Stormy Treasure regularly met tougher

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Good thing that fields in the general election aren't as crowded as the ones at Churchill Downs, or voters might really have trouble making up their minds. As it is, horseplayers at Churchill will have the full fields they prefer, making for a worthwhile program Tuesday, normally a dark day but the track is open for election day.

Each of the 10 races on Tuesday has 11 or more horses entered, and there are a combined 131 horses entered, a total that includes also-eligibles. The featured ninth race, a $52,500 allowance at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, typifies field size throughout the card, with the weekday turf-course limit of 10 scheduled to run and one also-eligible on the outside looking in.

Storm Treasure looks tough in the feature, especially if bankrolls count. Owned by Mike McCarty, Storm Treasure had raced primarily in stakes company, amassing nearly $350,000 in earnings, before going last to first to win an entry-level allowance race last month at Keeneland. After, trainer Steve Asmussen said he would keep running the colt in conditions.

"We'll just take him up the ladder until it's time to run him back against stakes horses again," Asmussen said.

Storm Treasure will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan in a race that carries a two-other-than restriction.

A handful of opponents look capable of giving Storm Treasure a strong challenge, including Trimaran, a Bobby Frankel-trained 3-year-old making his first start in nearly five months; Tiger Woodman, a cleverly named gelding who has is back with trainer Rusty Arnold after a summer campaign back East; and Self Made Man, a winner in 3 of his last 6 starts.

Another allowance race, a $50,000 first-level sprint, precedes the feature.

After the races, many fans will be closely watching the election results, particularly the race for governor. Ernie Fletcher, the Republican incumbent, took a strong campaign stance against alternative gaming, while his Democratic challenger, Steve Beshear, has said that if elected he would allow the issue to be decided by constitutional amendment. A vast majority of racing advocates are siding with Beshear.