Wide-open Kentucky Turf Cup tops $2.2 million card
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
The richest card in Kentucky Downs history will conclude Saturday with the lone graded race of the five-day meet, the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup, a 1 1/2-mile race that drew an oversubscribed field of older turf horses.
The $600,000 Turf Cup is one of four stakes and the finale on a 10-race program with a potential value of more than $2.2 million in combined purses. The other stakes, each worth $300,000, directly precede the Turf Cup as races 7-9. First post is 1:35 p.m. Central at the turf-only track in south-central Kentucky.
Here is a quick rundown of the Saturday stakes:
◗ Grade 3, $600,000 Kentucky Turf Cup (race 10, post 6:10 Central): Trainer Mike Maker has three of the 12 starters in the main body but none for his longtime main clients, Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who happen to be represented with one of the probable favorites, Hyper, in here with Chad Brown. The Maker runners are Da Big Hoss, Roman Approval, and Quiet Force.
It’s a nearly inscrutable race with a sufficient amount of pace in the form of Roman Approval, Az Ridge, and Dramedy, while most of the field has experience in graded events and/or grass marathons such as this. Track oddsmaker Joe Kristufek said he found the top contenders “hard to separate,” and it will be a surprise if the post-time favorite is lower than 3-1, assuming the field holds intact.
The Turf Cup (formerly the Kentucky Cup Turf) has been the signature race at Kentucky Downs since 1991, except for when it was not run in 1996-97. It will be the final leg of an all-stakes pick four wager.
◗ $300,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash (race 9, 5:40): While owner Jim McIngvale thought long and hard about running King’s Bishop winner Runhappy right back in this 6 1/2-furlong race, he relented, leaving a well-matched field of 11. Green Mask, making his first start since finishing third in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint on the March 28 Dubai World Cup undercard for Wesley Ward, could go off as a lukewarm favorite over Holy Lute, Channel Marker, and Mosler.
◗ $300,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint (race 8, 5:09): Shrinking Violet stretches out off a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, and Theatre Star turns back from longer races when shipping in from Southern California to take part in a very intriguing 6 1/2-furlong race that also drew Nassau Stakes winner Sky Treasure and a handful of other viable contenders. Twelve fillies and mares are entered.
◗ $300,000 Dueling Grounds Derby (race 7, 4:38): Closing Bell, the 14-1 runner-up behind run-off winner Highland Reel in the Grade 1 Secretariat last out, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for WinStar Farm and trainer Bill Mott in a 1 5/16-mile race that drew 11 3-year-olds.