Lukas Has Two Shots at Seventh Debutante Victory

Jun 24, 2009 Gary Yunt

Trainer D Wayne Lukas, who has saddled the Debutante winner a record six times, will have two chances at bringing home No. 7 on Saturday when he sends out Westrock Stables’ Decelerator and Tidal Pool in the 109^th running of the $100,000-added Grade III event at Churchill Downs.

            The Debutante, which drew a field of nine 2-year-old fillies, will be run at six furlongs on the main track and will go as the 10^th race at 5:29 p.m. (all times EDT) on Saturday’s 11-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m.

            Lukas, who saddled his first Debutante winner in 1986 (Burnished Bright) and most recent winner in 2004 (Classic Elegance), picked both of his 2009 Debutante starters out of the February Ocala sale, paying $250,000 for Decelerator and $220,000 for Tidal Pool.

            Decelerator, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post position eight, won at first asking, taking a five-furlong race by a half-length on May 14. Decelerator, a daughter of Dehere, has had five works since, including two bullet moves. Tidal Pool, who will be ridden by Jon Court and break from post position seven, broke her maiden on her second try going 4 ½ furlongs on May 21.

            Trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won the Debutante four times, will send out Lewis Lakin and Diane and Roger Stanton’s Wild Forest Cat and Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Kinsolving.

Wild Forest Cat, a winner by 4 ¾ lengths going 4 ½ furlongs on May 7 in her second start, will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. and break from post position three. Kinsolving, who broke her maiden at first asking at Keeneland on April 17, has been idle since finishing sixth in the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III) on April 30 at Churchill Downs. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Kinsolving and break from post position one.

The field for the Debutante, from the rail out:  Kinsolving (Shaun Bridgmohan), Henry’s Posse (Miguel Mena), Wild Forest Cat (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Our Tekela Rose (Corey Lanerie), Phone Marybe (Inocencio Ayarza), Brown Eyed Baby (Robby Albarado), Tidal Pool (Jon Court), Decelerator (Julien Leparoux) and Send Rose Thecheck (Jesus Castanon). All starters will carry 118 pounds.

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