Talley looks for a going-away present

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jeff Talley gave up a profitable career in commercial landscaping to become a horse trainer about five years ago. His once-tiny stable at the Trackside training center has grown to 24 horses, enough for him to go elsewhere for the winter for the first time.

"We're taking some to Oaklawn Park in early January," said Talley, 46.

Before he goes, Talley would love to run a winner or two at his home track. A prime opportunity will arise Sunday, when Time Flies, a homebred 4-year-old filly owned by Talley Racing LLC, will be making a third start in her form cycle in the Churchill Downs feature, a $44,100 first-level allowance at five furlongs on the turf.

Although Time Flies has won just once in seven tries, Talley believes the daughter of Gilded Time is "by far the most talented" son or daughter from the mare Im Worth It. Two of her siblings, Honourable Asset and Initforthekandy, are allowance-caliber mares who combined for seven wins for Talley.

"This one's a stone-cold runner," he said.

Her maiden victory here in June hinted as much, when she drew off to win by 8 1/2 lengths. After being away from the races for 3 1/2 months, Time Flies ran sixth on the Keeneland Polytrack, then faded to sixth again after setting the pace on Oct. 29 at Churchill.

"The track was as biased against speed as I've ever seen it," said Talley, who attends the races daily, whether or not he has one running.

Time Flies, who will be making her turf debut with Robby Albarado riding for the first time, will break from post 7 in a field of eight fillies and mares in the ninth of 10 Sunday races.

The question is whether Time Flies can handle the grass - "and you'd think she could with her pedigree," said Talley. If she can't, then the feature may go to the 3-year-old Simply Seattle. In three tries on the Churchill turf, she has been second twice, both times at huge odds, including in a race just eight days ago, when the stakes-proven filly Taletobetold beat her a neck when Simply Seattle was dismissed at 42-1.

Another plausible contender is Your Pleasure, making her North American debut and getting first Lasix for trainer Graham Motion.

The ninth race is the lone allowance on a card that starts at 12:40 p.m. Eastern.