Versatile Medal Count could point to Breeders’ Cup Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Medal Count might not be the most accomplished racehorse in America these days, but he’s certainly among the most interesting.

“We haven’t been afraid to try anything with him,” said Dale Romans, who trains the 3-year-old Dynaformer colt at Churchill Downs for the Spendthrift Farm of B. Wayne Hughes.

Beaten a nose by My Afleet in a grueling stretch drive Saturday in the inaugural running of the $230,417 Dueling Grounds Derby at turf-only Kentucky Downs, Medal Count was racing on a different surface yet again.

His eight-race 2014 résumé consists partly of this medley: a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes just eight days after winning the Grade 3 Transylvania, with both races on Polytrack; a close-up third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes after being a troubled eighth in the Kentucky Derby, both on dirt; and an encouraging effort Saturday at Kentucky Downs, book-ending a turf-allowance win that kicked off his year in January. He has earned almost $450,000 this year.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do next, but I’m thinking he might be good enough to take a shot at the Breeders’ Cup Turf, so that’s a strong possibility,” said Romans. “I’ll have to see him train first, but we’ll probably want to run him one more time, maybe against older horses and probably staying on the grass. I’ll have to talk all that over with Mr. Hughes.”

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Romans is a serious student of pedigrees and believes that the most compelling aspect to Medal Count is his potential as a future stallion.

“He’s from the Roberto sire line [Dynaformer is by Roberto], which I’m a huge fan of,” he said. “He’s shown how versatile he is and has an excellent turn of foot. All the different things he’s allowed us to do with him in such a short time, and he keeps improving ... he’s just an exciting horse all around.”

Churchill winners exit well

Winners of all four Saturday stakes at Churchill are reported by their connections to have emerged in good order.

With Beyer Speed Figures and their likely next starts, those horses are Grade 3 Ack Ack winner Bradester (104, Kelso Mile), Locust Grove winner Don’t Tell Sophia (90, Spinster); Grade 3 Iroquois winner Lucky Player (82, Breeders’ Futurity or Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), and Grade 2 Pocahontas winner Cristina’s Journey (76, Alcibiades or Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies).

Fund-raiser at Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Downs is hosting a fund-raiser for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund prior to the Wednesday card. Six Hall of Fame jockeys will be available for autographs: Calvin Borel, Pat Day, Chris McCarron, Laffit Pincay Jr., Edgar Prado, and Randy Romero, as well as Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg. The event runs from noon to 1 p.m. Central, with a $10 donation to the PJDF requested.

Kentucky Downs also is hosting a $15,000 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge qualifier in conjunction with the Wednesday card.

◗ A modest lineup of seven fillies and mares will clash in the next stakes at Churchill, the $100,000 Open Mind on Saturday. Vuitton, the 2013 winner, is among the likely favorites.

Racing resumes Friday at Churchill with a 10-race card starting at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.

◗ Attendance for the Downs After Dark program on a hot and humid opening night was 11,058, the lowest since Churchill first began racing under the lights in 2009 (30 programs). It was the first time a night card has been run here on a Friday in September, and track officials acknowledged that attendance may have been limited by high school football, among other conflicting events.

The second and last Downs After Dark card of the meet is set for Sept. 19, also a Friday.

◗ Veteran jockey David Carstens is riding in Kentucky for the first time and has hired Rocco O’Connor as his agent. Carstens, a native of South Africa, has not ridden in the United States since 2003, when he was a regular in Maryland. He is named on three horses Wednesday at Kentucky Downs and a total of six Friday and Saturday at Churchill.

◗ Veteran jockey Jon Court is still in rehabilitation for the hand injury suffered in a spill in the last race on Kentucky Derby Day and is hoping to return to the saddle by the end of the month.

◗ Through the first three Churchill programs, favorites have won 14 of 31 races (45 percent). Several big-priced winners have spiced things up, including first-time 2-year-olds Handy Candy ($69.60) on Saturday and Tasseography ($74.20) on Sunday.