With lost hat feathers and dropped mint leaves swept away and everyone hopefully having caught up on some sleep, life after the Kentucky Derby gets underway Thursday at Churchill Downs as the spring meet picks up with its regular fare. The eight-race “Twilight Thursday” card begins at 5 p.m., highlighted by a pair of allowances. After opening on April 25 and running seven of eight days, including a marathon 13-race card for the prime-time Kentucky Oaks and 14 races on Kentucky Derby day, a more relaxed pace to start the four-day race week isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One of the nominal features is the sixth race, a $134,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up who have never won twice other-than or who have never won two races. The turf course was in very good shape while seeing plenty of action during opening week, but after Mother Nature was tolerant enough during Derby week, course conditions could become a factor in this one-mile turf tilt. There was rain in the forecast for the first part of the week in Louisville, and some of the morning-line favorites in this race would prefer a firmer course. Pitkin, 2-1 on the morning line, has won back-to-back races since moving to turf, but both were on firm courses. The speedy Higgins Boat (3-1) also would seem to prefer a firm course. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Clever Mischief (9-2) is coming off a close third-place effort on firm turf, edged after making the lead late at Keeneland. Although it was back in 2024, he does have a strong effort over a course rated good at Keeneland, missing by a neck to multiple stakes-placed Green Light, who was a next-out winner. Pineland (12-1) may see his odds shorten based on a good second to multiple stakes winner Reagan’s Wit at Keeneland. Before that, Pineland caught some yielding winter courses at Fair Grounds, with poor results. Otago (15-1), winner of the Cliff Hanger and second in the Monmouth Stakes on turf rated good at Monmouth last year, is getting some class relief and may offer value. He has made eight of his last 11 starts in stakes company, with a few solid results. He dropped to allowance/optional-claiming company last time out at Turfway Park and only managed a sixth, likely accounting for his long odds in this spot. However, that allowance was positioned as a local prep for the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Classic and drew a stakes-quality field. The eighth race on the card is a $127,000 allowance for 3-year-old fillies who have never won a race other-than or who have never won two races. The Thursday program also includes a $120,000 maiden special weight for dirt sprinters, a $92,000 maiden special weight for dirt sprinters, and a $76,000 starter allowance. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.