Turfway Park notes: Poker Player joins cast for Spiral Stakes

After further review, Wayne Catalano will be running both Solitary Ranger and Poker Player on Saturday in the Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral Stakes, the annual showcase race at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Catalano initially was inclined to run only Solitary Ranger, a wire-to-wire winner of the Battaglia Memorial at Turfway, but said Tuesday he also will run Poker Player, who rallied to be second in that same March 1 race.

Catalano, who has active stables in Florida and Louisiana, has been overseeing the training of both colts for more than a week at Keeneland, about an hour south of Turfway. He said owners Gary and Mary West “thought the Spiral was coming up a good spot” for Poker Player, and “they thought it best that we run here instead of waiting” for the April 12 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. “The colt’s ready to go, so we’re running,” he said.

Although Solitary Ranger, owned by Susan Moulton, was a 4 3/4-length winner of the 1 1/16-mile Battaglia, Catalano said he would not be surprised if Poker Player turned the tables on his stablemate in the Spiral, which goes at 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack.

Solitary Ranger “has distance limitations, as we all know,” he said. “Plus, they’ve both had a race under them, so I’d maybe expect Poker Player to move up more, especially with this race being a little longer.”

Solitary Ranger and Poker Player are part of what is expected to be a full field of 12 3-year-olds for the 43rd running of the Spiral, which is worth 85 points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility, including 50 to the winner.

Spiral Stakes entries were to be drawn Wednesday at a media luncheon at Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, which is sponsoring the race, in downtown Cincinnati.

With a relative dearth of big-money races across the country this weekend, a number of big-name jockeys were expected in for the Spiral, including Russell Baze on likely favorite Tamarando, John Velazquez on We Miss Artie, Rosie Napravnik on Harry’s Holiday, Calvin Borel on Almost Famous, Joel Rosario on Tourist, and a handful of others who ride regularly on major circuits.

One other Grade 3 race, the $125,000 Bourbonette Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, also is set for Saturday at Turfway. The long-term weather forecast calls for a high of 50. TVG will have full-day coverage.

◗ Stewart Elliott, who will ride Coastline in the Spiral Stakes, will be competing regularly in Kentucky for the first time this spring, according to agent Nelson Arroyo. Elliott, best known for riding Smarty Jones to win the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will ride the Keeneland and Churchill Downs spring meets before returning east, Arroyo said. Elliott, 49, has ridden more than 4,600 winners in his 33-year career.

◗ Apprentice rider Brandon “Chance” Boulanger has left Kentucky for Emerald Downs in Washington State after riding his first winner last Friday night at Turfway. The victory aboard Swaylon Braylon in a $7,500 claiming race came with his 30th career mount. Boulanger, 20, is the son of jockey Gary Boulanger, who has almost 3,200 career wins and previously rode in Washington.

◗ Churchill officials held a media briefing Tuesday to outline plans for Kentucky Oaks Day, May 2, when the sixth annual “Pink Out” will be held to raise funds and awareness for breast-cancer treatment and research. The Oaks has evolved into a major event toward that worthy cause.