Kentucky Derby Undercard Stakes Previews

Gary Yunt/
Kentucky Derby Notes Team Captain —-

DEENDING CHAMP DIGITAL AGE, COLONEL LIAM HEADLINE OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC

LOUISVILLE, KY (Tuesday, April 27, 2021) – Klaravich Stables’ defending champion Digital Age (IRE) and Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (GI) winner Colonel Liam headline a field of nine older runners entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 35th running of the $1,000,000 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI).

The 1 1/8-mile grass test will go as the 11th race on Saturday’s 14-race Kentucky Derby Day program with a 5:27 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post time Saturday is 10:30 a.m.

Trained by Chad Brown, Digital Age will be attempting to join Divisidero (2016-2017), Wise Dan (2013-2014) and Einstein (BRZ) (2008-2009) as the only back-to-back winners of the Turf Classic.

Digital Age, who also won the American Turf (GII) here in 2019 in his only other start at Churchill Downs, will be ridden by Javier Castellano and exit post six.

Brown will saddle another Klaravich runner in Domestic Spending (GB).

A winner of four of five career starts, Domestic Spending will be making his first start since taking the Hollywood Derby (GI) over Thanksgiving weekend last fall at Del Mar. Flavien Prat has the mount and will exit post five.

Robert and Lawana Low’s Colonel Liam has won his past three starts on the grass, following his victory in the Pegasus with a score in the Muniz Memorial Classic (GII) at Fair Grounds. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Colonel Liam will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post three.

The field for the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Masteroffoxhounds (Joel Rosario, 120 pounds), Count Again (Luis Saez, 120), Colonel Liam (Irad Ortiz Jr., 124), Ivar (BRZ) (Joe Talamo, 122), Domestic Spending (GB) (Flavien Prat, 124), Digital Age (Javier Castellano, 120), Smooth Like Strait (Umberto Rispoli, 120), Cross Border (Ricardo Santana Jr., 120), Ride a Comet (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).

*************************************************************

Michael Lund Petersen’s champion Gamine tops a field of six fillies and mares for the 35th running of the $500,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (GI) going seven furlongs on the main track.

The Derby City Distaff will go as the seventh race with a 1:56 p.m. post time.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Gamine has won six of her seven career starts and capped off her championship campaign with a track record-setting romp in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at Keeneland in November.

Gamine opened 2021 with a 5-length victory in the Las Flores (GIII) April 4 at Santa Anita. John Velazquez has the mount Saturday leaving post four.

Her top challenger figures to be Bell’s the One who is seeking to become the first repeat winner of the race.

Owned by Lothenbach Stables and trained by Neil Pessin, Bell’s the One has compiled a 4-2-2-0 record at Churchill Downs. Regular rider Corey Lanerie has the mount and will exit post three.

The field for the Derby City Distaff, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Estilo Talentoso (Javier Castellano, 118 pounds), Sconsin (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Bell’s the One (Lanerie, 123), Gamine (Velazquez, 123), Hibiscus Punch (Luis Saez, 120) and Unique Factor (Joel Rosario, 118).

*************************************************************

Robert LaPenta, trainer Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners’ Eclipse Award winner Whitmore looms large in a field of 13 for the 86th running of the $500,000 Churchill Downs presented by Ford (GI).

The seven-furlong main track test goes as the 10th race Saturday with a 4:31 p.m. post time.

Whitmore, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) last fall at Keeneland to earn champion sprinter honors for 2020, will be making his third start in the Churchill Downs. He was fourth in 2018 and fifth in 2019 that marked his most recent start at Churchill Downs. Whitmore will exit post nine and be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Among the challengers to Whitmore is two-time Grade I winner Mind Control. Trained by Gregg Sacco, Mind Control returned from a 3 ½-month layoff with a runner-up finish in the Carter Handicap (GI) on April 3 to begin his 2021 campaign. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will leave post two.

The field for the Churchill Downs, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Phat Man (Javier Castellano, 118 pounds), Mind Control (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Basin (Jose Ortiz, 118), Flagstaff (Luis Saez, 118), Tap It to Win (John Velazquez, 118), Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo, 118), Shashashakemeup (Florent Geroux, 118), Get the Prize (Miguel Mena, 118), Whitmore (Ricardo Santana Jr., 123), Bango (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 118), Hog Creek Hustle (Corey Lanerie, 118), Endorsed (Joel Rosario, 118), Lexitonian (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).

*************************************************************

My Racehorse CA and Spendthrift Farm’s Got Stormy head a field of seven fillies and mares for the 36th running of the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII).

The Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile will go as the day’s sixth race with a 1:14 p.m. post time.

Trained by Mark Casse and featuring earnings of more than $2 million, Got Stormy will be making her second start in this race having finished second in 2019. A Grade I winner against males and females, Got Stormy opened her 2021 campaign with a nose victory over Saturday rival Zofelle (IRE) in the Honey Fox (GIII) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

A six-time graded stakes winner, Got Stormy will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and break from post five.

The field for the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Jakarta (Luis Saez, 118 pounds), She’s Got You (GB) (Javier Castellano, 118), New York Girl (IRE) (John Velazquez, 118), Zofelle (IRE) (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Got Stormy (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Blowout (GB) (Flavien Prat, 118), Abscond (Joel Rosario, 118)

*************************************************************

Kirk and Judy Robison’s two-time Grade 1 winner Jackie’s Warrior tops a field of a dozen 3-year-olds for Saturday’s 97th running of the Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII).

The main track test will go as Saturday’s eighth race with a 2:48 p.m. post time.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Jackie’s Warrior won his first four starts, a streak that included daylight victories in the Saratoga Special (GII), Hopeful (GI) and Champagne (GI). Jackie’s Warrior finished third behind Essential Quality over a sloppy track at Oaklawn Park in the Southwest (GIII) in his lone start of 2021.

Joel Rosario has the mount and will exit post three.

Figuring to be one of the main challengers to Jackie’s Warrior is Godolphin’s homebred Prevalence.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Prevalence started his career with two blowout victories before finishing sixth in the Wood Memorial (GII) in his most recent start. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post five.

The field for the Pat Day Mile, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Three Two Zone (Kendrick Carmouche, 118 pounds), Ultimate Badger (Joe Talamo, 118), Jackie’s Warrior (Rosario, 122), Defunded (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Prevalence (Gaffalione, 118), Starrininmydreams (Luis Saez, 118), Whiskey Double (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Dream Shake (Flavien Prat, 118), Sittin On Go (Corey Lanerie, 118), Dreamer’s Disease (David Cohen, 118), Noble Reflection (John Velazquez, 118) and Joe Frazier (Florent Geroux, 118).

*************************************************************

LNJ Foxwoods’ undefeated Annex along with Stuart Janney III’s Scarlett Sky and John Oxley’s Palazzi, the one-two finishers in the recent Transylvania (GIII) at Keeneland, top a field of 14 3-year-olds for Saturday’s 30th running of the $500,000 American Turf presented by Derby City Gaming (GII).

The 1 1/16-mile grass test serves as the ninth race on Saturday with a 3:40 p.m. post time.

Trained by Bill Mott, Annex comes into Saturday’s race off victories in the Palm Beach and Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will exit post four.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Scarlett Sky rallied from far back to win the Transylvania by a half-length after being beaten by a head in the Palm Beach by Annex. Joel Rosario has the mount Saturday and will break from post 13.

Palazzi, who took the Texas Turf Mile to start his 2021 campaign, is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 14.

The field for the American Turf, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Excellent Timing (Umberto Rispoli, 118 pounds), Winfromwithin (Luis Saez, 118), Chess’s Dream (Jose Ortiz, 120), Annex (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Du Jour (Flavien Prat, 118), Royal Prince (Javier Castellano, 118), Dyn O Mite (James Graham, 118), Barrister Tom (Drayden Van Dyke, 118), Holy Vow (Sophie Doyle, 118), Next (John Velazquez, 118), Hidden Enemy (IRE) (Mike Smith, 118), Lucky Law (IRE) (Florent Geroux, 118), Scarlett Sky (Joel Rosario, 120) and Palazzi (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).

Cover Photo: Whitmore; Photo by Oaklawn/Coady Photography

-END-