Extravagant Kid Poised for Graded Win in Turf Sprint

DARRS' Extravagant Kid is likely to earn the mantle of favorite in the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes Presented by Sysco (G2T) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs, having never finished off the board at the Louisville track and with the defection of morning-line favorite Bound for Nowhere. 

Extravagant Kid, a 7-year-old gelded son of Kiss the Kid out of the winning With Distinction daughter Pretty Extravagant, is a true turf sprint specialist with a 7-6-3 record out of 21 starts on the grass at five or 5 1/2 furlongs. The Turf Sprint is contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.

The gelding also has done well at Churchill, where he's won twice and finished second once in his three starts there. His most recent start at the Louisville oval was May 29 when he won an allowance race by 1 1/4 lengths over Leinster, who went on to win the Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland. Extravagant Kid also was in the Shakertown and finished fifth.

"I don't know what happened to him last time out," said trainer Brendan Walsh, noting that Extravagant Kid had drawn the rail in the Shakertown alongside favorite Wildman Jack, who was expected to show early speed. "They both came out slow and hung together and Extravagant Kid got way back, but he made up a ton of ground. He really ran a sneaky good race."

Extravagant Kid was 12th in the Shakertown at the top of the stretch, was swung wide, and closed brilliantly to finish only 1 1/4 lengths behind Leinster.

Walsh was encouraged to learn owner/trainer Wesley Ward intended to scratch 3-1 morning-line favorite Bound for Nowhere to instead run the 6-year-old son of The Factor  in the Sept. 12 Runhappy Turf Sprint (G3T) at Kentucky Downs. Ward said the $700,000 purse offered in the Kentucky Downs race was a key factor in his decision.

"I thought he was the horse we had to beat, so it's making my day," Walsh said about Bound for Nowhere's intended scratch. "Our horse's record at Churchill was a big factor for us to run here rather than go to Kentucky Downs. He's won multiple stakes for us, but I'd like to win a graded stakes for his owner. I'd love to get this done for him."

The ownership group DARRS, of which David Ross is the principal, acquired Extravagant Kid in January 2018 when Walsh claimed him for $75,000 at Gulfstream Park. Since then, the gelding has been a model of consistency, having compiled a 7-7-1 record out of 20 starts and earned more than $530,000. DARRS has won six black-type stakes with Extravagant Kid and finished second in three graded stakes, including the Highlander Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.

Extravagant Kid will break from post 5 under Tyler Gaffalione, who won with him in last year's Mighty Beau Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs and in the Janus Stakes and Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes during the winter at Gulfstream.

Other key contenders in the Turf Sprint include multiple grade 3 winner Diamond Oops and multiple stakes winners Carotari and Tiger Blood.

Diamond Oops, a 5-year-old gelded son of Lookin At Lucky , won the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream in December. Since then he ran fourth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) and most recently was second in a one-mile handicap at Gulfstream. Diamond Oops is trained by Patrick Biancone, who has Sole Volante in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Florent Geroux has the mount on Diamond Oops, who is breaking from post 1.

Carotari and Tiger Blood come into the Turf Sprint off respective 1-2 finishes in the 5 1/2-furlong Runhappy Preview Turf Sprint Stakes at Ellis Park. A 4-year-old gelded son of Artie Schiller, Carotari has won twice and placed twice out of five starts this year. He was one length the best in the Preview Turf Sprint with Julien Leparoux, who returns for the Turf Sprint. Tiger Blood, a 7-year-old gelding by Cowtown Cat , has won nine times out of 12 starts in turf sprints of five to 5 1/2 furlongs. He'll be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Entries: Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. presented by Sysco (G2T)

Churchill Downs, Friday, September 04, 2020, Race 13

• Grade IIT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:20 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Diamond Oops (KY)	Florent Geroux	121	Patrick L. Biancone	8/1
2	2Wellabled (KY)	Manuel Franco	121	Larry Rivelli	10/1
3	3Real News (KY)	Joseph Talamo	121	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	10/1
4	4Bound for Nowhere (KY)	Julio A. Garcia	121	Wesley A. Ward	3/1
5	5Extravagant Kid (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Brendan P. Walsh	7/2
6	6Tell Your Daddy (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Neil L. Pessin	15/1
7	7Smart Remark (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	121	Victoria H. Oliver	30/1
8	8Just Might (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	121	Michelle Lovell	30/1
9	9Jazzy Times (KY)	Miguel Mena	121	Wesley E. Hawley	30/1
10	10Carotari (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Brian A. Lynch	8/1
11	11Fielder (PA)	Paco Lopez	121	Anthony T. Quartarolo	30/1
12	12Chaps (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Eddie Kenneally	20/1
13	13Tiger Blood (FL)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Michael J. Maker	6/1
14	14Chief Cicatriz (KY)	James Graham	121	Shawn H. Davis	15/1
15	15High Crime (KY)	Javier Castellano	121	Darrin Miller	15/1