Kruljac has Finest City waiting on the weather

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Weather will be a major topic of conversation as the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby draw closer. It is likely to play a determining factor in where trainer Ian Kruljac runs his reigning champion female sprinter Finest City this week at Churchill Downs.

On Tuesday, Kruljac entered Finest City in Friday’s Grade 1, $300,000 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. The La Troienne is run at 1 1/16 miles. Kruljac also planned to enter Finest City Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Humana Distaff at seven furlongs.

The La Troienne is one of five undercard stakes on Friday’s Kentucky Oaks Day program that begins at 10:30 a.m. The La Troienne will go as race 5 and has a post time of 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Rain was in the forecast for most of Thursday and part of Friday. Rain was forecast for later in the day on Saturday.

“I’m going to compare the two races and make a decision, probably go with the drier track,” Kruljac said.

Finest City won last year’s Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at seven furlongs and kicked off her 2017 campaign At Santa Anita with a victory in the Grade 2 Santa Monica, also at seven furlongs. Kruljac stretched Finest City out to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita, where she finished a clear second behind Vale Dori.

Finest City drew post 8 of nine for the La Troienne. She will be ridden by Mike Smith.

If Finest City comes out, Paid Subscriber will likely inherit the favorite’s role in the La Troienne. Paid Subscriber is undefeated in three starts at Churchill Downs, including last year’s Grade 2 Fleur de Lis in June.

Paid Up Subscriber made her first start for trainer Chad Brown in last month’s Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland, where she finished third behind the Brown-trained Paulassilverlining.

“I put her in the race thinking she could possibly win the Madison but also with an eye on getting her to this race,” Brown said. “Second off a layoff back, on a track she likes, on the stretch-out she figures to run well.”

Joel Rosario rides Paid Up Subscriber from post 4.

Also entered in the La Troienne were Eskenformoney, Impasse, Big World, Romantic Vision, Streamline, Factory of Faith, and Go Maggie Go.

American Freedom returns in Alysheba

The Bob Baffert-trained American Freedom,who bettors thought was going to win last summer’s Travers Stakes, makes his first start since running second to Arrogate in that race last August, in Friday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

American Freedom won the Iowa Derby and finished second to Preakness winner Exaggerator in the Grade 1 Haskell prior to the Travers. Sent off at 5-1, American Freedom chased his lesser-heralded stablemate Arrogate around the Saratoga oval, finishing 13 1/2 lengths back in second while 1 1/2 lengths in front of Gun Runner.

While Arrogate went on to become the world’s richest Thoroughbred, American Freedom went to the shelf. He shows a bullet-laden work tab leading to his return Baffert.

American Freedom will break from post 9 under Rafael Bejarano in the 11-horse field.

Honorable Duty, winner of three straight including the New Orleans Handicap, drew post 2 for Brendan Walsh. Breaking Lucky, beaten a neck by Honorable Duty in New Orleans, is back at Churchill, where last fall he finished second behind Shaman Ghost in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap.

The Alysheba, which goes as race 6, also drew Bird Song, El Huerfano, December Seven, International Star, Flashy Jewel, Noble Bird, Behesht, and Fish Trappe Road.

Florida Fabulous steps up in Eight Belles

Florida Fabulous, who looked sharp winning her first two career starts at Gulfstream Park, ships to Churchill for Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs. The Eight Belles drew a full field of 14.

Florida Fabulous won her debut by 10 3/4 lengths and then a first-level allowance by 3 3/4 lengths. Both races were at a mile and were taken in front-running fashion. Florida Fabulous is trained by David Fawkes, who also sends out the multiple Florida Stallion Stakes winner Cajun Delta Dawn.

Ghalia is 3 for 3 including a victory in the Sunland Park Oaks for trainer Todd Pletcher. She will break from post 10 under John Velazquez.

Union Strike and Pretty City Dancer were both Grade 1 winners at 2 going seven furlongs. Union Strike is coming off a listed stakes win at Santa Anita. Pretty City Dancer most recently finished sixth in the Grade 1 Ashland.

The field includes Benner Island, Lovely Bernadette, Gris Gris, Laney, Golden Mischief, I’mluckysgirl, Let It Ride Mom, China Grove, and What What What.

* Trainer Mark Casse entered both La Coronel and Dream Dancing in the Grade 3, $150,000 Edgewood scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. Casse named Julien Leparoux on both and is likely to enter La Coronel in Saturday’s American Turf against males.

Dream Dancing won the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park and most recently finished fourth behind La Coronel in the Appalachian at Keeneland.

Stallion Heiress, undefeated in three starts at Fair Grounds; Proctor’s Ledge, third in the Appalachian; and India Mantuana head the list of challengers in the 13-horse field.

* Pure Sensation, third in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, is entered to make his first start since then in Friday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint, which drew a field of 13.

Pure Sensation is trained by Christophe Clement, who is only 2 for 35 at Churchill Downs. His last starter came with Summation Time, who finished fourth in last year’s Turf Sprint. His last victory came with Courtesan in the 2015 Keertana Stakes.

Pure Sensation, with Jose Ortiz named, drew post 8.

Holding Gold, Green Mask and Partly Mocha -- the first-, second- and fourth-place finishers from the Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland -- are back in this heat.

--additional reporting by Byron King