MULTIPLE STAKES WINNER GOLDEN MISCHIEF TOPS SATURDAY’S $100,000 WINNING COLORS

By Darren Rogers —-

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, May 23, 2018) – Juddmonte Farms’ multiple stakes-winning filly Golden Mischief heads a field of six fillies in Saturday’s 15th running of the $100,000 Winning Colors (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong Winning Colors, which honors the Hall of Fame filly that prevailed against colts in the 1988 Kentucky Derby, is an annual Memorial Day weekend fixture and one of two stakes events on Saturday’s 11-race program. Churchill Downs’ first race is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). The Winning Colors goes as Race 10 at approximately 5:26 p.m and the sixth running of the $70,000-added Keertana Overnight Stakes, a 1 ½-mile grass marathon for fillies and mares, is the third race at approximately 1:43 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Golden Mischief (17-7-3-0—$406,730) scored an emphatic 8 ¼-length victory on April 4 at Oaklawn Park in a six-furlong allowance race with a final time of 1:08.60.

The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, who was previously trained by Steve Asmussen, is a three-time stakes winner but is in search of her first graded stakes triumph.

Jockey Florent Geroux has the call and will break from Post 2.

Joining Golden Mischief in the Winning Colors starting gate is stablemate Pinch Hit (10-4-2-0—$159,050), the narrow winner of the 2017 Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The Harlan’s Holiday filly has been on the sidelines since finishing ninth in last October’s Raven Run (GII) at Keeneland. Jockey Robby Albarado picks up the mount and will break from Post 3.

Among the challengers to the Cox trainees in the Winning Colors are the Top 2 finishers from a competitive allowance race on Opening Night of the 2018 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs – Preston Madden’s Miss Kentucky, who edged Rialto Racing Stables and Southern Springs Stables’ Treble by a neck.

Miss Kentucky (11-4-1-0—$152,142), trained by Rusty Arnold II, will be ridden by Churchill Downs’ leading rider Brian Hernandez Jr. and drew Post 5. Treble (10-3-3-2—$200,555), conditioned by co-owner Ron Moquett, will break from Post 4 with Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard.

The Winning Colors field from the rail out (with jockeys and assigned weights): Brave Daisey (Rogelio Miranda, 116 pounds); Golden Mischief (Geroux, 120); Pinch Hit (Albarado, 120); Treble (Santana Jr., 122); Miss Kentucky (Hernandez, 120); and Golden Domer (Corey Lanerie, 120).

Churchill Downs admission gates will open Saturday at 11:30 a.m. General Admission is $3, reserved seating is $10 and reserved dining packages are $39. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets.

With Memorial Day on Monday, Churchill Downs will have a special five-day holiday week of racing (with first race post time, number of races): Thursday (5 p.m., 8 races), Friday (12:45 p.m., 9 races), Saturday (12:45 p.m., 11 races), Sunday (12:45 p.m., 9 races) and Memorial Day Monday (12:45 p.m., 9 races).

The Twilight Thursday abbreviated eight-race program is highlighted by $1 draft beers, food trucks, live music on the Plaza stage by Fela Booty, who will provide African-style American funk and jazz. There also is a $460,789 jackpot carryover for the 20-cent minimum Single 6 Jackpot on Races 3-8.

In celebration of Memorial Day on Monday, all active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge. Also, Churchill Downs’ bugler Steve Buttleman will perform patriotic melodies following the “Call to the Post” for each race.

DARING DUCHESS SEEKS REPEAT VICTORY IN KEERTANA

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s multiple stakes-winning mare Daring Duchess leads a field of seven fillies and mares in Saturday’s sixth running of the $70,000-added Keertana Overnight Stakes at 1 ½ miles on Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course.

The 1 ½-mile Keertana for fillies and mares was named for Barbara Hunter’s homebred Keertana, who won four of her nine starts at Churchill Downs, including a nose triumph over males in the $111,200 Louisville Handicap (Grade III) in 2011.

The Keertana, carded as Race 3 at approximately 1:43 p.m. (all times Eastern), is the first of two stakes events on Churchill Downs’ 11-race program Saturday. The 15th running of the $100,000 Winning Colors (GIII) will complete Saturday’s stakes action as Race 10 at approximately 5:26 p.m.

A former $35,000 claim in 2016 for the Ramseys and trainer Mike Maker, Daring Duchess won the 2017 Keertana by three lengths. Jockey Corey Lanerie has the call on the five-time winner and will break from Post 2.

The Keertana field from the rail out (with jockeys and assigned weights): Sunday Strait (Sammy Camacho Jr.); Daring Duchess (Lanerie); Araminta (Ricardo Santana Jr.); Creative Thinking (Adam Beschizza); Tweety Show (James Graham); La Manta Gris (Brian Hernandez Jr.) and Galilea (Robby Albarado)

All horses will carry 121 pounds.