Stakes triple on Sunday part of handicapping contest

A trio of stakes will round out the Sunday Kentucky Downs card as the last three of 11 races. They’re the $500,000 TVG, the $400,000 Untapable, and the $400,000 Music City. They’ll all be part of an online handicapping contest spanning the last two days of the short Runhappy Kentucky Downs meet, which closes on Wednesday. Full contest details are available at kentuckydowns.com.

The 6 1/2-furlong Music City marks the return of Finite, who reeled off a five-race win streak in becoming one of the early leaders of the national 3-year-old filly division before she finished fourth in the March 21 Fair Grounds Oaks in her most recent start. She’s returning as part of a rugged full field that includes Kimari, the Wesley Ward standout who was expected to scratch from the Ladies Sprint on Saturday.

◗ It’s not often that two world-class race-callers divvy up a card, but that’s what happened Monday when Michael Wrona and Larry Collmus took turns calling the Kentucky Downs races. Wrona called solo Wednesday and Thursday before returning to his regular gig at Los Alamitos. Collmus will call the last three cards after working the Fasig-Tipton sale this week.

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. told Kentucky Downs officials Wednesday that he was experiencing mild stiffness in his neck in the aftermath of a Monday spill but was otherwise unaffected. Santana was aboard the maiden 2-year-old Snake Doctor in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile when the colt broke down with a catastrophic injury that ultimately required his euthanization. Santana was given medical clearance to continue riding.

◗ Robbie Medina, a former longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, saddled his first winner since going out on his own last spring when One Nation won the third race, a maiden-special mile, on the Derby Day card at Churchill. It was Medina’s fifth starter. He also was 0 for 3 in February when McGaughey was serving a suspension.

◗ Tyler Gaffalione got away to a quick start at the meet by winning five races on the first two cards. Meanwhile, the two-time reigning Eclipse champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rode for the first time ever at Kentucky Downs when getting blanked with five starters Wednesday.