Sprinters and marathoners get their chance

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Back-to-back allowances highlight a 10-race Sunday card that calls an end to the race week at Churchill.

Race 8 is a $99,000 second-level sprint in which Take Charge Angel and the comebacking Molto Bella figure prominently in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies.

Race 9 is a $97,000 first-level turf marathon in which Big Beautiful Wall is part of a full lineup of 12 going 1 3/8 miles, most of them 3-year-olds. Big Beautiful Wall will look to improve on a last-out runner-up effort under similar conditions at Keeneland. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

Meanwhile, the first maiden auction event in track history goes as the fourth race Sunday. Modeled after similar races in New York and elsewhere, the seven-furlong race for 2-year-olds is restricted to horses that have sold or been bought back for $45,000 or less at public auction, with the intent of giving them relief from higher-priced bluebloods. The purse is $56,000 as opposed to $95,000 for open maidens.

After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for two days before another five-day week resumes Wednesday. There are no stakes here next week.

◗ Nominations for the final round of stakes at the fall meet were due Saturday. Among those expected for the Grade 1 Clark on Nov. 29 are Tom’s d’Etat, Seeking the Soul, Bravazo, Mr Freeze, possibly Owendale, and likely a handful more.

In all, six graded stakes will be held during the last week of the 25-day meet, which runs through Dec. 1.

The first of four wagering pools in the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (along with the Derby Sires wager) will be open Nov. 28 to Dec. 1.

◗ A 2-year-old filly named Taraz bears watching through the winter after announcing her presence Thursday with a 7 1/2-length victory in her career debut. A Juddmonte Farms homebred by Into Mischief, Taraz earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure in the 6 1/2-furlong race as the 1-2 favorite.

“We’ve really liked her from the start,” trainer Brad Cox said.

◗ Pioneer Spirit became what is believed to be the priciest claim in track history when he was taken for $150,000 out of a win on Nov. 2. The 6-year-old horse, a career earner of more than $650,000, was claimed by Robertino Diodoro on behalf of the partnership of Lawrence Roman, Heads Up Racing, and Lucky Dog Stables.

◗ Kentucky Downs in south-central Kentucky broke ground Thursday on its newest expansion, a $25 million project that will be the biggest since the track opened in 1990. The turf-only track will run six dates next September and once again will offer the largest per-day purses in North America.