Top Southern California milers headed to Kentucky Downs

DEL MAR, Calif. – Two of California’s leading milers are bound for stakes at Kentucky Downs next month.

Catapult, second in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Next Shares, who won the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last October, are scheduled to ship to Kentucky Downs in coming weeks in favor of a start in Sunday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Mile.

Catapult, trained by John Sadler for Woodford Racing, is winless in five starts since the 2018 Del Mar Mile. Catapult is a candidate for the $250,000 Old Friends Stakes at a mile and 70 yards on turf. The race is restricted to nonwinners of a stakes in 2019.

Catapult, who worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Friday at Del Mar, was second by the slimmest of noses in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 30 at Santa Anita and fifth in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 21 as the 3-2 favorite. Catapult won the 2018 Eddie Read.

Next Shares was rested after a 10th-place finish in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic on May 4 at Churchill Downs and resumed workouts in mid-July. He is a candidate for the $750,000 Tourist Mile on Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs.

Trained by Richard Baltas, Next Shares is based at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County.

“He seems very happy,” Baltas said earlier this week.