Archidust Takes Graded Stakes Aim in Franklin-Simpson

After winning three straight races, including two straight stakes races sprinting on the turf, Archidust will try graded stakes company for the first time in the $500,000 Nevada State Bank Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G3T) Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.

At 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds, the Franklin-Simpson is the featured race on the final day of the short but lucrative Kentucky Downs meet. Also on Thursday's card is the $500,000 Ramsey Farm Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 5/16 miles.

Ivan Rodriguez and Albert and Michelle Crawford's Archidust won the My Frenchman Stakes July 14 at Monmouth Park in a race that was both the first stakes try and first turf start for the son of Verrazano . Following that effort, Archidust turned heads when he drew off in the stretch of the Mahony Stakes Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course, winning that 5 1/2-furlong test by three lengths.

Archidust has worked three times for trainer Jorge Navarro since that most recent effort. Javier Castellano, who was aboard Archidust for the second time in the Mahony, is scheduled to ride Thursday. Archidust would be the first Kentucky Downs starter for multiple grade 1/group 1-winning trainer Navarro.

While Archidust will break from the inside in search of a milestone win, next to him will be Casa Creed, who will shorten up a bit off his victory in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) Aug. 2 on the inner turf at Saratoga. That effort marked the first graded stakes win for the Bill Mott trainee, who also finished second in this year's Penn Mile Stakes (G2T) at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Thursday's field also will feature the Penn Mile winner in John Oxley's Moon Colony, who has struggled a bit since that clear victory. The son of Uncle Mo  will try to turn things around after off-the-board finishes in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) and the Hall of Fame stakes for trainer Mark Casse.

The race also will mark a return to turf for Nitrous, who earned a grade 1 placing this season in the Woody Stephens Stakes sprinting on the dirt at Belmont Park. The son of Tapit  has tried turf just once, an off-the-board finish in last year's Indian Summer Stakes sprinting at Keeneland.

In the Ramsey Farm, Gentle Ruler and Gaining will bring their budding rivalry back to Kentucky. Morsches Stable's Gentle Ruler posted a clear victory in the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) July 6 at Delaware Park where Juddmonte Farms' homebred Gaining finished third. That race followed the Keertana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs where Gentle Ruler edged runner-up Gaining by three-quarters of a length.

The Robert G. Dick marked the fourth straight win this season for Gentle Ruler, who after that race finished fourth in the Waya Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Colonel John filly is trained by Ian Wilkes. Gaining is a group 3 winner in France and while the daughter of American Post has yet to win in North America, she has placed in each of her starts—all stakes.

Entries: Nevada State Bank Franklin-Simpson S. (G3T)

Kentucky Downs, Thursday, September 12, 2019, Race 9

• Grade IIIT
• 6 1/2f
• Turf
• $500,000
• 3 yo
• 4:25 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Archidust (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Jorge Navarro	2/1
2	2Casa Creed (KY)	Junior Alvarado	124	William I. Mott	9/2
3	3Pole Setter (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	12/1
4	4The Last Zip (KY)	Adam Beschizza	118	Michael Stidham	8/1
5	5Legends of War (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	120	Doug F. O'Neill	12/1
6	6Lexitonian (KY)	Tyler Baze	118	Jack Sisterson	20/1
7	7Life Mission (KY)	James Graham	118	Ben Colebrook	50/1
8	8Dunph (KY)	Miguel Mena	118	Michael J. Maker	30/1
9	9The Black Album (FR)	Flavien Prat	124	Rodolphe Brisset	15/1
10	10Stubbins (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Doug F. O'Neill	10/1
11	11Nitrous (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1
12	12Moon Colony (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	124	Mark E. Casse	12/1
13	13Neverland Rock (GB)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	20/1
14	14Abyssinian (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	115	Wesley A. Ward	8/1
15	15Carotari (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Brian A. Lynch	12/1
16	16Uncapped (KY)	James Graham	118	Brendan P. Walsh	20/1

Entries: Ramsey Farm S.

Kentucky Downs, Thursday, September 12, 2019, Race 8

• STK
• One And Five Sixteenthm
• Turf
• $500,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:53 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Gaining (GB)	Florent Geroux	121	Brad H. Cox	3/1
2	2Vevina (KY)	James Graham	121	Philip D'Amato	12/1
3	3Lantiz (KY)	Adam Beschizza	123	Rodolphe Brisset	20/1
4	4Na Pali Spirit (KY)	Joe Bravo	121	Ignacio Correas, IV	8/1
5	5Lemoona (KY)	Joel Rosario	125	Richard Baltas	8/1
6	6Gentle Ruler (KY)	Chris Landeros	125	Ian R. Wilkes	5/2
7	7Coco Channel (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Charles Lopresti	20/1
8	8Over Thinking (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Victoria H. Oliver	12/1
9	9Maroubra (FR)	Miguel Mena	121	Cherie DeVaux	15/1
10	10Sea Dream (BRZ)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Paulo H. Lobo	30/1
11	11Coachwhip (KY)	Tyler Baze	121	Jack Sisterson	15/1
12	12Layla Noor (KY)	Flavien Prat	121	Arnaud Delacour	10/1