Honor Code Heads Field of 10 For Alysheba; La Troienne Atrracts Field of Nine; Unbeaten Promise Me Silver, Taylor S Top Eight Belles; Shakertown Top Four Return in Twin Spires Turf Sprint; Sunset Glow Takes on Seven Foes in Edgewood

Apr 28, 2015

 Lane’s End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm’s Honor Code’s long-awaited Churchill Downs debut in the 12th running of the $400,000 Alysheba (GII) and an evenly matched field of nine fillies and mares in the 30th running of the $300,000 La Troienne (GI), highlight a stellar 12-race Kentucky Oaks Day card Friday.

Highlighted by the 141st running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI),Friday’s program opens at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and features five graded stakes in addition to the Oaks.

Honor Code is two-for-two since returning from an injury that knocked him off the Triple Crown trail last spring. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Honor Code won the Gulfstream Park Handicap (GII) in his most recent start.

Regular rider Javier Castellano has the mount Friday and will break from post position seven in the 1 1/16-mile main track test.

Returning to race at Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing seventh in last year’s Kentucky Derby is Daniel Dougherty’s Ride On Curlin. Second in the Preakness (GI) last year to California Chrome, Ride On Curlin will be ridden Friday by Robby Albarado and break from post position four.

Also figuring to draw support in the Alysheba are the 1-2 finishers from Keeneland’s Ben Ali (GIII) three weeks ago: Protonico and Neck ‘n Neck, plus New Orleans Handicap (GII) winner Call Me George.

Owned by Sumaya U.S. Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, Protonico returns to Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing second in last November’s Clark Handicap (GI). John Velazquez has the mount and will break from post position two.

Neck ‘n Neck, a multiple graded stakes winner owned by A. Stevens Miles Jr., has won four of his six starts at Churchill Downs. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Neck ‘n Neck will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post three.

Call Me George, trained by Grant Forster, will be ridden by James Graham and break from post position eight.

The Alysheba will go as the eighth race with a 3:02 p.m. post time.

The field for the Alysheba with jockeys and weights from the rail out is: Den’s Legacy (Calvin Borel, 118), Protonico (Velazquez, 120), Neck ‘n Neck (Leparoux, 118), Ride On Curlin (Albarado, 118), Tarpy’s Surprise (Corey Lanerie, 118), Midnight Cello (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Honor Code (Castellano, 120), Call Me George (Graham, 120), Noble Bird (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118) and Cougar Ridge (Florent Geroux, 118).

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

 Pin Oak Stable’s Gold Medal Dancer, who upset champion Untapable in the Azeri (GII) at Oaklawn Park in March, and Alpha Delta Stable’s My Miss Sophia, runner-up in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks top a well-balanced field of nine fillies and mares entered in the La Troienne.

The La Troienne will go as the seventh race with a 2:08 p.m. post time.

Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, Gold Medal Dancer finished third in the Apple Blossom (GI) in her most recent start. Luis Quinonez has the mount and will break from post seven in the 1 1/16-mile main track event.

My Miss Sophia, now trained by Bill Mott, will be making her first start since the Lady’s Secret at Monmouth in September. Javier Castellano has the mount and will exit post position two.

Adding to the depth of the field are 2014 Churchill Downs Grade II stakes winners Molly Morgan, owned by Bill Cubbedge, and Frivolous , owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., as well as recent Royal Delta (GII) runaway winner Sheer Drama, owned by Harold Queen.

The Dale Romans-trained Molly Morgan, second in this race last year to On Fire Baby, won the Fleur De Lis and Chilukki here with Corey Lanerie aboard for both wins. Lanerie will be back aboard Friday and break from post position eight.

Frivolous, trained by Phil Oliver, closed her 2014 campaign with a victory in the Falls City Handicap. Jon Court will have the mount and break from post position nine.

Sheer Drama, trained by David Fawkes, won the Royal Delta by 6 ½ lengths in defeating Molly Morgan and five others. Joe Bravo, who has ridden Sheer Drama in her past three starts, has the call Friday and will break from post position five.

The field for the La Troienne with jockeys and weights from the rail out is: Tiz Windy (Julien Leparoux, 120), My Miss Sophia (Castellano, 118), Sweet Whiskey (John Velazquez, 118), America (Junior Alvarado, 118), Sheer Drama (Bravo, 120), Interest Free (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Gold Medal Dancer (Quinonez, 120), Molly Morgan (Lanerie, 120) and Frivolous (Court, 120).

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

Spendthrift Farm’s Callback, Robert Luttrell’s undefeated Promise Me Silver and the Albaugh Family Stable’s two-time Churchill Downs winner Taylor S head a field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies entered for the 60th running of the $200,000 Eight Belles (GIII) at seven furlongs on the main track.

The Eight Belles will go as the 10th race with a 4:52 p.m. post time.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Callback won the Las Virgenes (GI) at Santa Anita in January and was disqualified from a victory in the Sunland Park Oaks in her most recent start. Victor Espinoza has the mount and will break from post position one.

Promise Me Silver, who extended her win streak to seven with a score in the Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park on April 11, is trained by Bret Calhoun. Calhoun won the Eight Belles last year with Fiftyshadesofgold.

Robby Albarado has the mount on Promise Me Silver and will break from post position two.

Taylor S, trained by Dale Romans, enters the Eight Belles off a 3 ½-length victory in the Any Limit at Gulfstream Park on March 14. A maiden winner at first asking here in September and an allowance winner in November, Taylor S will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and break from post position 12.

The field for the Eight Belles with jockeys and weights from the rail out is: Callback (Espinoza, 123), Promise Me Silver (Albarado, 120), Ekati’s Phaeton (John Velazquez, 123), Mizz Money (Francisco Torres, 118), Fancy and Flashy (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Scat Means Go (Joel Rosario, 118), Lavender Chrissie (Javier Castellano, 118), Enchanting Lady (Martin Garcia, 118), Super Saks (Luis Saez, 118), Jugni (Mike Smith, 118), Streetheart (Julien Leparoux, 118) and Taylor S  (Lanerie, 118).

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

 The top four finishers from the April 4  Shakertown (GIII) at Keeneland return with xx others for the 21st running of the $150,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GIII) for 4-year-olds and up going five furlongs on the grass.

The Twin Spires Turf Sprint will go as the day’s ninth race with a 4:02 p.m. post time.

Topping the Shakertown returnees is John Menary and Gail Cox’s Something Extra. Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Something Extra led all the way in the 5 ½-furlong Shakertown and hung on to win by a half-length. Bridgmohan will be back aboard Friday and break from post position 11.

The 2-3-4 Shakertown finishers, respectively, were Rigney Racing’s Channel Marker, Wes Welker’s Undrafted and James Covello, AJ Suited Racing Stable and Brian Lynch’s Power Alert (AUS).

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint, from the hedge out, is as follows: Berlino Di Tiger (BRZ) (Jon Court, 118), Channel Marker (Francisco Torres, 118), Heitai (James Graham, 120), Jasizzle (Didiel Osorio, 118), Positive Side (Corey Lanerie, 118), Forest Elf (Florent Geroux, 118), Zee Bros (Mike Smith, 118), Good Deed (Brian Hernandez Jr., 113), Buster Rose (Jose Lezcano, 118), Power Alert (AUS) (Julien leparoux, 120), Something Extra (Bridgmohan, 120) and Undrafted (John Velazquez, 118).

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

 Ten Broeck Farm’s Sunset Glow, runner-up in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI), heads a field of eight 3-year-old fillies for the 30th running of the $150,000 Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank (GIII).

The 1 1/16-mile grass race will go as the sixth race on the program with a 1:26 p.m. post time.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Sunset Glow returned to the races on April 12 and finished third in the Appalachian Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland. Joel Rosario returns to ride and will break from post position three.

Figuring to attract support is Destiny Oaks of Ocala, Wachtel Stable and Brous Stable’s Quality Rocks, winner of the Florida Oaks (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7 in her most recent start.

Trained by seven-time Edgewood winner Bill Mott, Quality Rocks has compiled a 6-3-2-0 record with her only off-the-board finish coming in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Fillies (GI) in which she was 10th.  Jose Lezcano has the mount and will break from post position one.

The field for the Edgewood with jockeys and weights from the hedge out is: Quality Rocks (Lezcano, 123), B Rockett (Jon Court, 118), Sunset Glow (Rosario, 118), My Year Is a Day (FR) (John Velazquez, 118), Lady Zuzu (Luis Saez, 118), Feathered (Javier Castellano, 118), Flying Tipat (Robby Albarado, 118) and Sweet Swingin (Corey Lanerie, 118).

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN), which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 2, 2015. The track’s 2015 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 25-June 27. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.