Cezanne Painted in Favorite's Role for Pat Day Mile

Post-impressionist artist Paul Cezanne's "The Card Players" sold for a record $250 million in 2012. In 2019 Coolmore's M.V. Magnier paid a lot less at last year's Fasig-Tipton The Gulfstream Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, but still $3,650,000, for a son of Curlin —Achieving, by Bernardini  named for the artist.

The bay colt, a winner of two of three starts, drew the rail for the Sept. 5 Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG and E and KU (G3) at Churchill Downs and has been painted as the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

The race, valued at $500,000, is a one-turn affair for 3-year-olds, which will test nine runners of their speed and stamina. Bob Baffert trains Cezanne, who in his last start finished fourth behind Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) entrants Thousand Words and Honor A. P. in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.

Rider Florent Geroux will probably have to "send" from the rail. He'll face plenty of heat early, most likely from Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole, a fast Louisiana-bred son of Violence  trained by Tom Amoss. A wire-to-wire winner of Belmont's seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Claiborne Farm (G1) on the Belmont Stakes day undercard, he set the pace but stopped in the lane at Saratoga in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1).

"He had an unusual issue coming to the paddock and we haven't been able to pinpoint what happened," Amoss said of the race at the Spa. "Walking up to the paddock he got very hot and nervous. That is not his personality to do that. Ironically, I was 'miked up' for the 'Saratoga Live' show and I pointed it out—I said, 'This is not him.' He didn't run well, but he's come back and he looks great and we'll see what happens."

Those packing a late kick include L and N Racing's Echo Town who is trained by Steve Asmussen. The bay colt by Speightstown  was a speedball early in his career but showed a new dimension while coming off the pace the Jerkens, a race he won by 3 1/2 lengths under Richardo Santana Jr. He's the 7-2 second choice on the morning line.

Also counting on a late run is Jim and Donna Raniell's Rushie, who was considered for the Derby but lands here. Trainer Michael McCarthy's Liam's Map colt has tested the top of the crop, running third in the nine-furlong Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) and third in the July 11 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2).

The Pat Day is named for the Hall of Fame jockey and Churchill Downs' all-time leading rider. Formerly the Derby Trial Stakes and run a week prior to the Run for the Roses, the race was won by Day four times, his last coming in 2000 aboard Performing Magic.