000, first-level race scheduled for a mile on turf. Bondurant, Yo Carm, and One Mean Man are among the top contenders in the ninth of 10 races. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

After rain Wednesday, conditions in this region were expected to clear, with cooler temperatures moving in. The projected high for Friday is 57. Freezing overnight temperatures were forecast for the weekend, with daytime highs in the low- to mid-40s.