Churchill Downs Closing Day Stakes Recap: Scotland Wins Inaugural $250,000 Cherokee Mile

Dec 01, 2024

Scotland rated just behind a trio of pacesetters, circled three-wide into contention on the turn and collared Injunction inside the final eighth of a mile to win Sunday’s inaugural running of the $248,500 Cherokee Mile at Churchill Downs on closing day of the 135th Fall Meet by 2 ¼ lengths.

 

Scotland, a 4-year-old gelded son of Good Magic, ran one mile on a “fast” track in 1:34.60. New York-based jockey Junior Alvarado rode the winner for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owner/breeder Jaime Roth’s LNJ Foxwoods.

 

Breaking from post 6 in the one-turn mile, Scotland rated in the clear well off the trio of Frosted Departure, Injunction and Transect, who contender for the lead down the backstretch through fractions of :22.85 and :45.04. Frosted Departure emerged in front into the turn but Scotland was hitting his best stride. Scotland surged to the leader Injunction, who put away the tiring Frosted Departure. Shoulder-to-shoulder in upper stretch through the final furlong, Scotland kicked away from Injunction inside the final sixteenth of a mile and drew away for the win.

 

“I sat a perfect trip today,” Alvarado said. “I had him travelling very well down the backstretch and was always there for me. When I asked him at the quarter pole he was giving it to me. Every time I asked him he was right there and fought the whole stretch.”

 

The first prize was $147,800 and hiked Scotland’s bankroll to $555,560 with a record of 5-3-1 from 13 starts. It was his second stakes win. At 3, he won the restricted $130,950 Curlin at Saratoga.

 

Scotland returned $12.92, $6.58 and $5.32 as the 5-1 fifth betting choice. Injunction, with Edgar Morales up, paid $7.24 and $4.96 at odds of 4-1. Quality Chic, ridden by Florent Geroux at odds of 35-1, was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $8.24 to show.

 

Call Me Fast, bet down to the mild 3-1 favorite, was another two lengths back in fourth and was followed by Brunacini, Stilleto Boy, Single Dot Yaht, Frosted Departure, Rocket Can and Transect. Three Technique was scratched.

 

Scotland, a chestnut out of the Speightstown mare Gemswick Park, was bred in Kentucky by his owners.

 

“He’s a part of LNJ Foxwoods’ homebred program and it’s very special to win another stakes with him,” said Mott’s Kentucky assistant Kenny McCarthy. “He’s a very classy horse and really handled the one-turn mile well. When we got him down here to Churchill Downs a couple weeks ago from New York he looked great and has really thrived since being in Kentucky.”

 

Luis Saez was the leading rider of the 26-day Fall Meet with 42 trips to the winner’s circle, his third Churchill Downs riding title. Tyler Gaffalione was second with 22 wins.

 

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen collected his record extending 29th local leading trainer crown. He topped Brad Cox 20 wins to 16.

 

Godolphin LLC was the leading owner at Churchill Downs for a third time with seven wins from 20 starters and purse earnings of $1,322,328, three more than Calumet Farm and Juddmonte’s four victories.

 

Racing on the Kentucky circuit will shift north to Turfway Park in Florence on Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. (all times Eastern) on a Wednesday-Saturday schedule. The first day of the 2025 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs is Saturday, April 26, which kicks off Kentucky Derby Week festivities. The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) is set for Saturday, May 3.

 

CHEROKEE MILE QUOTES

 

Junior Alvarado (jockey, Scotland, winner): “I sat a perfect trip today. I had him travelling very well down the backstretch and was always there for me. When I asked him at the quarter pole he was giving it to me. Every time I asked him he was right there and fought the whole stretch.”

 

Kenny McCarthy (assistant trainer, Scotland, winner): “He’s a part of LNJ Foxwoods’ homebred program and it’s very special to win another stakes with him. He’s a very classy horse and really handled the one-turn mile well. When we got him down here to Churchill Downs a couple weeks ago from New York he looked great and has really thrived since being in Kentucky.”