RUNAWAY MAIDEN WINNER COPPER BULLET HEADLINES BASHFORD MANOR

By Darren Rogers —-

THREE STAKES TOP CHURCHILL DOWNS’ CLOSING NIGHT ‘DOWNS AFTER DARK’ CARD

First of 11 Races Friday is 6 p.m.; Mandatory Payout in Single 6 Jackpot Which Covers Races 4-9

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, June 25, 2017) – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will attempt to win the $100,000 Bashford Manor Presented by GE Appliances (Grade III) for an impressive fifth time when he saddles eye-catching eight-length maiden winner Copper Bullet against five others, including well-meant juveniles Mo Diddley and Ten City, in Friday night’s 116th renewal of the six-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds – the first of three stakes events on closing night of Churchill Downs’ 38-day Spring Meet.

The Bashford Manor is the first of three stakes events on a deep 11-race nighttime card billed as “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka.” Admission gates open Saturday at 5 p.m. (all times Eastern), the first race is 6 p.m. and the “Downs After Dark” theme is “Downs Does the Decades” in which guests are encouraged to dress in their favorite attire from the 1950s to the ’90s.

The Bashford Manor – one of Churchill Downs’ most storied races – kick-starts the stakes tripleheader in Race 6 at approximately 8:30 p.m. The $100,000 Debutante, a listed six-furlong event for 2-year-old fillies, goes as Race 8 at 9:39 p.m. The $70,000-added Kelly’s Landing, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, is scheduled as Race 10 at 10:42 p.m.

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing’s Copper Bullet, a Kentucky-bred son of More Than Ready that was purchased for $200,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, recorded one of the nation’s top speed figures for juveniles when he won the second race of his career, a five-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on May 25, by a widening eight lengths in :57.76. There have been 188 juvenile winners in North America to date this year, and Copper Bullet’s performance was one of only seven that were given a Beyer Speed Figure of 75 or better (note: the others are He Hate Me, 78; Mel’s Gone Wild, 78; Gold Label, 77; Earth, 76; Psychoanalyze, 76; and Gorgeous Ginny, 75.

“He actually looks like a 3-year-old,” said Churchill Downs’ official clocker John Nichols, who observes and records all workouts between 6-10 a.m. daily. “He’s just a big, good-looking, strapping colt. He’s got a lot of size to him. He’s one I think that might kind of like the grass down the line but the way he won his second start here … he cleared that easy and the rider (Florent Geroux) just really never asked him.

“He’s come back and trained well since. He’s been working head-and-head the last three weeks with She’s a Julie, who Asmussen is putting in the Debutante; she’s a nice filly – probably his best at this time of the year right now.”

Asmussen, who has won six 2-year-old races at the Spring Meet, has won the Bashford Manor four times – Lunarpal (2004), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010) and Cinco Charlie (2014) – and another victory would equal Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ record for the race.

Chief among Copper Bullet’s rivals will be Gary Barber and Cheyenne Stable LLC’s Mo Diddley and Tommie M. Lewis’ Ten City.

Mo Diddley, an Uncle Mo colt purchased for $450,000 as a yearling at the Saratoga August sale, overcame a troubled start to win at first-asking by a head over 4 ½ furlongs in :52.59 on May 18 at Churchill Downs for trainer Mark Casse, who won last year’s Bashford Manor with eventual 2-year-old champion and recent Preakness (GI) runner-up Classic Empire.

“Mo Diddley was kind of workman-like first-time out,” Nichols said. “He broke a step slow first time out in the outside hole which is one place I kind of don’t like to be with 2-year-olds because they can break to the daylight. But he broke slow that day and rushed up on them, was wide and kind of grinded it out.

“He’s come back and worked great three times since then. They worked him with Summer Luck on June 2 and he held his own with her; she’s a stakes-type filly. On June 11 and June 22, he was heads up with Conquest Typhoon, who is an older stakes horse. The horse seems like he’s coming into the Bashford Manor well.”

Ten City, a bargain $12,000 yearling purchase by Run Away and Hide, was a dominant debut winner at Keeneland for trainer Kenny McPeek when he won his 4 ½-furlong debut on April 19 by seven lengths in :51.34.

“I had a chance to watch Ten City (at Keeneland this spring) and he showed talented on Day One,” Nichols said. “He was better than his company from the gate up there; he went (four furlongs in) :47 or something from the gate in hand and looked like a freak the way he won that day at Keeneland. He was on the outside and he just drew off. Robby (Albarado) just took him in hand late. He seems like a pretty nice colt, really.”

The field also includes a pair of winners over Presque Isle Downs’ synthetic surface – I’m Corfu and Fig Jelly – and Texas invader Hardworkcleanlivin.

The Bashford Manor field from the rail out (with jockeys): I’m Corfu (Arienne Cox); Hardworkcleanlivin (Channing Hill); Mo Diddley (Corey Lanerie); Fig Jelly (Mario Pino); Copper Bullet (Geroux); and Ten City (Albarado).

I’m Corfu and Fig Jelly will carry 122 pounds, while all others tote 120.

First run in 1902, the Bashford Manor is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the early 1900s. George J. Long, a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed his Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra) and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel) and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen). The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore, whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in 2003.

General admission to Churchill Downs is $10 on Saturday night. Box seats are $25 and reserved dining packages are $70. They can be purchased online at www.ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets. New this year is the Guest Chef Series @ Millionaire’s Row, which will showcase Chef Patrick Roney of Harvest. The $149 tickets include a specially-designed menu by Roney and a full-bar package featuring specialty cocktails by Finlandia Vodka. All ticket options can be purchased online at www.ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets.

The evening’s entertainment includes music on the Plaza Stage courtesy of The Wannabeatles from 6-7:30 p.m., Tony & The Tan Lines from 7:30-11 p.m. and DJ Matt Anthony from 11 p.m. until midnight. There also will be a decades-inspired fashion contest, disco and cocktail demonstrations, Kentucky’s largest disco ball, the Magbooth Retro Bus Photo Booth and “Bet or No Bet” where four lucky fans can take $100 in cash or place a free $1,000 win bet on a horse in Races 6-9.

Because it’s closing night, there is a mandatory payout in Churchill Downs’ 20-cent minimum Single-6 Jackpot, which began Sunday with a $126,075 carryover. The daily six-race sequence has challenged bettors to select the winners of six consecutive races but the Jackpot pool only is paid if there is a single winning ticket. When multiple tickets contain six winners – which has been the case for each of the last 19 race days – 90 percent of that day’s pool is paid out and 10 percent is added to the Jackpot carryover. Takeout on the Single-6 Jackpot is just 15 percent, which is one of the lowest multi-race wager takeout rates in American racing.

Saturday night’s Single-6 Jackpot, including any added money in the carryover, will be paid to ticket holders with the most winners in the six-race series, which covers Races 4-9 starting at approximately 7:26 p.m.

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SHE’S A JULIE HEADLINES FIELD OF 13 IN FRIDAY’S $100,000 DEBUTANTE STAKES

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, June 25, 2017) – Whispering Oaks LLC’s promising juvenile filly She’s a Julie headlines a field of 13 2-year-old fillies in Friday night’s 117th running of the $100,000 Debutante Presented by Finlandia Vodka (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong Debutante is one of three stakes events on Churchill Downs’ 11-race closing night card billed as “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka.” The Debutante will go as Race 8 at 9:39 p.m. (all times Eastern).

She’s a Julie, a $160,000 yearling buy, impressively won her debut by 5 ¼ lengths on May 26 at Churchill Downs while clocking five furlongs in :58.68 under Florent Geroux. The win by the daughter of Elusive Quality gave Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his 600th win at Churchill Downs that day.

Asmussen will attempt to land his fifth Debutante when She’s a Julie breaks from post No. 6. Asmussen’s previous race success came with Cashier’s Dream (2001), Effectual (’05), Richwoman (’06), and Rated Fiesty (’07). D. Wayne Lukas holds the Debutante record for most wins by a trainer with seven.

Two of She’s a Julie’s prime rivals will be Donna Hancock and Charles Brown’s uncoupled entry of Amberspatriot and Waki Patriot. Both horses, trained by John Hancock, are already stakes placed in the early stages of their careers. Amberspatriot was a narrow runner-up finisher to the colt Buy Sell Hold in the $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile on May 4 at Churchill Downs. Stablemate Waki Patriot was a third-place finisher to I Still Miss You in the $150,000 Astoria on June 8 at Belmont Park.

The field for the Debutante from the rail out (with jockey): Sunny Skies (Robby Albarado), Rockin Royalty (Channing Hill), Upset Brewing (Shaun Bridgmohan), Red Dread (Arienne Cox), Caroline the Great (Eddie Martin Jr.), She’s a Julie (Florent Geroux), Patrona Margarita (Chris Landeros), Genuwine (Mario Pino), Amberspatriot (Paco Lopez), Therighttobeararms (James Graham), Lady O’Toole (Corey Lanerie), Chelada (Jesus Castanon), and Waki Patriot (Jon Court).

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LIMOUSINE LIBERAL HEADLINES FIELD OF 14 IN $70,000-ADDED KELLY’S LANDING

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, June 25, 2017) – Katherine Ball’s multiple graded stakes winner Limousine Liberal returns to action Friday as the headliner in the eighth renewal of the $70,000-added Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The Kelly’s Landing, which attracted a full-field of 14 sprinters, is one of three stakes races on Churchill Downs’ 11-race closing night card billed as “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka.” The seven-furlong Kelly’s Landing will go as Race 10 at 10:42 p.m. (all times Eastern).

A 13-1 upset winner in the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (Grade II) on the Kentucky Derby undercard, Limousine Liberal returned to Churchill Downs and defeated five rivals in the $100,000 Aristides (GIII) on June 3 by 2 ½ lengths. The five-time winner has earnings of $832,000 and has recorded three of his victories locally beneath the historic Twin Spires.

Should Limousine Liberal win Friday night, he would join Finley’sluckycharm as a three-time stakes winner at the Spring Meet. Finley’sluckycharm became the first to accomplish the feat since Lunar Pal swept the Kentucky Juvenile, Kentucky Breeders’ Cup and Bashford Manor during the 2004 Spring Meet when she won Saturday’s $100,000 Chicago Handicap (GIII) after winning the Roxelana and Winning Colors (GIII) earlier in the meet.

One of Limousine Liberal’s foremost rivals is William “Buff” Bradley and Carl Hurst’s The Player. The 4-year-old chestnut colt by Street Hero has been on the sidelines since a runner-up finish in last July’s $512,000 Indiana Derby (GII). The Player has only finished off the board in one start in his five race career, earning two victories and two runner-up finishes with $172,442 in earnings.

The field for the Kelly’s Landing from the rail out (with jockey): Wabel (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Hebbronville (Joe Rocco Jr.), The Player (Shaun Bridgmohan), Limousine Liberal (Robby Albarado), Recount (Chris Landeros), Easy To Say (James Graham), Fish Trappe Road (Gabriel Saez), Vaporman (Didiel Osorio), Woodland Walk (Miguel Mena), Schivarelli (Julien Leparoux), The Truth or Else (Channing Hill), Bayerd (Florent Geroux), Solitary Ranger (Rogelio Miranda), and Wyeth (Corey Lanerie).

The race is named in honor of Summerplace Farm’s Kelly’s Landing, who earned $1,853,831 from a record of 10-3-2 in 27 starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally between 2004-09. The gelding won the six-furlong Aristides Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs in 2005 by stopping the teletimer in a track record 1:07.55 (since eclipsed). His biggest victory came in the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in the United Arab Emirates. Kelly’s Landing also won the 2006 Phoenix (GIII) at Keeneland and 2007 Mr. Prospector Handicap (GIII) at Gulfstream Park.

FINLEY’SLUCKYCHARM TARGETS SARATOGA FOLLOWING CHICAGO ‘CAP VICTORY

Finley’sluckycharm’s owner Carl Moore described her $100,000 Chicago Handicap (Grade III) victory on Saturday at Churchill Downs as a “cake walk” and now the 4-year-old filly will target some of the best female sprinters in the country this summer at Saratoga Race Course.

“She’s great,” trainer Bret Calhoun said Sunday morning. “We’ll send her to Saratoga in a couple of weeks and aim for the (July 26) Honorable Miss and the (Aug. 26) Ballerina.”

Following Saturday’s 2 ¼-length victory in the Chicago Handicap, Finley’sluckycharm moved to a perfect six for six at Churchill Downs.

“It was great to keep her at home for these series of races,” Calhoun said. “We originally were going to point her to the Humana Distaff for her first start of the year but we got a little behind in her training. The (April 29) Roxelana was a perfect starting point for her. Leading up to the (May 27) Winning Colors I completely forgot the Chicago Handicap got moved to Churchill in June. So, I was really happy to be able to keep her home after the Winning Colors and not ship her around the country just yet.”

Finley’sluckycharm now has eight wins in 10 career starts with one runner-up finish and $403,368 in earnings.

The 4-year-old dark bay or brown filly is by Twirling Candy out of the Victory Gallop mare Day of Victory.

TOMLINSON EYEING SUMMER CAMPAIGN FOR IMPROVING JORDAN’S HENNY – Trainer Mike Tomlinson has been very pleased with Jordan’s Henny following her 12th-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and she’ll target stakes competition again in her next start.

Following the Kentucky Oaks, Tomlinson gave Erv Woolsey and Ralph Kinder’s homebred some class relief in a first-level-allowance race on June 3 at Churchill Downs and she cruised to a 7 ¼-length victory.

“She’s really been acting like a different filly around the barn,” Tomlinson said. “The Oaks was a tough race on her but the way she came back to win that allowance race really has us hoping for brighter things in her future. We needed to figure out what was best suited for her. That race made us believe she can hang with some other 3-year-old fillies in stakes competition. Right now we’re looking at the (July 6) $200,000 Iowa Oaks or (July 15) $200,000 Indiana Oaks.”

Jordan’s Henny breezed a half-mile in :49.20 Sunday morning with regular rider Joe Rocco Jr. aboard.

“She seems really happy right now,” Rocco said. “She was relaxed the entire time and stretched her legs well down the stretch.”

The 3-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes has a career record of 11-2-3-3 with $160,735 in earnings.

ROMANS CHASES MOTT TO BECOME CHURCHILL DOWNS’ ALL-TIME LEADING TRAINER – South Louisville native Dale Romans is on the verge of surpassing Hall of Fame horseman Bill Mott as the all-time leading trainer in races won at historic Churchill Downs. Romans will begin Sunday’s action trailing Mott, 701 wins to 698.

Romans has six horses entered in five races Sunday, while Mott has none entered.

Romans’ Sunday Entries
Race 1 (12:45 p.m.): #2 Silver Wraith (5-1)
Race 3 (1:43 p.m.): #3 Gurlin (5-2)
Race 4 (2:13 p.m.): #1 Little Irishdancer (8-1)
Race 4 (2:13 p.m.): #3 Prado Vision (7-2)
Race 6 (3:15 p.m.): #2 Blake’s Lucky Star (4-1)
Race 9 (4:51 p.m.): #2 Watch Me Whip (9-2)

FOLEY ON CUSP OF 400 VICTORIES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Trainer Greg Foley is two wins away from 400 career victories at Churchill Downs following Zipperini’s 2 ¾-length maiden special weight victory Saturday.

“How many wins am I away from Dale (Romans),” Foley joked. “It would be really special to get this milestone. I think we’ll have a few chances before the end of the meet to get there.”

Foley, 59, began training on his own in 1981 and recorded his first victory at Fair Grounds.
“I grew up around racing,” Foley said. “I remember in the summer we’d go to River Downs with my dad (Dravo Foley). I groomed horses and learned a lot from him. I grew up on the backstretch with Dad. I’m incredibly proud of all the wins we’ve had here at home. Churchill has been good to me and I can’t thank all of our owners enough.”

Foley has six horses entered Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday at Churchill Downs: Cha Mono (Sunday, Race 5); Top Tiara (Wednesday, Race 5); Shamelessfi (Wednesday, Race 8); May Lily (Thursday, Race 5); Zapperini (Thursday, Race 8); and Samargo (Thursday, Race 9).

SUNSET STRETCH – Following Sunday’s 10-race program at Churchill Downs, there are only three days left at the 2017 Spring Meet. Closing week, which is billed as “Sunset Stretch”, will feature twilight racing on Wednesday and Thursday and “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka” on Friday. Wednesday’s eight-race card and Thursday’s nine-race program have a first post of 5 p.m. (all times Eastern) and feature $1 draft beer, live music, food trucks and a Wagering 101 area. Downs After Dark closes out the 38-day Spring Meet with an 11-race program featuring the $100,000 Bashford Manor Presented by GE Appliances (Grade III), $100,000 Debutante Presented by Finlandia Vodka and the $65,000-added Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes. The theme for Downs After Dark is “Downs Does the Decades” as guests are encouraged to dress to their favorite decade’s attire.

DOWN THE STRETCH – There is a growing $126,075 jackpot carryover for the 20-cent minimum Single-6 Jackpot on Races 5-10 Sunday, which is scheduled to commence at 2:43 p.m. (all times Eastern) … The podcast of “Inside Churchill Downs” featuring interviews with trainer Dale Romans and clocker John Nichols is available at www.espnlouisville.com. The show, hosted by Churchill Downs’ Communications Department: John Asher, Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein, will be on a week’s hiatus but is scheduled to return Saturday, July 8. … The “Who’s the Champ? Handicapping Contest” returns Sunday. Interested participants can enter for $35 ($30 for TSC Elite members) for a chance to win the $1,000 cash voucher first prize by placing mythical $2 win and place bets on Races 3-8. Second place receives a $500 voucher and third place is worth a $200 voucher. Registration takes place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Clubhouse second floor at the top of the Gate 17 escalators.