Seneca Park can end Stewart's turf stakes drought in Untapable

Dallas Stewart last trained a turf stakes winner in 2022. Know what it takes to win a turf stakes? A stakes-level turf horse. Those have been few and far between in the Stewart barn. But Seneca Park, among an overflow field of 2-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s $750,000 Untapable at Kentucky Downs, looks the part of one.

Seneca Park debuted Aug. 7 at Ellis Park, went to the lead in a turf sprint, and blew the doors off 10 maidens with an upper-stretch burst that propelled her to a four-length victory – and she did it all with apparent ease.

“She’s special. She won impressively and has been impressive all along,” said Stewart, who trains Seneca Park for the Holy Cow Stable.

Since 2022, Stewart has gone a respectable 16-0-5-2 in turf stakes. From 2023-25 he had a grand total of six turf victories of any sort, but suddenly, this year Stewart has eight such wins. Five of his last seven wins have come on turf, and Seneca Park was one of two first-time-starting 2-year-old fillies, both by first-crop sire Golden Pal, to tally in a turf sprint during the Ellis meet. In fact, Stewart said, she went off favored in part because she had turned in an eye-catching work in company with the other horse, Worth the Mischief, who won easily July 24.

Seneca Park hit the finish in her 5 1/2-furlong debut looking like the additional furlong she races in the 6 1/2-furlong Untapable would only help her cause. Brian Hernandez Jr. breaks Seneca Park on Sunday from post 2, inside other horses who have shown speed. Can Seneca Park rate behind rivals if need be?

“I’m going to let Brian Hernandez worry about that,” Stewart said.

Thirteen fillies went into the Untapable, which can accommodate a dozen runners, but the lone also-eligible, Master Queen, will have her chance since Just Peachy’s connections will opt to run in a Saturday maiden race, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said.

The Kentucky Downs morning line had the Wesley Ward-trained Waggley a 5-2 favorite facing colts Saturday in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile, but Ward said Thursday he’s probably starting Waggley in the Untapable, where she’s the tepid 4-1 morning-line chalk.

Waggley, drawn immediately outside Seneca Park under Jose Ortiz, has started her career with three front-running wins. She’s quick and talented, but never has raced or breezed on turf.

“If it’s fast and firm, I don’t worry about it because a dirt horse will usually handle that,” said Ward, who trains Waggley for Ten Broeck Farm.

Waggley went to the lead winning a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race, led from the start going five furlongs in the Kentucky Juvenile, and was much the best – even more so than her 4 1/2-length margin of victory – going gate to wire at 5 1/2-furlongs last out in the Prairie Gold Juvenile. She races for the first time without blinkers, an equipment change Ward said he regularly makes with late summer and autumn 2-year-olds. Indeed, he has done so 96 times over the last five years, though only eight times in turf stakes, where his horses have a 2-2-2 record.

“We’re hoping to get her to go 6 1/2 furlongs. I want to open it up to where she can go a little further, relax a little bit,” Ward said.

No Untapable entrant other than Waggley has won more than once. Among the turf maiden winners, Severely Overpayin probably ran best, scoring by an easy 4 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream Park. Luminous Beauty makes her grass debut in her fifth start after a decent second Aug. 2 in the Adirondack at Saratoga. “Decent” also could describe her turf work there Aug. 16.

Washton also tries grass for the first time. She won her debut May 22 in a race rained off turf but clunked home a well-beaten sixth in the Adirondack returning from a 10-week layoff.

“She had missed some training and got really tired last time,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think she’ll turf.”

She might, but Seneca Park still stands a good chance of landing the Untapable during her trainer’s surprisingly grassy summer.