Two allowance races cap Mother's Day card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Late arrivals to a 10-race Mother’s Day card at Churchill need not worry, for they’ll still have easily the best races ahead of them. A Sunday card that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern will wind down with an oversubscribed lineup of maiden-specials (race 8) competing for as much as $100,000 in purse money, then a pair of six-figure allowances (races 9 and 10) that should stop Mom from making unkind comments about short fields.

Race 9 is a $104,000 second-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/16 miles. It’s a good one, with Sprawl, Moliere, and Pioneer Spirit among the likely favorites in a full gate of 12.

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Race 10 is worth up to $102,000 and also goes at 1 1/16 miles, but it’s scheduled for 3-year-olds on the turf. Given a 70 percent chance of thundershowers for Sunday, the race might end up being switched to the main track.

If the race happens to stay on turf, a new Brad Cox trainee named Science could come favored.

Mother’s Day always is one of the more popular afternoons for local racegoers, and advanced ticket sales have been brisk. Fox Sports 2 has live coverage of the entire card from 12:30 to 6.

Purses for all non-claiming/starter races at Churchill include sizable bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.