Churchill Downs Barn Notes: Promising 2-Year-Old Filly Turtle Trax to Try Stakes Company in Golden Rod

By Kevin Kerstein —-

PROMISING ALLOWANCE WINNER TURTLE TRAX
TO TRY STAKES COMPANY IN GOLDEN ROD

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Nov. 22, 2019) – Brereton Jones’ recent eye-catching allowance winner Turtle Trax will try stakes company and stretch out in distance for the first time in next Saturday’s $300,000 Golden Rod (Grade II) for 2-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs.

“I wanted to run her one mile instead of the 6 ½ furlongs last out but she was doing so good I had to run her,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “I don’t see any trouble with her stretching out in distance. I think she can be very talented.”

Turtle Trax is by Jones’ sire Cairo Prince out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Great Family. In her last start at Churchill Downs, Turtle Trax cruised from just off the pace to a 2 ¾-length victory under Julien Leparoux.

“She worked really well earlier this week (five furlongs in 1:02.80 on Wednesday),” Wilkes continued. “I wanted it to be a slower work but she galloped out very well around the turn. I don’t think the two turns will be any issue”

Turtle Trax is likely to face a duo from trainer Bob Baffert’s barn in the Golden Rod – Speedway Stables’ 7 ¼-length maiden winner Auberge and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) third-place finisher Bast. The Golden Rod will award the Top 4 finishers 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Entries for the 1 1/16-mile race will be drawn Wednesday.

ENFORCEABLE RELYING ON TWO-TURN EXPERIENCE FOR JOCKEY CLUB – John Oxley’s regally-bred $500,000 Breeders Futurity (Grade I) third-place finisher Enforceable will rely on his previous two-turn experience in next Saturday’s $300,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GI) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

“I think his experience going a route of ground will help him for the (1 1/16-mile) race,” trainer Mark Casse’s assistant David Carroll said. “He’s a nice 2-year-old and probably still figuring things out in the afternoon.
With Tapit in his bloodline, sometimes his young horses still need a little bit of schooling. He’s a very kind horse to ride in the morning but sometimes that changes in the afternoon.

“I thought his work last weekend (five furlongs in 1:00.80) was very strong and will set him up well for the Jockey Club. He’ll need to step his game up in the afternoon but he’s on the way to figuring things out.”

Enforceable is out of the mare Justwhistledixie who produced Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) winner New Year’s Day and multiple graded stakes winner and 2016 Kentucky Derby (GI) fourth-place finisher Mohaymen. Enforceable was privately purchased by Oxley after a final bid of $775,000 did not meet the reserve price at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Other likely entrants to the Kentucky Jockey Club, which awards points to the Top 4 finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby on a 10-4-2-1 scale, include American Butterfly (trainer D. Wayne Lukas); Fighting Seabee (Kenny McPeek); Mr. Tip (Jack Sisterson); Sir Winsalot (McPeek); South Bend (Stan Hough); and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg).

FLIGHT SCHEDULE – Several horses are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs early next week to compete in six graded stakes events worth purses of $1.975 million. As of Friday morning, there are two planes slated to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday and Tuesday.

Monday’s plane will be arriving at Churchill Downs from New York in the early afternoon and include (with trainer and race) Mr. Buff (John Kimmel, Clark); Nay Lady Nay (Chad Brown, Mrs. Revere); New and Improved (Brown, Mrs. Revere); and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg, Kentucky Jockey Club).

After the plane drops off those runners from New York, it is scheduled to fly to California and return in the mid-afternoon hours on Tuesday with trainer Peter Eurton’s Draft Pick on board for the Clark and horses from trainer Bob Baffert’s stable.

Flight schedules remain in flux. Stay tuned this weekend for additional updates.

STAKES PROBABLES – Six graded stakes races worth purses of $1975 million highlight closing week of the 26-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs. Below is an early look at known probable entrants to each race, according to Assistant Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator Dan Bork.

Thursday, Nov. 28 (entries taken on Saturday)

The $300,000 Falls City (Grade II) for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles (with trainer): Go Google Yourself (Paul McGee); Moonlit Garden (Brad Cox); and Sally’s Curlin (Dale Romans).

The $175,000 Cardinal (GIII) for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf (with trainer): English Soul (Jack Sisterson); Limari (Brad Cox); Notapradaprice (Eddie Kenneally); Stave (Larry Jones); and Tough Irma (Cipriano Contreras).

Friday, Nov. 29 (entries taken on Sunday)

The $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles (with trainer): Bravazo (D. Wayne Lukas); Draft Pick (Peter Eurton); Major Cabbie (Peter Miller); Mr Freeze (Dale Romans); Mr. Buff (John Kimmel); Owendale (Brad Cox); Seeking the Soul (Dallas Stewart); Snapper Sinclair (Steve Asmussen); and Tom’s d’Etat (Al Stall Jr.). Possible: Forewarned (Uriah St. Lewis); Roadster (Bob Baffert); Stan the Man (John Terranova).

The $300,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf (with trainer): Dalika (GER) (Al Stall Jr.); Nay Lady Nay (IRE) (Chad Brown); New and Improved (Chad Brown); She’sonthewarpath (Steve Margolis); and Winter Sunset (Wayne Catalano).

Saturday, Nov. 24: (entries taken on Wednesday, Nov. 27)

The $300,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles (with trainer): American Butterfly (D. Wayne Lukas); Enforceable (Mark Casse); Fighting Seabee (Kenny McPeek); Mr. Tip (Jack Sisterson); Sir Winsalot (McPeek); South Bend (Stan Hough); and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg).

The $300,000 Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles (with trainer): Auberge (Bob Baffert); Bast (Baffert); Bean (Larry Rivelli); His Glory (Tom Amoss); Lady Glamour (Larry Demeritte); and Turtle Trax (Ian Wilkes).

DOWN THE STRETCH – With late night rain showers in the Louisville area, the track was rated “sloppy” for training on Friday. … There was a $164,356 carryover in the 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot for racing on Friday. First post was 1 p.m. and the Single 6 spanned Races 6-10. … Closing week of the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs will have 12 races daily. First post will be 1 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving where the first race is 11:30 a.m. … Owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are one win away from 500 victories at Churchill Downs. The husband/wife duo scratched their lone entrant in Friday’s program. … Locally-based trainer Randy Morse is one win away from 1,000 career wins. He has no entries Friday. … “Inside Churchill Downs” will close out its 2019 season Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live at www.espnlouisville.com. The debut of “Inside Turfway Park” will begin on Friday, Dec 6. … Every Sunday throughout the Fall Meet there is a “Stakes and Eggs” brunch special ($48 for adults and $25 for children) in the Stakes Room. … Today is the late John Asher’s 64th birthday. We miss him every day beneath the Twin Spires.