Eight Graded Stakes Winners Top Saturday's Grade III, $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep

May 25, 2020 Kevin Kerstein,Churchill Downs Communications

Multiple graded stakes winner Beau Recall (IRE) is set for her 2020 campaign along with Grade III-winning stablemate Juliet Foxtrot (GB) as they face 12 rivals, including six other graded stakes winners, that were entered in Saturday’s 44^th running of the $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, the Old Forester Mint Julep is carded as Race 11 on Saturday’s 11-race race card. The program will also feature the $100,000 Winning Colors presented by Finlandia (GIII) in Race 7. First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Beau Recall and Juliet Foxtrot, trained by Brad Cox, drew post positions No. 1 and 2, respectively. Cox will use Saturday’s Old Forester Mint Julep as a likely prep race for the $300,000 Just a Game (GI) on June 27 at Belmont Park and/or $350,000 Jenny Wiley (GI) at Keeneland on July 11.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing, Beau Recall had a stellar 5-year-old campaign with victories in the $400,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GII) and $200,000 Yellow Ribbon (GII). Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Beau Recall.

Juddmonte Farms’ Juliet Foxtrot reached graded stakes glory in the $150,000 Modesty (GIII) prior to a heartbreaking runner-up effort in the $200,000 John C. Mabee (GII). Juliet Foxtrot concluded her 2019 campaign with a second-place finish in the $400,000 First Lady (GI). Florent Geroux has the call on Juliet Foxtrot.

Six other graded stakes winners are among the Mint Julep competitors: Madaket Stables, Tim and Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds’ $200,000 Wonder Again (GIII) winner La Signare (post 5); First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm’s $300,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) victor Nay Lady Nay (post 6); Madaket Stables, Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stables and Steven Bouchey’s $175,000 Nassau (GII) champ Secret Message (post 7); Augustin Stable’s $200,000 Lake Placid (GII) hero Varenka (post 9); John McCormack’s $150,000 The Very One (GIII) winner Elizabeth Way (post 13); and Mrs. J.V. Shields and E.J.M McFadden Jr.’s $150,000 Gallorette (GIII) winner Mitchell Road (post 14).

The complete field for the Old Forester Mint Julep from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Juliet Foxtrot (Geroux, Cox); Beau Recall (Bridgmohan, Cox); Winning Envelope (Julien Leparoux, Chris Block); She’sonthewarpath (Chantal Sutherland, Steve Margolis); La Signare (Ricardo Santana Jr., Brendan Walsh); Nay Lady Nay (Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown); Secret Message (John Velazquez, Graham Motion); Altea (Joel Rosario, Brown); Varenka (Javier Castellano, Motion); Hanalei Moon (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Zofelle (Corey Lanerie, Walsh); Coco Channel (Rafael Bejarano, Charlie LoPresti); Elizabeth Way (Brian Hernandez Jr., Roger Attfield); Mitchell Road (Joe Talamo, Bill Mott).