Sir Dudley Digges back in the U.S. for Commonwealth Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sir Dudley Digges won the prestigious Queen’s Plate at Woodbine in July, and will always be part of Canadian racing lore. That’s fine, but owner Ken Ramsey and trainer Mike Maker would like the colt to make his name in their home country, too.

So, Sir Dudley Digges will make his first United States start since April as one of the favorites in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf, the highlight of an 11-race Saturday card at Churchill Downs.

Maker said a winter campaign at Gulfstream Park will follow the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf, a 1 1/16-mile race that drew a terrific field of 11 3-year-olds.

Sir Dudley Digges had a “hard campaign this summer, so we freshened him up and kind of pointed to this race,” Maker said. “We’ll look at the big Canadian races for him next year, but first we’ll take him to Florida for the winter. I’m sure we’ll keep him on the grass there.”

Julien Leparoux will ride Sir Dudley Digges, who comes favorably drawn in post 2 for the Commonwealth Turf, which will be run under lights at 5:30 p.m. Eastern as the 10th race. First post is 1 p.m.

One Mean Man (post 7, Robby Albarado to ride) is a major threat. Trained by Bernie Flint, he won the off-the-turf Jefferson Cup here six weeks ago and has had four local works since.

Other contenders include Surgical Strike (post 5, Jose Valdivia Jr.); Scholar Athlete (post 6, Angel Cruz); and the Mark Casse trio of Blackout (post 3, Florent Geroux), Ikerrin Road (post 9, Ricardo Santana Jr.), and Tizzarunner (post 10, Chris Landeros).

A solid Saturday undercard includes a variety of allowances and maiden special events. Many ontrack fans will proceed afterward to the Wake Forest-Louisville football game (kickoff 7 p.m.) at nearby Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

KEY CONTENDERS

Sir Dudley Digges, by Gio Ponti
Last 3 Beyers: 88-57-87

◗ After taking seven races to get through his maiden condition, he immediately began racing in rich restricted stakes in Canada, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in his first attempt in an open stakes.

One Mean Man, by Mizzen Mast
Last 3 Beyers: 85-81-90

◗ Gray colt has won three stakes on turf this year: the Keith Gee Memorial at Fair Grounds in January, the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington in July, and the Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury in August.

Surgical Strike, by Red Giant
Last 3 Beyers: 82-83-90

◗ Hard-charging colt returns from a near-10-week layoff with a record that includes two stakes wins from nine starts this year.

Scholar Athlete, by Einstein
Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-83

◗ West Point Thoroughbreds colorbearer chased Sir Dudley Digges in a couple of races up north, including a fourth in the Queen’s Plate.

Blackout, by Dream Ahead
Last 2 Beyers: 92-78

◗ French-bred colt rates perhaps the best chance among the Casse threesome. He exits a victory in a first-level allowance over the Belmont Park turf.