Stageplay shines on Stars of Tomorrow card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Less than 24 hours after the sports world celebrated the sensational triumph of American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, some intriguing young prospects went to work Sunday to attain their own degrees of racing fame.

Right down the road at Churchill Downs, Stageplay revealed herself as perhaps the most promising winner on the 10-race Stars of Tomorrow card that opened the 21-day fall meet, toying with 12 other 2-year-old fillies in winning the Rags to Riches Stakes.

“She really is a very nice filly,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Stageplay for owner and breeder Mike Rutherford. “We’re very excited about her.”

Stageplay, a gray filly by Curlin, will race next Nov. 28 in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes on a second Stars of Tomorrow program before heading to Fair Grounds in New Orleans, where Asmussen has prepped two Kentucky Oaks winners (Summerly and Untapable) in recent years.

Stageplay earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure for her 1 1/2-length victory. She finished a one-turn mile in 1:36.58 – 0.2 seconds less than it took Mo Tom to turn back Tom’s Ready in the Street Sense Stakes a half-hour earlier.

Mo Tom, trained by Chris Richard, earned an 80 Beyer. Mo Tom and Tom’s Ready, trained by Dallas Stewart, are both owned by the GMB Racing of Gayle Benson, the wife of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson. Both colts likely are headed to the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 28.

Richard, whose stint as the replacement trainer for Tom Amoss has expired with Amoss returning this week from a 45-day suspension, also sent out a flashy winner earlier on the card when Unexplained stormed from far back to win his career debut, earning a 66 Beyer.

Besides the two ungraded stakes, two allowances and six maiden specials, all for 2-year-olds, opened the meet Sunday.

** Willow Hills, unraced since finishing ninth in the Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park in August, returns to action Wednesday for Donamire Farm as the likely favorite in a featured, $64,000, third-level allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs. Six other fillies and mares will oppose her in the eighth of 10 races.

Wednesday kicks off the first of four straight five-day race weeks here this month. First post each day is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, except for Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, when first post will be 11:30 a.m.

** The highlight of the coming weekend at Churchill is the Grade 2, $200,000 Chilukki Stakes on Saturday. Twenty-six fillies and mares are nominated to the one-mile race, including Forever Unbridled, Gold Medal Dancer, Heykittykittykitty, Keen Pauline, and Spelling Again. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.