Alsvid Looks for Second Spring Meet Stakes Win in Downs After Dark's Kelly's Landing

Jun 29, 2016 Darren Rogers

Black Hawk Stable’s 7-year-old millionaire Alsvid, who held on gamely to defeat 4-5 favorite Limousine Liberal by a head in the $100,000 Aristides (Grade III) for a second straight year on June 3, returns to action Saturday as the headliner in the seventh renewal of the $67,000-added Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The seven-furlong Kelly’s Landing for 3-year-olds and up is one of three stakes events on Churchill Downs’ closing night card billed as “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Jack Daniel’s.” It will go as Race 10 of 11 at 10:42 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Alsvid, conditioned by Chris Hartman for owner James Rogers, collected his 14^th victory from 42 starts and improved his career bankroll to $1,233,998 when winning the six-furlong Aristides under regular rider Chris Landeros in a swift 1:08.26, which was the third fastest Aristides at the distance only behind Kelly’s Landing’s 1:07.59 in 2005 and Fabulous Strike’s 1:07.64 in 2007. It was the 10^th stakes victory of his career and snapped an 11-race winless streak that started after he beat 2014 champion sprinter Work All Week by two lengths in the 2015 Aristides.

The Kelly’s Landing will be Alsvid’s seventh start beyond six furlongs. Between the distances of seven furlongs and 1 1/16 miles, Alsvid has a record of 6-1-0-2 with his lone victory coming as a 3-year-old in the 2012 Prairie Mile, which was a 5 ¼ length score.

The field for the Kelly’s Landing from the rail out (with jockeys): Bayerd (Florent Geroux), Island Town (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Helooksthepart (Robby Albarado), Schivarelli (Corey Lanerie), Natchez (James Graham), Wabel (Julien Leparoux) and Alsvid (Chris Landeros).

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.