Mr. Misunderstood Tackles Deep Old Friends Stakes

After starting the year with two third-place runs, Flurry Racing Stables' Mr. Misunderstood will try to regain his winning form Sept. 5 in the $250,000 Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs, a mile and 70-yard event for 3-year-olds and up who have not won a sweepstakes this year.

The 5-year-old Archarcharch gelding trained by Brad Cox has won four stakes at Churchill Downs, including the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) last summer. After 60 days off, Mr. Misunderstood got sick while working toward a return at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and was given more time off to recover. He returned at Churchill June 27 in a two-turn allowance optional claimer before tackling the Aug. 4 Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile at Ellis Park.

"A mile and an eighth is a little long for him in his first race back, but it was running out of your own stall at Churchill," said owner Staton Flurry. "The Preview at Ellis Park, I think the 10 hole hurt us, and there was a downpour right before we started saddling. That might have dampened the ground enough that he couldn't get his total footing to make his late, late charge like he normally does.

"I hate to say we're giving him excuses. But he hasn't had ideal conditions that we'd have liked this year. We're going to take full advantage of the 'non-winners of a stakes this year' (condition) and see what we can do."

The main threat from the 12 entries and two also-eligibles comes from Woodford Racing's Catapult, who ships from John Sadler's Southern California stable. The 6-year-old son of Kitten's Joy  won two grade 2 events last year before missing in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) by a half-length. His four starts this year include a nose loss in the March 30 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita Park.

Wes Welker and Elizabeth Kumin's 9-year-old veteran Undrafted is looking for his first win this year after three starts. He last visited the winner's circle in a November allowance at Churchill, but has not won a stakes since April 2016. The Purim gelding is best remembered for his 2015 Diamond Jubilee (G1) victory at Royal Ascot with trainer Wesley Ward.

Entries: Old Friends S.

Kentucky Downs, Thursday, September 05, 2019, Race 9

• STK
• 1m 70y
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:48 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Hot Springs (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	15/1
2	2Cullum Road (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Michael J. Maker	12/1
3	3Mr. Misunderstood (KY)	Florent Geroux	121	Brad H. Cox	4/1
4	4Multiplier (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	William I. Mott	6/1
5	5Catapult (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	John W. Sadler	3/1
6	6Get Western (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Charles Lopresti	15/1
7	7Lamartine (BRZ)	Tyler Baze	121	Steven M. Asmussen	15/1
8	8Master Merion (KY)	Julio A. Garcia	121	Wesley A. Ward	6/1
9	9Flight Time (BRZ)	David Cohen	121	Kenneth G. McPeek	20/1
10	10Choo Choo (KY)	Adam Beschizza	121	Jack Sisterson	30/1
11	11The Tabulator (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	121	Larry Rivelli	15/1
12	12Undrafted (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Wesley A. Ward	8/1
13	13Space Mountain (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Michael J. Maker	30/1
14	14Zero Gravity (FL)	Adam Beschizza	121	Joe Sharp	30/1