Field Pass Heads Deep Field in War Chant Stakes

Had this been a normal year, Field Pass, the winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, likely would have reappeared in the $500,000 American Turf Stakes (G2T) on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

But in this COVID-19-altered season, that race wasn't an option, at least not on the first Saturday in May after Churchill Downs moved the Derby and much of the entire week of stakes races to the first week in September. So Field Pass moves on to an alternative race, the $100,000 War Chant Stakes at Churchill May 23, and he is not alone. Thirteen other 3-year-olds are in the body of the field, and one more waits on the also-eligible list.

The mile grass race attracted nine stakes winners, including grade 3 winners Island Commish and Smooth Like Strait, shippers from Florida and California, respectively.

"Limited opportunities will do that," Mike Maker, the trainer of Field Pass, said of the race's depth.

Field Pass is favored, though narrowly. At 4-1 on the morning line, he is followed closely by streaking Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots raider Hieronymus at 9-2 and Smooth Like Strait and Billy Batts, both at 5-1. The latter was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) last fall at Santa Anita Park.

Although Field Pass won on Polytrack in the Jeff Ruby, rallying from fourth to win by a neck, the Lemon Drop Kid  colt appears just as adept on turf. He won the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park on the grass in his first start at 3.

"I like the way he's improved this year," Maker said. "In the Dania Beach, I felt he needed a race. He came back to run a bang-up race in the (Jeff Ruby), and I expect another big effort on Saturday."

Maker and owner Three Diamonds Farm are carrying momentum into the race. Last weekend, the trainer won multiple races for the owner when Jakarta took the Powder Break Stakes at Gulfstream and Chimney Rock defeated a star-studded allowance field at Churchill Downs in a grass sprint.

Jose Ortiz, aboard Chimney Rock for Maker, will ride the gray colt, whose stalking style looks well suited to ample speed in the race. 

The presence of 3-year-olds from all over the country in the War Chant makes for challenging handicapping. Some horses have not faced one another, and others are changing surfaces after racing on either synthetic or dirt.

Besides Field Pass, one such horse is Billy Batts, who was outrun on dirt when seventh in the Feb. 29 Samba Saudi Derby at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia. Before that start, he hit the board in six consecutive turf races in the U.S. for trainer Peter Miller and owner Rockingham Ranch, including the Feb. 7 Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita.

He raced for new owner Sharif Mohammed Alhariri in the Saudi Derby and now joins the barn of trainer Steve Asmussen.

Ricardo Santana Jr. will be tasked with trying to secure a decent trip with the ridgling, who drew post 13 in the two-turn race.

A longshot but a gelding with potential is Bama Breeze, who rallied to win his lone start in September on the Churchill Downs turf course. The son of Honor Code  was purchased thereafter by owners Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing and turned over to trainer Rusty Arnold.

"I have very high hopes for this horse, albeit just going a longer distance than he is in on Saturday," Arnold said. "I think he's going to be nice. I'm asking a lot of him Saturday. He needs two things: a little more distance and a little more experience. I just decided to run him and get him going."

Corey Lanerie will be aboard.

The War Chant is the last of five stakes Saturday at Churchill Downs as the 11th and final race. Post time is 6:16 p.m. ET.

Entries: War Chant S.

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 23, 2020, Race 11

• STK
• 1m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo
• 6:16 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1South Bend (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Stanley M. Hough	12/1
2	2Bodecream (KY)	Deshawn L. Parker	118	Danny Pish	12/1
3	3Island Commish (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	12/1
4	4Vanzzy (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Michael V. Pino	20/1
5	5Field Pass (MD)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Michael J. Maker	4/1
6	6Hieronymus (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	118	Brad H. Cox	9/2
7	7Bama Breeze (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	George R. Arnold, II	30/1
8	8Liam's Pride (KY)	David Cohen	118	Doug F. O'Neill	30/1
9	9Smooth Like Strait (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Michael W. McCarthy	5/1
10	10Shared Sense (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	15/1
11	11Street Ready (KY)	Chris Landeros	118	Ian R. Wilkes	15/1
12	12Pixelate (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Michael Stidham	6/1
13	13Billy Batts (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	5/1
14	14Fenwick Station (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Eddie Kenneally	50/1
15	15Natural Power (IRE)	Adam Beschizza	118	Mark E. Casse	15/1