Don't Leave Me Is Mild 3-1 Choice In Wide-Open Grade III Regret

Jun 11, 2015 Ryan Martin and Darren Rogers

Pin Oak Stables’ Bourbonette Oaks (GIII) winner Don’t Leave Me landed the rail and was made a lukewarm 3-1 morning line favorite in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered for Saturday night’s 46^th running of the $100,000 Regret (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Canadian-based invader conditioned by Malcolm Pierce has won three of five starts and $179,855 with a three-quarter length triumph in March’s Bourbonette at Turfway Park as her career topper. Last time out, the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid ran second in the Selene (GIII) over Polytrack at Woodbine behind multiple graded stakes winner Ol’ Fashion Gal. This will be the first time the 3-year-old filly will be stretching out to 1 1/8 miles.

Three Chimneys Farm’s Lady Zuzu is looking for her first victory since breaking her maiden at Keeneland last October as a 2-year-old. The daughter of Dynaformer has not found the winner’s circle in four starts this year, with the first two resulting in sixth-place efforts at Santa Anita when she raced for trainer Paulo Lobo. Since returning to trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ barn, she has finished third twice in the Edgewood (GIII) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day and in the Hilltop at Pimlico on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. Lukas won the Regret 23 years ago with Tiney Toast in 1992.

Calumet Farm’s Return to Grace, campaigned by trainer Mark Casse, is the only filly in the field with a victory over the Matt Winn Turf Course and at the distance of 1 1/8 miles. The 3-year-old daughter of English Channel broke her maiden on the third attempt last time out at Churchill Downs on May 23.

The Regret field from the rail out (with jockey and morning line odds): Don’t Leave Me (Javier Castellano, 3-1); Return to Grace (Corey Lanerie, 7-2); Lady Zuzu (Robby Albarado, 7-2); America Mon Amie (Rosemary Homeister Jr., 10-1); Cristina’s Journey (Miguel Mena, 8-1); Prado’s Sweet Ride (Florent Geroux, 4-1); and Urtheoneeyelove (Joel Rosario, 5-1).

The Regret goes as Race 6 at 8:28 p.m. on Churchill Downs’ 11-race card for Saturday night.