Pirate's Punch sharp for allowance
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pirate’s Punch took the highly regarded Gray Magician to the limit in his last race, furthering his sharp recent form over dirt.
Off his neck loss behind Gray Magician on Oct. 11 at Keeneland, Pirate’s Punch looks as good as any of the nine entered in the ninth race here on Sunday, a $99,000 second-level allowance that anchors a 10-race card to close out another five-day race week here.
Trainer Grant Forster entered the 3-year-old Pirate’s Punch in the Commonwealth Turf here Saturday in case the race were to come off the turf, but said “we’ll most likely be running Sunday.”
Other logical contenders in the 1 1/16-mile race include Royal Mesa, Haunt, Empty Tomb, and Night Ops.
One other allowance, a $97,000 first-level turf sprint (race 7) with an oversubscribed lineup of fillies and mares, also is on the Sunday card, which starts at 1 p.m. Eastern. Sunday is Military Appreciation Day.
◗ The fall stakes schedule is in a light patch leading up to the final week of the 26-day meet. There’s a gap from the Grade 3 River City next Saturday (Nov. 16) until Nov. 28, when the Grade 2 Falls City and Grade 3 Cardinal anchor the Thanksgiving Day card.
◗ Seeking the Soul, sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last Saturday, will run back in the Grade 1 Clark here Nov. 29, said trainer Dallas Stewart. The 6-year-old horse has four wins from 11 starts over his home track of Churchill Downs.
