Limousine Liberal eyes quick return in Gallant Bob

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Giving closest chase to Runhappy in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga was another 3-year-old colt whose most recent start had come at Ellis Park.

In just his third career start, Limousine Liberal was making his stakes debut when finishing second, four lengths behind Runhappy and two lengths ahead of third-place Holy Boss, in the Aug. 29 race. Trainer Ben Colebrook was pleased with the outcome.

“He’s done really well since then,” Colebrook said Friday between races on the opening-day card at Churchill Downs. “Matter of fact, he worked so good this morning that we’re seriously considering the Gallant Bob [on Sept. 19] at Parx.”

The bullet half-mile breeze in 47 seconds Friday at Keeneland would be his only serious work in the three-week span between the King’s Bishop and the $300,000 Gallant Bob, which is run at six furlongs.

“It’s back a little quick, but he’s lightly raced, and there won’t be many more chances to run for this kind of money against straight 3-year-olds going short,” said Colebrook.

Limousine Liberal is owned by K.K. Ball, who, along with husband Mike, also bred the Successful Appeal colt. Both husband and wife are former trainers, and Mike’s parents, Don and Mira, are the longtime owners of Donamire Farm and staunch supporters of the Republican Party.

“Limousine Liberal” is a term commonly used by conservatives to poke fun at political opponents who, as Wikipedia describes it, “[call] for the use of mass transit while frequently using limousines or private jets.”

While Runhappy is pointing to the Phoenix Stakes on Oct. 2 at Keeneland as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, K.K. Ball and Colebrook have a more modest goal for Breeders’ Cup weekend – the revived $100,000 Perryville Stakes at Keeneland, a one-turn race for 3-year-olds.

** The first Sunday of the Churchill September meet will be highlighted by a pair of allowance races, with the third race, a $46,500 turf sprint, serving as the nominal feature.

After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for three days before racing resumes with the first of two Twilight Thursdays. Post time for that card is 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

Fans who plan to attend the Clemson-Louisville college football game later that evening at nearby Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium are being encouraged to play some races first.

** Sebastian Saez will return to the saddle Thursday at Churchill after serving a total of 11 days in suspensions for three separate riding infractions. Saez, 16, tied for third in the jockey standings at the recently ended Ellis Park meet after riding 20 winners. He will ride with a five-pound apprentice allowance until next July.

** Salama, the winner of an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, is one of the earliest Breeders’ Cup arrivals at Keeneland, where the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred filly already has had three workouts since Aug. 22. Owned by Stud Santa Maria, Salama stamped her Breeders’ Cup ticket by winning the Cesar del Rio Suito in Peru on June 21, running her career mark to 5 for 8, all in Peru. Her latest work was Tuesday.

** George McCarty, a trainer since 1991, was arrested this week in Louisville on 22 felony charges, including sexual abuse of a minor. McCarty, 73, has won 67 races with a small stable operating out of the Trackside training center. A scheduled starter in the first race Friday, Big Favorite, was scratched by the Churchill stewards.

** Manny Esquivel has left Chicago to give the Kentucky circuit a try with Terry “Jaws” Miller as his new agent. Esquivel, 25, was one of the top apprentices in North America in 2013. He was named on three mounts Friday at Churchill and five Saturday.