Taylor's Spirit one to beat in Goldfinch

Taylor’s Spirit is two for two in races at Prairie Meadows and stands a good chance of keeping her perfect local record intact Friday night in the $50,000 Goldfinch Stakes.

Taylor’s Spirit, Kevin Roman named to ride for trainer Scott Gelner, drew the rail and can go straight to the front facing just five foes in the six-furlong Goldfinch. Taylor’s Spirit won her career debut and the Prairie Gold Lassie over this surface last summer, and though she is winless in four starts this season, Taylor’s Spirit hasn’t run poorly. Last out, in the Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn, she broke poorly and was unable to keep up with the likes of runaway winner Break Even, who returned with a dominant win last Friday in the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs.

Her main rivals appear to be Ima Discreet Lady, the Karl Broberg-trained winner of two recent Texas-bred stakes at Sam Houston and Lone Star, and Konza Kandy, who had a productive three-start campaign at Tampa Bay Downs this winter.

◗ Indiana Grand has carded its first turf races of the season Friday. The availability of the course comes at an opportune moment since Indiana Grand, which began its meet April 16, is averaging only 6.88 starters per Thoroughbred race.