Three allowance races spice Churchill card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Friday is for the boys – at least the final Friday of the September meet at Churchill Downs is.

Three allowances, all for 3-year-olds and upward, anchor a solid nine-race card that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. The first of the trio is a $127,000 first-level allowance at six furlongs going as race 3, while the last two are split divisions of a $134,000 second-level race at 1 1/8 miles, races 6 and 8.

All races are on the main track because of the new Churchill turf course being on hiatus, and all listed purses include substantial bonuses for horses registered to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

Sunny skies and a high of 73 are in the local forecast. After Friday, only Saturday and Sunday remain at the 14-day meet. Keeneland begins its fall meet next Friday.

Race 3

You’ll probably want to skip past the Indiana-bred New Year’s Fever and the Arkansas-bred You Vee Cee, a decision to leave you with four contenders, all of them eligible to the KTDF.

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Dr. Perry and Seal Beach would do well to revert to their Churchill maiden wins, each of which resulted in a Beyer Speed Figure close to the 86 par for this level. Trashtalkinyankee, a 6-year-old with 19 in-the-money finishes (but just three wins) from 33 starts, also has shown himself capable of a mid-80s Beyer, while the same can be said of Air Combat, a 3-year-old making the third start of his form cycle.

Race 6

Digital and Eleven Central ran 1-2 under similar conditions on the Aug. 13 Arlington Million card, and now Digital stays eligible for the condition as one of two in here (with last-out winner Peekacho) entered for the optional $80,000 claiming tag. Digital was 20-1 in the common race before finishing third just two Fridays ago at this level, while Eleven Central, second or third in all but one of his five career starts, was 3-1 in the common race and has gone unraced since that nice effort.

Major General, the 2021 Iroquois winner, resurfaces as a first-time gelding for new trainer Rudy Brisset after going badly off form, while Claytnthelionheart and Roderick both are in off claiming wins at Saratoga for owner Richard Rigney and trainer Phil Bauer. Roderick was claimed for $50,000 by Mike Maker from his Aug. 24 score.

Race 8

Decision Maker has won four of his last six starts on dirt – staying in a tight Beyer window of 84 to 87 in all of them – compiling a record that should make him one of the favorites in here, along with Alejandro, a grandson of Rachel Alexandra. Forgive the last-out turf defeat for Alejandro and he matches up favorably with Decision Maker, with the pace scenario and racing luck likely to factor into the outcome given their similar off-the-pace styles. Uninvited Guest, Scarlet Fusion, and American Hero are the fringe players.

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