Stakes winners square off in allowance

The richest race on Wednesday afternoon’s nine-race card at Churchill Downs is a $148,000 allowance/optional-claiming race for older horses who have either not won a race other-than this year or are in for a claiming price of $175,000. The 1 1/16-mile race has drawn a field of just six. However, all six are stakes winners – some graded winners – providing in quality what it lacks in quantity.

Millionaire Mr. Wireless, a multiple graded stakes winner in 2021, has one allowance win from four starts this year for Bret Calhoun. He is the narrow morning-line favorite over War Campaign. The latter’s most recent win came in the Tinsel Stakes last December at Oaklawn Park, and he has been runner-up in two Grade 3 races this year for Phil Sims.

A solid pace could develop despite this small field, which would suit both of those veterans. Ohio-bred horse of the year Fair and Square, a five-time stakes winner in his home state, makes his first appearance outside of Ohio. He will want the lead and is well-placed on the rail to seize it.

Bookending the field is another forwardly placed runner, Frosted Departure. The colt won the Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn four starts ago and the Deputed Testamony Stakes at Laurel Park two starts ago. He is eligible for this race as the only entrant in for the $175,000 tag.

Howling Time, a stakes-quality performer earlier in his career at Churchill, has lately lacked the early foot that helped him to that success. However, he has shown mild improvement since moving to the barn of Niccolo Troiani this summer and would be a pace factor if he recaptures those past tactics. Since moving to Troiani, Howling Time won a Belterra allowance and then was fifth in the Tapit Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs. He is moving back to his preferred surface here.

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Trademark, winner of the Grade 2 Clark Stakes last November at Churchill but unplaced in four outings this year, should be pressing the pace, with War Campaign in a cozy spot just behind him. Mr. Wireless will be trying to rally by in the stretch.

Mr. Wireless has won three stakes and placed in seven others in his career – including a runner-up effort in the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial two starts back in Indiana, ahead of War Campaign and Trademark. His most recent effort can likely be forgiven. He was badly bothered at the start when sixth in the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park.

◗ A nominal co-feature on the afternoon is a $127,000 allowance going five furlongs on the dirt, which has drawn a field of 11. Lukewarm morning-line favorite Wailua, who has won 2 of 3 outings this year, is coming off a loss in July and has drawn the far outside post where he could be hung wide in a shorter run into the only turn, making him vulnerable and leaving the race open to possibilities.

◗ The Wednesday card also includes a $92,000 auction-restricted maiden special weight. These races are often an interesting handicapping puzzle – this one even more so as it has drawn an overflow field.

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