Derby Pace Casualty Cyberknife Returns in Matt Winn

Regrouping following a distant finish in the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Gold Square's grade 1-winning colt Cyberknife  headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in the $225,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) June 12 at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn will go as race eight with a post time of 4:22 p.m. ET while sharing the card with the Leslie's Lady Overnight Stakes, which goes as the second race.

The Matt Winn annually serves as the next stop for many horses than ran in the Kentucky Derby that do not pursue either or both of the final two legs of the Triple Crown. Cyberknife, trained by Brad Cox, finished 18th in the Derby under jockey Florent Geroux.

"In the Derby the pace was very fast and something he may never have to experience again," Geroux said. "I think the Matt Winn is a good spot for him to get some of his confidence back. He's been doing well out of the Derby and should have a better pace setup in this race than he had to deal with in the Derby."

Cyberknife, who won the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in his final prep toward the Kentucky Derby, has never won at Churchill Downs but has been based beneath the Twin Spires for most of his career. He drew rave reviews for his training leading into the Derby.

The son of Gun Runner   finished second twice at Churchill as a 2-year-old before he broke his maiden at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Following the Kentucky Derby, Cyberknife has recorded three published works prior to the Matt Winn. Geroux will once again be aboard for Sunday's race and break from post 6.

Stakes winners Howling Time  and Rattle N Roll , 1-2 in an allowance optional claimer May 21 at Churchill Downs, lead the competition.

Two-Time Stakes Winner Pretty Birdie Tops Leslie's Lady

Marylou Whitney Stables' multiple stakes-winning filly Pretty Birdie , the narrow runner-up finisher in last month's $500,000 Eight Belles Presented by TwinSpires (G2), leads a compact field of five that entered the $160,000 Leslie's Lady.

Trained by Norm Casse, Pretty Bridie won the $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes and last year's $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) as a 2-year-old. The speedy daughter of Bird Song  finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Matareya  in the Eight Belles after she grudgingly relinquished the lead at the top of the stretch. Geroux will have the ride in the seven-furlong race from post 5.

Chief among Pretty Birdie's rivals in the Leslie's Lady is Winchell Thoroughbreds' Eight Belles third-place finisher Wicked Halo . Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo won the Adirondack Stakes (G2) last year at Saratoga Race Course. The now 3-year-old daughter of Gun Runner was defeated by Pretty Birdie by about three lengths in the Purple Martin and two lengths in the Eight Belles. Leading rider Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 2.

Entries: Matt Winn S. (G3)

Churchill Downs, Sunday, June 12, 2022, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $225,000
• 3 yo
• 4:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Trafalgar (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	118	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	-
2	Tough to Tame (KY)	Jose E. Lopez	118	Christopher Davis	-
3	Camp David (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Rodolphe Brisset	-
4	Howling Time (KY)	Joseph Talamo	118	Dale L. Romans	-
5	Droppin G's (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	118	Jerry Antonuik	-
6	Cyberknife (KY)	Florent Geroux	123	Brad H. Cox	-
7	Rattle N Roll (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	123	Kenneth G. McPeek	-

Entries: Leslie's Lady Overnight S.

Churchill Downs, Sunday, June 12, 2022, Race 2

• STK
• 7f
• Dirt
• $160,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 1:14 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Baby Blue Eyes (KY)	Joseph Talamo	118	Philip A. Sims	-
2	Wicked Halo (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Steven M. Asmussen	-
3	Runnin Happy (KY)	Mitchell Murrill	118	Eric L. Heitzmann	-
4	Sweet as Pie (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
5	Pretty Birdie (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	Norm W. Casse	-