Regal Glory, Tapit Today Race for Brown in Ladies Turf

After chasing Newspaperofrecord, Beau Recall, and Uni this year, Paul Pompa Jr.'s Regal Glory receives class relief in the $500,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs.

A four-time stakes winner for trainer Chad Brown, Regal Glory seeks her first win at 4. She's lost twice in 2020 to stablemate Newspaperofrecord, running second to her in the Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park June 6 and fourth in the Just A Game Stakes (G1T) there three weeks later.

The 4-year-old by Animal Kingdom is one of two entries for Brown, who also has stakes-placed Tapit Today. The daughter of Tapit  most recently ran fourth in the WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park July 18.

Jose Ortiz will ride Regal Glory, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, and Javier Castellano will be aboard William Lawrence and Bradley Thoroughbreds' Tapit Today, a 5-1 shot.

Secret Message, who was scratched at the starting gate before the Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, reappears in the Ladies Turf. She won the Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) May 30 at Churchill Downs and the 2019 Nassau Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine for trainer Graham Motion.

Following her victory in the Mint Julep, Secret Message was a close sixth in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland and third in the Perfect Sting Stakes at Saratoga. She races for Madaket Stables, Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing,  Elayne Stables, and Steven Bouchey.

The wild card in the one-mile race is Houston Ladies Classic (G3) winner Lady Apple, who tries turf for the first time after 16 starts on dirt. The Steve Asmussen trainee ran third in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) last year for owners Phoenix Thoroughbreds and KatieRich Stables.

Mitchell Road, Princess Causeway, English Affair, and Frond complete the field.