turfway park

The stage has been set. The lines drawn. Carl Nafzger, trainer of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]), has officially declared that his runner will be going in Saturday's Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) against Derby runner-up and nemesis HARD SPUN (Danzig), whose conditioner, Larry Jones, has also confirmed his horse will be at Turfway Park for the main event.

In an age when the connections of most serious contenders are content to duck the competition whenever possible, it's refreshing to see two distinguished operations such as these take off the gloves and rise to the challenge. For Nafzger, it was mostly a simple case of geography, as Turfway is just down the road from Churchill Downs where Street Sense is stabled and would only require a morning van ride along with the return trip. For Jones, it's an opportunity to get Hard Spun back to the Polytrack where he looked so dominating when winning the Lane's End S. (G2) prior to his second in the Kentucky Derby. Each of these three-year-olds are coming off graded victories, with Street Sense taking the Travers (G1) and Hard Spun the seven-furlong King's Bishop (G1). And, while the focus of this event will deservedly fall on the aforementioned pair, STREAM CAT (Black Minnaloushe) and CAT SHAKER (Catienus) are viable contenders as well.

Jones gets into the act in the Kentucky Cup Distaff (G3), although his charge SWEETDOWNTHELANE (Quiet American), winner of the Brookmeade S., will have to step it up coming in off a lackluster third in a nondescript allowance race at Delaware Park. Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered one of his top distaffers in the form of Grade 2 victress INDIA (Hennessy).

All in all, there are four graded events and one listed test set for Saturday's card, with the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (G3), Kentucky Cup Sprint (G3) and Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies rounding out the day's activities. Considering that in the event's 13-year history, six eventual Breeder's Cup winners have been highlighted, this day takes on significant meaning for anyone attempting to define opinions concerning October 27 at Monmouth Park.

Along with India in the Distaff, Pletcher also has CHITOZ (Forest Wildcat) entered in the Juvenile. This colt is coming off an impressive 10 1/4-length score at Monmouth and will undoubtedly be drawing plenty of betting action. Facing Chitoz will be a pair of Steve Asmussen runners, PONI COLADA (Volponi) and T. J.'S POSSE (Posse), with the latter having won the Jamestown S. at Colonial Downs over the summer.

In the Kentucky Cup Sprint, look for Pletcher's BASE COMMANDER (Officer) to draw the lion's share of window support based on his two-for-four winning record, with all of his starts coming over the Polytrack. Base Commander's most recent foray was an easy 2 1/4-length allowance/optional claiming win at Arlington Park, which should set him up perfectly for Saturday.

This past weekend's lone stakes venture, the $71,250 Weekend Delight, saw 2-1 favorite MARINA BALLERINA (Outflanker) essentially eliminating herself based on early fractions of :21.89 and :45.09 while going the first half-mile of the six-furlong test. Considering she was washing out and rank in the paddock, and remained so during the pre-race warm-up, her second-place finish in this event was an accomplishment. The Joe Cain-trained EXCITING JUSTICE (Glitterman) was the main beneficiary, along with her backers, of those fractions. The 15-1 shot with jockey Terry Thompson aboard sat off the swift pace and moved by easily for the win to return $32.40, $11.80, and $7.40.

At this time no one seems to want the Turfway Park training title. Trainer Eddie Kenneally sits on top of the standings with four wins, with several others at three, including Greg Foley, Vince White, Michael Maker and Rick Hiles. Of these, only Hiles can be considered hot, having won three-of-five.

RECENT CLAIMS TO WATCH

Wednesday (9/19)

8TH - KILN CREEK (King Cugat) was claimed by trainer David Vance, and although Vance's numbers with first-time off the claim runners fail to indicate it, he's very shrewd under these circumstances. That's especially so with a runner costing $35,000, as this one did. Watch for some sort of change, such as blinkers off or added ground.

Thursday (9/20)

7TH - DO RUN RUN (Running Stag) is hitting on all cylinders right now and was claimed by trainer Dave England for himself. What's important about that is England had this horse once before back in May while co-owning with James Wright. Now claims him back under his own colors, which sends a strong positive signal about how much he likes this gelding.

8TH - MISS GRAND (Grand Slam) was claimed by trainer Michael Maker after shipping in from Arlington Park. Since Maker is here at Turfway we would suspect he has some inside insights concerning this well-bred filly which compelled him to claim her.

Friday (9/21)

6TH - TIDE RUNNER (Yes It's True) was coming off an extended 10-month hiatus and was claimed by the astute John Fahey III for $16,000, which wasn't much below the tag she was running for last November before moving to the sidelines. Being well bred she could have been haltered as a broodmare for the upcoming breeding season. On the other hand, if she comes back for a tag the money says she'll be winning.

Saturday (9/22)

8TH - THE GOLDEN FROG (Malibu Moon) has been running in good form of late and now gets claimed by trainer Wayne Bearden. Bearden is one of the more underrated yet capable trainers in Kentucky and does some of his best work with older runners like this six-year-old gelding with a great name.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (9/19)

1ST - LADY HINKLE (Devil His Due) failed to break with the rest of her field, yet despite going just 5 1/2 furlongs, still managed to make a strong middle move before getting wrapped up on by her jockey through the lane. This modestly bred first-time starter can be useful at the lower claiming levels.

4TH - STONEY'S LADD (Grindstone) was able to make a strong move along a dead rail, which is something very few have been able to accomplish. The two-year-old colt was still able to finish second to a runner who was dropping down from the maiden special weight ranks.

6TH - DIVERSE (Kingmambo) is obviously bred to go long over the turf, but she still performed well in her debut despite going short over the main oval. Also of note is that trainer Neil Howard hits a low number with first-time starters.

Thursday (9/20)

3RD - MS. MARGARET H. (Point Given) showed a powerful late kick but more tellingly galloped out in strong fashion once crossing under the finish line and clearly was just getting cranked up. While I'm not wild about this one's connections, she's going to be awfully tough once stretching out in distance.

4TH - BESTRONGSPEAKTRUE (Anet) came off a four-month vacation for a stable that doesn't do well with their layoffs. Nonetheless, the six-year-old gelding was able to carry his speed well into the stretch over a surface where that isn't easy.

Friday (9/21)

4TH - RESENT TO WIN (Behrens) turned in a gritty performance to gain the show spot here. Dale Romans has this modestly bred runner in against maiden special weight company for a reason, and she was forced into the rail where the going has been tough yet still managed to make a late run while going two turns for the first time. Winning next out is a strong possibility for the miss.

Saturday (9/22)

4TH - HAUTAIN (Military) turned in a solid performance to run second in this $7,500 NW2 claiming contest with the winner dropping down substantially from $30,000.

13TH - Considering what Marina Ballerina was able to accomplish when setting sizzling fractions over a surface that isn't kind to speed, imagine what she'll do next out if on a fair racing strip, especially if she settles down before racing!

Sunday (9/23)

4TH - HUM THAT TUNE (Peaks and Valleys) came back after several months on the sidelines to turn in an encouraging performance for trainer Kim Hammond. Stonerside Stable homebred Texas Fever held on gamely for a facile neck victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Turfway Park Sept. 29.

A 2-year-old son of Victory Gallop out of Fortyniner Fever (by Forty Niner), Texas Fever was sent off a slight second choice behind favored Chitoz, with Julien Leparoux aboard.

Third early, Texas Fever assumed a stalking position as longshot Delaware Manor set a moderate early pace. Texas Fever assumed the lead in upper stretch and battled with a determined Chitoz before prevailing at the wire. The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.95.

Chitoz, who nearly led from start to finish in breaking his maiden by 10 1/4 lengths previous to the Kentucky Cup, broke seventh and made up ground rounding the second turn. He dropped back in mid-stretch but rallied to just miss at the wire.

Texas Fever paid $7.80, $4.20, and $3.40. Chitoz was worth $4.00 and $3.60. Blackberry Road finished third, paying $3.80.

The victory was the second in a row for Texas Fever, who had made all three of his previous starts at Arlington Park. Fourth in his career debut, the colt was again fourth as the favorite in his second start before breaking his maiden by 5 3/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite.

Despite the victory, trainer Mike Stidham was noncommittal about a berth in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) for the colt.

"He can be a tough, bullheaded horse," Stidham said. "He's never been really bad, but he can be tough. He's a true colt. We don't have any set plans. Breeders' Cup hasn't been in our minds, but after a nice win like that, you have to think about it. He has a nice record and he has the pedigree. We have a lot to look forward to with him."

"He was a little green in the stretch, but took off again when I asked him," Leparoux said.

Mike McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, said he was pleased with the runner-up effort of Chitoz. "I was very pleased with his effort. Chris put him in a perfect spot. The other horse just came back on him."

In another stake for 2-year-olds on the Turfway Park card, Heather Stark's Sky Mom stalked the pace before holding off longshot Mims Eppi for a three-quarter length victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies under jockey Terry Thompson.

A 2-year-old daughter of Maria's Mon―Swiftly Classic (by Sky Classic) trained by Steve Asmussen, Sky Mom stalked the early fractions of :23.24 and :46.69set by Palanka City before splitting horses taking the lead in mid-stretch. Mims Eppi rallied from far back in the 11-horse field to finish second as the winner completed the mile on Polytrack in 1:38.11. Favored Latest Scoop, coming off an impressive maiden win at the distance over the Turfway track, finished sixth.

Sky Mom paid $10.40., $5.60, and $4.00. Mims Eppi was worth $11.40 and $6.60. Kadira, a stakes winner at River Downs in her previous start, finished third, returning $5.60.

"This is very exciting," said owner Stark. "I kept think was she going to be able to keep going on the lead. (When) she started to pull away, I was running the last part with her. I don't know about her last race (seventh in the grade II Adirondacks Stakes at Saratoga), but we don't bring them unless they're ready."

"I was comfortable laying off horses early and I knew Steve would have her ready at the quarter pole onward," Thompson said. "I let her go and knew the wire would come up in time."

With visits to five tracks in her six-race career, Sky Mom finished second in her career debut and then broke her maiden next out, both at Keeneland. After winning an allowance at Churchill Downs, the filly was shipped north to Woodbine, where she finished second in the My Dear Stakes. Sent to Saratoga, she finished seventh in the Adirondack previous to her Kentucky Cup win. After Market, who has won four in a row on the grass in California, returns to New York on Saturday for the $250,000 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park.

Trained by John Shirreffs for owner-breeders Pam and Marty Wygod, the 4-year-old Storm Cat colt is shortening to a mile in the Grade II Kelso after winning at distances that varied from 1 1/16 miles to 1 3/8 miles earlier in the year at Hollywood Park and Del Mar.

A possibility for either the Breeders' Cup Turf or Mile next month at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., After Market hasn't run in New York since winning the Hall of Fame Breeders' Cup Handicap when trained by Bill Mott on Aug. 7, 2006, at Saratoga.

Alex Solis, who was aboard After Market in all six of his races in California, has the mount again in a field that includes English Colony -- who is making his graded-stakes debut for owner-breeder Will Farish and trainer Angel Penna Jr. after four consecutive wins -- Icy Atlantic, Jet Propulsion and Palace Episode.

The main event on the program at Belmont is the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational, a Grade I at 1 1/4 miles on the turf. Contenders include Lahudood, Alexander Tango, My Typhoon, Wait A While and Rosinka.

Race of the day: Street Sense will have his final start before the Breeders' Cup Classic when he meets Hard Spun and three others in the $350,000 Kentucky Cup Classic Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. Calvin Borel will take his usual seat atop the Kentucky Derby winner for owner-breeder James Tafel and trainer Carl Nafzger in the Grade II at 1 1/8 miles. It will be the first start over the Polytrack at Turfway for Street Sense, while Hard Spun won the Lanes End over the surface earlier in the year.

One for the road: Searchforthetruth debuts for a barn that excels with new shooters and can win at first asking against a suspect field in the fifth race Saturday at Bay Meadows. David Lopez will ride the 2-year-old Yes It's True colt for Blinkers On Racing Stable and trainer Greg Gilchrist in the $30,000 maiden contest at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Exotically speaking: An early pick four using Mikey Bones, Lady Sorceress, Ava D, Veils de Fleur and Stormy's Nick in the first, Call Or Raise and Cavalry Charge in the second, Citronnade in the third and Joy's Comet, Mi Arcobaleno and Soar With Eagles in the fourth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 3/7. Money: (previous day/meet total): $16/$34.60. Total money bet: $50.
It's the type of situation Larry Jones relishes: his horse, Lane's End Stakes winner Hard Spun, in a rematch against Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

It happens today in a knock-down, drag-out spectacle that promises a potential match race between the top two Derby finishers in a five-horse field at today's 5:45 p.m. Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park.

The last time Jones ventured to Turfway, the veteran trainer was accepting the first-place trophy for Hard Spun after the 3-year-old thoroughbred won the Lane's End Stakes.

Standing inside the phalanx of microphones and cameras which encircled him in Victory Circle that April afternoon at Turfway, Jones defended his decision to send his horse against a weaker Lane's End field in the run-up to the Kentucky Derby rather than take on a more competitive, shorter field in a stakes race at Arkansas' Oaklawn Park, Jones' winter base.

"We're not duckin' nobody," Jones said as he cradled the trophy back in April, just a few weeks before Hard Spun finished second to Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby. "We're just doing our thing. Doing what we think is best for the horse."

Jones still is doing what's best for Hard Spun, as the breakout colt preps for another major race, the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park Racetrack in New Jersey.

And Jones can't be accused of duckin' the competition.

Hard Spun takes on Street Sense in a rare, knock-down, drag-out spectacle that promises a potential match race between the top two Derby finishers in a five-horse field at today's 5:45 p.m. Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway.

Street Sense is trained by former rodeo cowboy and top-ranked bull rider Carl Nafzger, who found out on Wednesday he'll be inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame during an Oct. 13 ceremony at San Antonio's Retama Park.

Street Sense, the champion 2-year-old last year following a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is the morning-line favorite after being saddled with 3-5 odds earlier in the week. Hard Spun enters today's $350,000 Grade 2 stakes race with 8-5 odds to win.

"We probably couldn't have imagined what has happened since we were last at Turfway," Jones said. "This is a great thing for the track to have the top two horses from the Derby."

The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Cup Classic represents the third meeting for Hard Spun and Street Sense. Hard Spun has yet to come out on top. He placed third to Street Sense's runner-up finish at the Preakness Stakes.

Just three other horses, Stream Cat (4-1), Muqbil (20-1) and Cat Shaker (30-1), are in the field of today's marquee event, the 10th of 12 races in the annual Kentucky Cup series, which includes five stakes, beginning with the sixth race, the Juvenile Fillies.

First post is 1:10 p.m. Turfway does not charge admission on Kentucky Cup Day.

The field size plays to Hard Spun's strength. Jones' colt is the lone early-speed horse in today's Classic field, and conventional horse racing wisdom says the faster horse has an advantage in a smaller field.

"Match races are won by speed horses," said Nafzger, who's also aware that Jones' horse has prepped better on Polytrack, while Street Sense has never won on the artificial surface that's used at Turfway

"You can't worry about not liking a track. If you do, you've already talked yourself out of winning. I worry about executing. You put your horse in the race. You execute. You read what you did wrong or right. When I watch a race, I only look at three things: Did I make a mistake? Did the jockey make a mistake? Did the horse make a mistake? Then I adjust to that."

Jones feels as though Hard Spun and Street Sense have seen this scenario before. "The Derby was a 20-horse field," he said. "And in our horse's mind it was a match race from the quarter-pole home."

Hard Spun, at Turfway since Tuesday, will have Mario Pino aboard in today's face-off. Since the Preakness, Pino has driven the colt to a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, a second in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, and a Grade I Stakes win in the King's Bishop at Saratoga Race Course in New York.

A victory today and a win next month in the Breeders' Cup will make Hard Spun a viable Horse of the Year candidate.

Street Sense, ridden by Calvin Borel and shipped up from the horse's home track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, has been a Horse of the Year candidate since his Kentucky Derby win over Hard Spun. Street Sense is looking for his third consecutive victory after losing by a nose to Curlin in the Preakness. Nafzger's horse came off the pace to win the Derby, and that should be his modus operandi again today as Hard Spun figures to take the early lead.

"He'll wait for Calvin. And when you ask him, he's got a heck of a turn of foot," Nafzger said of his horse. "You can push that button the first quarter of a mile if you want, and he'll go. He and Calvin have a real rapport."

Jones, quite the horse whisperer himself, isn't so sure today's Classic will unfold as expected.

"It could be a freaky deal like the Blue Grass, where they went three-quarters in 1:16. I can tell you it won't be a repeat of the Belmont, where they went 1:15 for three-quarters without us in front," Jones said. "The one thing about the short field is there should be enough time for everyone to focus on where Calvin (Borel) is. He (and Street Sense) have never come up on the rail on Hard Spun. He's going to have to come around.