Super Derby Winner Mr. Misunderstood Tops Jefferson Cup Field

Sep 27, 2017 Darren Rogers,Churchill Downs Communications

Flurry Racing Stables’ Mr. Misunderstood will attempt to notch his third consecutive victory in Saturday’s 41^st running of the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (Listed) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs.

Carded as Race 8, the Jefferson Cup is the first of three stakes races on the 11-race program with a scheduled post time of 4:18 p.m. (all times Eastern). The $200,000 Lukas Classic (Grade III) and $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII) close out the stakes action as Races 9 and 10, respectively.

Trained by Brad Cox, Mr. Misunderstood exits a three-length victory in Louisiana Downs’ Super Derby. The gelding by Archarcharch is perfect in five starts on the turf and has an overall record of 10-6-1-0—$243,794.

Jockey Florent Geroux has the call on Mr. Misunderstood who will break from post position No. 3.

Cox also entered Zilla Racing Stables’ Adonis Creed (10-2-1-2—$100,945) in the Jefferson Cup, who was recently transferred from trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

One of the main threats to Mr. Misunderstood could be Lothenbach Stables’ late-running Giant Payday. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the three-time winner was most recently a one-length victor in the Aug. 26 Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park after closing from more than 14 lengths off the early pace.

Giant Payday’s stablemate Mr Cub (6-2-1-0—$130,867), who was a 2 ¾-length allowance winner at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 6, will break from post position No. 7 with Joe Rocco Jr. aboard. Wilkes’ son-in-law Chris Landeros has the call on Giant Payday.

New to the Churchill Downs scene is Panic Stable LLC’s Your Way. Trained by Jane Cibelli, the son of Harlan’s Holiday is seeking his third consecutive victory after two narrow scores at Monmouth Park in a maiden special weight and allowance race, respectively. Your Way (6-2-0-1—$53,259) would be 30-year veteran trainer Cibelli’s first entrant at Churchill Downs.

Bronson (9-3-2-1—$176,260), who was transferred to trainer Mike Maker from Todd Pletcher, will cut back in distance from a third-place effort in the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.

Guest Suite (8-3-0-2—$231,490) was once on the Kentucky Derby trail after winning the Jan. 21 Lecomte Stakes (GIII) at Fair Grounds but hasn’t been seen since a fifth-place effort in a May 27 allowance race at Churchill Downs. The gelded-son of Quality Road will be trying the turf for the first time.

Rounding out the field is My Bariley (11-2-3-2—$98,119). The runner-up to Giant Payday in the Mystic Lake Derby is seeking his first stakes victory for Arlington Park-based trainer Tony Granitz.

The complete Jefferson Cup field from the rail out (with jockey): Bronson (Corey Lanerie); Giant Payday (Landeros); Mr. Misunderstood (Geroux); Your Way (James Graham); My Bariley (Jose Valdivia Jr.); Guest Suite (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Mr Cub (Rocco Jr.); and Adonis Creed (Shaun Bridgmohan).