Center Aisle, Coach Spar in One-Mile Chilukki

Last year's Chilukki Stakes (G3) was highlighted by the winning late-running performance of Juddmonte's Obligatory , who soared to greater heights this year in scoring in grade 1 company beneath the Twin Spires.

This year's Chilukki, contested Nov. 19 for the 37th time, would not appear to have the same star power, having drawn just one graded winner among the seven entries. But it appears competitive, which bettors should appreciate, with nearly all in the $300,000 race appearing to have a chance at victory.

The sole graded winner is OXO Equine's Center Aisle , who is 5 for 11, a record topped by a victory in the six-furlong Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in December 2021.

This year the Into Mischief   5-year-old mare has made three starts for trainer Paulo Lobo, running ninth in the Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, seventh in the Derby City Distaff Stakes Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) at Churchill Downs, and first in an allowance optional claiming race by a head Oct. 9 at Keeneland.

Jockey Gerardo Corrales will be in the saddle aboard the probable pacesetter, who has made all of her starts in races going seven furlongs or shorter. 

Likely to be among the favorites is Kueber Racing's two-time stakes-winning filly Coach , who enters the Chilukki relatively fresh, making her second start after a layoff for trainer Brad Cox.

Away since the winter at Oaklawn Park, where she won the Pippin Stakes and ran fourth in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3), she returned Oct. 1 in the Twixt Stakes at Laurel Park. Though she was beaten as the favorite, she battled to finish second to Battle Bling  after appearing she might settle for third as the field turned into the lane.

She should benefit from that fitness-gaining start and perhaps from a return to Churchill Downs, where she won the Rags to Riches Overnight Stakes in 2020. She later ran third in the 2020 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) and ninth in the 2021 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) in two other local starts.

The Commissioner  4-year-old filly owned by Louisville entrepreneur Rick Kueber has also placed in two other stakes, running second in the Martha Washington Stakes and third in Fantasy Stakes (G3) as a 3-year-old filly last year.

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the riding assignment on the rail-drawn Coach. He twice rode her to victory last winter at Oaklawn.

Also coming off an allowance optional claiming effort at Keeneland is Rigney Racing's Mistletoe Stakes winner Mariah's Princess . Returning from nearly an 11-month layoff late in the Keeneland meet Oct. 29 for trainer Phil Bauer, she launched a wide bid to take command in midstretch of a 1 1/16-mile race, only to be caught by the late-rallying Le Da Vida .

Owing to the one-turn mile nature of the Chilukki, which begins at the end of Churchill Downs' long backstretch chute, the participants in Saturday's race are a blend of sprinters and routers.

Cold temperatures in the mid-30s and sunny skies are in the Saturday afternoon forecast for Louisville, Ky. Post time for the Chilukki, race 10 on an 11-race program, is 5:35 p.m. ET.

Entries: Chilukki S. (G3)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, November 19, 2022, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Coach (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Brad H. Cox	9/5
2	2Mariah's Princess (KY)	Martin Garcia	121	Philip A. Bauer	3/1
3	3Center Aisle (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	121	Paulo H. Lobo	6/1
4	4Ice Orchid (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	John Alexander Ortiz	10/1
5	5Empire House (KY)	Joseph Talamo	121	Jonathan Wong	15/1
6	6She Can't Sing (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Chris M. Block	5/2
7	7Liberty M D (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Ian R. Wilkes	8/1