Spanish Loveaffair Aims for Graded Score in Regret

A pair of nine-furlong turf races for 3-year-olds highlight the undercard of the $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) May 29 at Churchill Downs. The $150,000 Regret Stakes (G3T) drew nine fillies, while the $150,000 Audubon Stakes attracted eight colts and geldings.

Michael Hernon, Gary Barber, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Spanish Loveaffair  is the lone stakes winner entered in the Regret. The Karakontie   filly trained by Mark Casse won the Sharp Susan Stakes at Gulfstream Park at 2 and opened her sophomore campaign at the South Florida oval in the Feb. 27 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T). She crossed the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front, but was placed fourth by the stewards for interference.

Spanish Loveaffair was last of six last out in the April 3 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland. She lacked a rally after being steadied hard shortly after the start when bumped by an outside foe.

“She took a little longer to come out of the Appalachian but we got her back to Churchill and she’s picked things up nicely the last few weeks," said Casse assistant Davis Carroll. “She’s really flourished the last couple of weeks and I think will be ready for a top effort in this spot.”

The respective Appalachian fourth- and fifth-place finishers, Saranya  and Flown , are also in the Regret. The latter was second beaten a neck in a May 8 allowance at Churchill.

Barista  and Line Dancing , the respective second- and third-place finishers of the April 30 Edgewood Stakes Presented by Newport Racing & Gaming (G2T), will square off again in the Regret. Edgewood sixth-place finisher, Postnup , also returns.

Gainesway Stable's Oyster Box  will try to break through at the stakes level. The Tapit   filly won her first two starts then was third in the Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs and fourth in the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. She is trained by Graham Motion.

Completing the field are Gam's Mission , who bested Flown in the May 8 allowance, and that race's third-place finisher Munnyfor Ro .

Like the King Tops Audubon Field

Five horses entered in the Audubon last ran on the May 1 card at Churchill Downs—four in the American Turf Stakes Presented by Derby City Gaming (G2T) and one, Like the King , in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

M Racing Group's Like the King finished 12th in the Derby, his third start on dirt following his career debut last July and an off-the-turf allowance in October. The Palace Malice   colt broke his maiden on the turf in September at Belterra Park and raced three times on the Tapeta at Turfway Park over the winter and into early spring. Trained by Wesley Ward, Like the King rallied and overcame trouble in the turn to win the March 27 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at the Northern Kentucky track in his final start before the Derby.

Returning from the American Turf are Hidden Enemy  (fourth), Palazzi  (fifth), Royal Prince  (sixth), and Holy Vow  (10th).

Godolphin's Cave Hill , a son of Frosted  , is stakes-placed on the turf, having finished third in the Jan. 2 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Brendan Walsh trainee also had success on the Tapeta at Turfway, winning the March 27 Rushaway Stakes by two lengths. 

Maiden winners Haddassah  and Cellist  complete the field.

Entries: Regret S. (G3T)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 29, 2021, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Oyster Box (KY)	Chris Landeros	118	H. Graham Motion	6/1
2	2Munnyfor Ro (ON)	Drayden Van Dyke	118	Brian A. Lynch	12/1
3	3Line Dancing (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Michael R. Matz	12/1
4	4Spanish Loveaffair (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Mark E. Casse	5/2
5	5Barista (KY)	James Graham	118	James E. Baker	5/1
6	6Postnup (MD)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Cherie DeVaux	12/1
7	7Gam's Mission (KY)	Adam Beschizza	118	Cherie DeVaux	5/1
8	8Flown (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Brendan P. Walsh	9/2
9	9Saranya (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	5/1

Entries: Audubon S.

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 29, 2021, Race 5

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo
• 2:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Palazzi (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Mark E. Casse	7/2
2	2Like the King (KY)	Chris Landeros	118	Wesley A. Ward	7/2
3	3Cave Hill (KY)	Declan Cannon	118	Brendan P. Walsh	10/1
4	4Hidden Enemy (IRE)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	4/1
5	5Haddassah (ON)	Mitchell Murrill	118	Kevin Attard	15/1
6	6Cellist (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	George R. Arnold, II	8/1
7	7Holy Vow (KY)	David Cabrera	118	John Alexander Ortiz	10/1
8	8Royal Prince (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	3/1