Speedy Finite Heads Golden Rod Stakes

If Finite can pass a two-turn test to win the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs, her connections might want to start calling her infinite instead, reflecting the unlimited things she can seemingly do.

Already, the 2-year-old Munnings  filly has twice placed in dirt sprints at Saratoga Race Course, won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race on turf at Kentucky Downs, and cruised by six lengths in the 1-mile Rags to Riches Stakes out of the backstretch chute at Churchill. She prevailed on the lead at Kentucky Downs and from a pressing position in the Rags to Riches.

Drawn inside in the eight-filly, $300,000 Golden Rod, she figures to be forwardly placed from the break under Ricardo Santana Jr. She faces opposition headed by His Glory, the runner-up in the Sept. 14 Pocahontas Stakes (G2) at Churchill and a follow-up allowance winner; and Turtle Trax, who has won two straight at 6 1/2 furlongs.

The surface is the wild card Saturday, given the potential for an off track. Steady rain is forecast Saturday in Kentucky, and only His Glory has experience on a wet track, and an unfavorable result at that, finishing seventh in the July 11 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) on a muddy strip at Saratoga.

Finite has competed only on dry tracks when racing on dirt. She sizzled a mile in a stakes-record 1:35.53 in the Rags to Riches, a marginally faster time than 2-year-old colt South Bend did in winning the Street Sense Stakes in 1:35.56, also Oct. 27 at Churchill. The latter runs in the co-featured Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Saturday.

Video: Rags to Riches S. (BT)

Finite is bred for the added distance, being out of the Tapit  mare Remit, whose maiden win came in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs in 2009. Remit is a full sister to graded winner and sire Tapiture , who at 2 won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

Bred by co-owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, Finite is a half sister to Reride (by Candy Ride ), winner of the 1 1/16-mile Mine That Bird Derby and seven-furlong Big Drama Stakes in early 2018.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen trains her for owners Thomas Reiman, William Dickson, Deborah Easter, and Winchell Thoroughbreds. She has earned $187,929 in winning two of four starts.

The Golden Rod is a qualifying race to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), providing points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers.

Positioned to pick up points is Brereton Jones' homebred Turtle Trax, a 2-for-3 filly who jumps into stakes after a 2 3/4-length victory in an entry-level allowance Nov. 8. That victory followed an Oct. 12 score at Keeneland in her second start. Both victories came sprinting.

"I wanted to run her 1 mile instead of the 6 1/2 furlongs last out, but she was doing so good, I had to run her," trainer Ian Wilkes said. "I don't see any trouble with her stretching out in distance. I think she can be very talented."

Turtle Trax is by Cairo Prince  out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Great Family. Great Family's 2016 foal, Backtohisroots (by Mark Valeski ), won the six-furlong Atlantic Beach Stakes last year at 2. 

Maiden winners She Can't Sing and Ivyetsu, allowance runner-up Motu, and stakes-placed fillies Bean and Lady Glamour comprise the remainder of the field.

Post time for the Golden Rod Stakes, the ninth race on a 12-race card strictly for 2-year-olds, is 4:57 p.m. ET.

Entries: Golden Rod S. (G2)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, November 30, 2019, Race 9

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 4:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Finite (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	119	Steven M. Asmussen	7/5
2	2Turtle Trax (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	119	Ian R. Wilkes	6/1
3	3She Can't Sing (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	119	Chris M. Block	8/1
4	4Bean (FL)	Florent Geroux	119	Larry Rivelli	12/1
5	5Lady Glamour (KY)	Julie Burke	119	Larry W. Demeritte	12/1
6	6His Glory (FL)	James Graham	119	Thomas M. Amoss	7/2
7	7Ivyetsu (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	119	George R. Arnold, II	12/1
8	8Motu (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	119	Kenneth G. McPeek	5/1