A Well-Matched Dozen Turf Fillies Set To Meet in 'Downs After Dark' Grade III Regret

Jun 15, 2017 Churchill Downs Communications

William Pacella, Frank Jones and Frank Shoop’s Sweeping Paddy and Patricia Moseley’s Proctor’s Ledge, the third and fourth-place finishers, respectively, in the $150,000 Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank (Grade III) on Kentucky Oaks Day, are set to rematch Saturday at Churchill Downs in the 48^th running of the $100,000 Regret Stakes (GIII) Presented by Cox’s Smokers Outlets against a well-matched field of 12 3-year-old fillies.

The Regret, run at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, is carded as Race 9 with a post time of approximately 10:15 p.m.

Sweeping Paddy, a daughter of Paddy O’Prado trained by Dale Romans, has one career victory as a 2-year-old but has finished in the top three four times in her eight race career. Jockey Luis Saez has the return call on Sweeping Paddy, who was defeated 3 ¼ lengths in the Edgewood at odds of 22-1.

Proctor’s Ledge will attempt to give trainer Brendan Walsh his second consecutive win in the Regret. Walsh won the 2016 edition with Auntie Joy. Proctor’s Ledge, a two-time winner, is scheduled to be piloted by Churchill Downs’ leading rider Corey Lanerie.

Sweeping Paddy and Proctor’s Ledge will have to contend with five rivals that won their previous start, including back-to-back winner Sameeha. The daughter of Street Cry (Ire) most recently was a Keeneland allowance victor on April 23 for trainer Dan Peitz.

The Regret field from the rail out (with jockeys and morning line odds): Blame the Law (Joel Rosario, 15-1); Sweeping Paddy (Luis Saez, 4-1); La Manta Gris (Julien Leparoux, 15-1); Proctor’s Ledge (Corey Lanerie, 7-2); Like a Hurricane (Brian Hernandez Jr., 12-1); Anothertequilashot (Gabriel Saez, 30-1); Summer Luck (Florent Geroux, 10-1); Savannah Belle (Declan Cannon, 12-1); Sameeha (Joe Rocco Jr., 8-1); Fizzy Friday (GB) (John Velazquez, 10-1); Starr Bear (Javier Castellano, 8-1); and Chubby Star (Ricardo Santana Jr., 5-1).

The Regret – the last of five stakes on the Stephen Foster Handicap program – annually pays homage to the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1915. Undefeated in three starts as a 2-year-old, Regret made her 3-year-old debut in the Derby and won in wire-to-wire fashion by three lengths.

BREEDERS’ CUP BETTING CHALLENGE QUALIFIER ON STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP NIGHT – Some of the nation’s elite horseplayers will descend upon Churchill Downs on Saturday night and attempt to secure seats at the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge as they pit their handicapping skills against the best Louisville has to offer.

Churchill Downs’ Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge Live Bankroll Qualifier is a “real money” handicapping tournament with a $2,000 buy-in, of which $1,500 will be used by participants to wager on Saturday night’s 11-race Stephen Foster Handicap card with the other $500 going toward the entry fee and prize pool. Wager types permitted are Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta and Daily Double only.

The top two finishers in the satellite tournament will receive $10,000 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge seats for the Nov. 3-4 event at Del Mar plus a $1,000 travel voucher. The third-place finisher will receive a $2,500 partial BCBC entry and $500 travel voucher.

Saturday’s prize pool is based on 50 entries. All entry fees will be paid back to prize pool should more than 50 entries participate. Horseplayers can register by emailing Gary Palmisano at [email protected].

Same as the qualifier, the BCBC is a “real money” handicapping challenge. Players will required to deposit $10,000, of which $7,500 will be the players’ bankroll for wagering during the tournament. Of the $10,000 buy-in, $2,500 will be placed in the prize pool. If 400 players enter the tournament, the cash prize pool paid will be $1 million.

ALL-STAKES PICK 5 TO BE OFFERED SATURDAY NIGHT – Churchill Downs will make it a special night for bettors at Saturday’s “Downs After Dark” as the track offers an all-stakes Pick 5 as part of its special wagering menu.

The all-stakes Pick 5 will cover Races 5-9 starting at 8:03 p.m., which will encompass the Matt Winn (Race 5), Wise Dan (Race 6), Fleur de Lis Handicap (Race 7), Stephen Foster Handicap (Race 8) and Regret (Race 9). There also will be an all-stakes Pick 4 on Races 6-9.

All told, there will be three Pick 5s (Races 2-6, Races 5-9 and Races 7-11) and three Pick 4s (Races 1-4, Races 6-9 and Races 8-11) on the night.

Both the Pick 4 and Pick 5 are 50-cent minimum bets.

The 20-cent minimum Single-6 Jackpot will cover Races 4-9. The jackpot carryover for a lone winning ticket was $96,299 entering Thursday’s eight-race program, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.