ROMANS ‘FUTURE STAR’ DENNIS’ MOMENT HEADS IROQUOIS AS CHURCHILL DOWNS KICKS OFF ‘ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY’

By Kevin Kerstein —-

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019) – The “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve” officially begins Saturday as 10 promising 2-year-olds, led by Albaugh Family Stables’ 19 ¼-length maiden Dennis’ Moment, were entered in the 38th running of the $200,000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Iroquois, one of four stakes events on the first Saturday of the 11-day September Meet, is the first scoring race on the 2019-20 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” – the series of 35 races that will ultimately determine the field for the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Points awarded to the Top 4 Iroquois finishers will be 10-4-2-1 as part of the 19-race “Prep Season” that showcases foundation-building races in advance of the “Kentucky Derby Championship Series,” which begins in late February.

The Iroquois also is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” program with the winner receiving an automatic berth into the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Dennis’ Moment (2-1-0-0—$30,000), the likely odds-on favorite in the Iroquois, dominated a field of 12 on July 27 at Ellis Park. The colt by Tiznow has recorded three-straight five-furlong bullet workouts leading into Saturday’s Iroquois including his latest move in :58.80 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

“I can only think of one other horse that I’ve trained that has shown this much potential as a 2-year-old and that’s Not This Time (who won the 2016 Iroquois and was second to Classic Empire in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita),” trainer Dale Romans said. “I think we are all looking at a potential future star. Even though this horse is only a maiden winner, the way he was able to just simply dominate the competition that day at Ellis Park left me breathless. I am going to start acting like a football coach and say ‘one race at a time’ with him. Let’s just get it done Saturday and then see where we stand.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Dennis’ Moment who drew post position No. 8.

Among the competitors to Dennis’ Moment in the Iroquois is Saratoga Special (GII) runner-up Scabbard (2-1-1-0—$94,848). Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Scabbard (who formerly raced under the name Noose) broke his maiden by five lengths in his debut on June 28 at Churchill Downs. The son of More Than Ready was the runner-up behind the well-meant Green Light Go in the $200,000 Saratoga Special.

Churchill Downs leading rider Corey Lanerie has the call on Scabbard and will break from post 3.

Also entered in the Iroquois is Ellis Park Juvenile winner Rowdy Yates. Owned by L and N Racing and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Rowdy Yates (3-2-1-0—$100,198) won his debut at Churchill Downs by 4 ¾ lengths and finished second to Phantom Boss in the $125,000 Bashford Manor (GIII).

The Oklahoma-bred son of Morning Line will stretch around two turns for the first time in Saturday’s Iroquois with Tyler Baze in the saddle from post 4.

Also entered in the Iroquois field is the Kenny McPeek-trained duo of Flute Maker and January Won. Flute Maker, owned by Fern Circle Stables, stormed home to an 11 ½-length win in an off-the-turf maiden race at Saratoga. Jose Ortiz has the mount on Flute Maker who drew post 6, four spots inside of Harold Lerner’s January Won, who defeated a field of six in a restricted maiden special weight contest at Saratoga. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call on January Won from the outside post.

The complete Iroquois field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Zyramid (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen); Letmeno (Calvin Borel, Ian Wilkes); Scabbard (Lanerie, Kenneally); Rowdy Yates (Baze, Asmussen); Automate (Florent Geroux, Keith Desormeaux); Flute Maker (Jose Ortiz, McPeek); Juggernaut (James Graham, Desormeaux); Dennis’ Moment (Irad Ortiz Jr., Romans); Lebda (Trevor McCarthy, Claudio Gonzalez); and January Won (Hernandez, McPeek).

The Iroquois, which received a $50,000 boost this year to $200,000, is carded as Race 10 at 5:26 p.m. (all times Eastern) on an 11-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m.

The Iroquois shares Saturday’s spotlight with the 51st running of the $200,000 Pocahontas (GII) for 2-year-old fillies, a 1 1/16-mile event that kicks off the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” and is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In Juvenile Fillies Division.”

Other stakes races on Saturday’s program are the 36th running of the $200,000 Locust Grove (GIII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the 11th running of the $125,000 Open Mind (Listed) for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

The four stakes are part of the late 50-cent Pick 5 and 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot sequence.

The seventh annual September Meet begins Friday at Churchill Downs with a 10-race program at 12:45 p.m. and continues on a Thursday-Sunday schedule through Sept. 29. This year’s three-week, boutique race meeting will feature record purse levels as horsemen compete for $8.314 million in prize money, which averages to $755,818 per day and $76,275 per race.

Opening weekend weather in Louisville will be ideal, according to the National Weather Service, with a forecast of mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s.

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IMPRESSIVE 12 ½-LENGTH WINNER PORTRAIT TOPS

51ST RUNNING OF THE GRADE II, $200,000 POCAHONTAS

LNJ Foxwoods’ 12 ½-length Ellis Park maiden winner Portrait tops a field of nine 2-year-old fillies entered in Saturday’s 51st running of the $200,000 Pocahontas (Grade II) at Churchill Downs, one of four stakes races scheduled at the Louisville track on the first Saturday of its 11-day September Meet and an event with implications for both next spring’s 146th running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) and the upcoming $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).

The Pocahontas will be Race 9 on Saturday’s racing program and has a scheduled post time of 4:53 p.m. (all times Eastern).

The 1 1/16-mile race opens the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” points system that will determine the field of 14 for America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies next spring. The Pocahontas offers Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 10-4-2-1 to its top four finishers.

The Pocahontas also is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, which will be run Friday, Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. The Pocahontas winner will earn an automatic berth in the starting gate for the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies, along with $60,000 in starting fees and a travel stipend.

Trained by Brad Cox, Portrait (2-1-0-1—$35,000) debuted on the turf at Ellis Park where she finished third as the 8-5 post-time favorite. In her second-career start, Portrait dominated a field of seven 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on dirt to win convincingly under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.

A daughter of Tapizar, Portrait is slated to face her stablemate and current workmate British Idiom in the Pocahontas. Owned by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, British Idiom (1-1-0-0—$41,250) won her debut in mid-August at Saratoga by 3 ½ lengths. The chestnut daughter of Flashback will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post No. 7 while Bridgmohan will have the call on Portrait from post 3.

Among the challengers in the Pocahontas is C & H Diamond Racing’s 5 ¼-length maiden victor Morning Gold, who will attempt to give trainer Kenny McPeek a record-tying third victory in the Pocahontas. Morning Gold (2-1-1-0—$67,500) made her only two starts on turf at Saratoga. The daughter of Morning Line drew post 6 with Jose Ortiz in the saddle.

McPeek previously won the Pocahontas in 2015-16 with Dothraki Queen and Daddys Lil Darling and is one win from tying D. Wayne Lukas, Dale Romans and Pete Vestal for the most victories in the race by a trainer.

The field for the Pocahontas, in order of post position (with jockey and trainer): Shadilee (Julien Leparoux, Mike Maker); His Glory (James Graham, Tom Amoss); Portrait (Bridgmohan, Cox); Lazy Daisy (Abel Cedillo, Doug O’Neill); Blood Curdling (Corey Lanerie, Dane Kobiskie); Morning Gold (Jose Ortiz, McPeek); British Idiom (Irad Ortiz Jr., Cox); Lotta Ott (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); and Addilyn (Miguel Mena, Antonio Sano).

Recently, the Pocahontas has been a key race for the Kentucky Oaks. In last year’s edition, Serengeti Empress cruised to a 19 ½-length score prior to her eventual victory as a 3-year-old in the Kentucky Oaks.

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MYLADY CURLIN IN SEARCH OF FOUR-STRAIGHT STAKES VICTORIES IN SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $200,000 LOCUST GROVE

Sather Family’s seven-time winning filly Mylady Curlin will attempt to collect her fourth-straight stakes victory as she takes on eight fillies and mares in Saturday’s 36th running of the $200,000 Locust Grove (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove, which had its purse doubled for 2019, is carded as Race 8 on the 11-race program with a scheduled post time of 4:21 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Mylady Curlin (12-7-2-1—$480,703) enters the Locust Grove following her victory in Thisledown’s $200,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes by a scant nose. Previously, the well-traveled 4-year-old won the $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Stakes at Indiana Grand and $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (GIII) at Pimlico.

Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Mylady Curlin from post position No. 3 in the Locust Grove.

Entered one post to Mylady Curlin’s inside is her stablemate, Jerry Marks Stables’ $100,000 Iowa Distaff winner Moonlit Garden. Most recently, Moonlit Garden (23-4-5-7—$373,573) was used as the workmate to 2018 champion 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl. The regular pilot of Monomoy Girl, Florent Geroux, has the mount on Moonlit Garden.

Among the challengers to the Cox duo in the Locust Grove is Jay Em Ess Stable’s recent Groupie Doll Stakes winner Go Google Yourself. Trained by Paul McGee, Go Google Yourself recorded her first stakes victory in the $125,000 Groupie Doll – the marquee race held during Ellis Park’s meet. The 4-year-old filly by Into Mischief has been the picture of consistency for McGee with five wins, four seconds and three thirds through 16 starts and has banked $342,985 in earnings.

Go Google Yourself will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post 7.

Also entered in Saturday’s Locust Grove is $100,000 Lady Secret winner Pink Sands. Owned by Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen and conditioned by Shug McGaughey III, Pink Sands (14-4-3-3—$280,000) ships to Churchill Downs after previously competing on the East Coast. The 4-year-old filly by Tapit was last in the early stages of Monmouth Park’s Lady Secret Stakes before cruising home to a 3 ½-length win under jockey Jose Ortiz.

Churchill Downs’ perennial leading rider Corey Lanerie will ride the Kentucky-bred, who drew the rail.

The Locust Grove field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Pink Sands (Lanerie, McGaughey); Moonlit Garden (Geroux, Cox); Mylady Curlin (Bridgmohan, Cox); Skeptic (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II); Escape Clause (Tyler Baze, Don Schnell); Cosmic Burst (Miguel Mena, Donnie K. Von Hemel); Go Google Yourself (Hernandez, McGee); Red Dane (Edgar Morales, Charlie LoPresti); and Rose of Malibu (Jon Court, C.R. Trout).

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DIVINE QUEEN CUTS BACK IN DISTANCE FOR $125,000 OPEN MIND

Groupie Doll Stakes runner-up Divine Queen will cut back in distance to six furlongs as she takes on seven other fillies and mares in Saturday’s $125,000 Open Mind (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The Open Mind will kick off Saturday’s late 50-cent Pick 5 in Race 7 with a post time of 3:48 p.m.

Owned by Carl Hurst and William “Buff” Bradley, Divine Queen (16-5-2-0—$247,089) is no stranger to success beneath the Twin Spires. Last year, the daughter of Divine Park scored a 51-1 upset score in the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes during the September Meet. Trained by Bradley, Divine Queen has recorded three of her five-career victories at Churchill Downs.

Calvin Borel has the mount on Divine Queen from the rail.

Among Divine Queen’s opponents in the Open Mind is Naveed Chowhan’s six-time winning filly America’s Tale, who is slated to return from a four-month layoff. America’s Tale (18-6-3-1—$405,853) recorded her first graded stakes triumph in the $200,000 Inside Information (Grade II) on March 16 at Gulfstream Park.

Jose Ortiz will ride the Bernie Flint-trained Gio Ponti filly out of post position No. 7.

Right Time Racing and Madaket Stables’ Meadow Dance will be in search of her first stakes victory in Saturday’s Open Mind following back-to-back allowance wins. Trained by Brad Cox, Meadow Dance is also nominated for next Saturday’s $300,000 Charles Town Oaks (GIII).

Shaun Bridgmohan was named on Meadow Dance who drew post 3.

The Open Mind field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Divine Queen (Borel, Bradley); Upset Brewing (Gabriel Saez, Bradley); Meadow Dance (Bridgmohan, Cox); Honey Bunny (Florent Geroux, John Ortiz); Headland (Tyler Baze, Steve Hobby); Awestruck (Irad Ortiz Jr., Rusty Arnold II); America’s Tale (Jose Ortiz, Flint); and Ascot Day (Declan Cannon, Danny Peitz).