Osaka Girl looms the choice in allowance feature at Ellis

HENDERSON, Ky. – Osaka Girl figures as a deserving favorite in the lone allowance on an eight-race Friday card at Ellis after finishing second for the same condition in her most recent appearance at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Brian Lynch for Amerman Racing, Osaka Girl will break from post 3 when facing eight other fillies and mares in the seventh race, a first-level turf mile with a $52,000 purse. Joe Talamo, the leading jockey here last summer, has a return call on the 4-year-old homebred.

First post every day at Ellis is 12:50 p.m. Central.

◗ Hozier, a July 4 allowance winner at Ellis, is back in the entries for the first time since being sold July 12 for $200,000 at the Fasig-Tipton horses of racing age sale. The 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt, the runner-up in the Rebel and Sir Barton in the spring, is entered in a Saturday allowance (race 2) and is still trained by Rudy Brisset, with Storyteller Racing listed as the new owner.

◗ Frost or Frippery has been named the 2020 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Owned by Steve Landers and trained by Brad Cox, Frost and Frippery raced primarily in Kentucky, posting eight wins and four seconds from 13 starts last year. Now retired at age 8, the gelding will be honored at the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association annual awards dinner Sept. 11 at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm.

◗ On his way to becoming the all-time winningest trainer in North American racing history, Steve Asmussen notched win No. 9,441 when Elusive Target captured the fifth race Sunday. Asmussen has one starter here Friday and three Saturday as he closes in on the record of 9,445 held by the late Dale Baird.