Two Kentucky tracks in action Saturday

Churchill Downs has put together a competitive 11-race card with several sizable fields for its closing-night program on Saturday, which could feature a massive Single Six pot.

There was a Single Six carryover of $676,761 into Thursday’s card, and it could swell with additional money wagered Thursday and Friday if a single winning ticket does not take down the pool. A mandatory payout will be dispersed on the final six races of Saturday’s card, which includes three stakes – the Grade 3 Bashford Manor and the listed Debutante and Kelly’s Landing. The Kelly’s Landing has the smallest field in the sequence with seven entered; all other races in the sequence have nine or more, including two races that drew oversubscribed fields. The average field size on the night is 9.7, not counting also-eligibles.

Meanwhile, Ellis Park drew an eight-race card for its Saturday meet opener, with an average field size of 8.75 horses. Several jockeys will be in action at both Ellis, with a first post of 12:50 p.m. Central and last post of 4:10 p.m., and at Churchill’s Downs After Dark program, with a first post of 6 p.m. Eastern.

◗ Saturday’s forecast for Kentucky’s racetracks calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-80s, with no chance of rain as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Weather.com.

◗ Brian Hernandez Jr. and his wife, Eclipse Award-winning photographer Jamie Radosevich, have welcomed a son, Benjamin Joseph, born Wednesday morning. Hernandez announced the news on his Twitter account. The couple already has a daughter, Joshlyn, born in the summer of 2014.