Therapist, Red Knight Top Saturday's Loaded KY Turf Cup

The Kentucky Turf Cup (G2T) has suddenly become one of autumn's hottest targets ahead of the Breeders' Cup, with a lofty $1.7 million purse and an all-expenses-paid ticket to the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). The 1 1/2 mile test drew an overflow field of 16 with no less than four grade or group 1 winners Sept. 9.

Of the 16 contenders, which includes also-eligible entrants Cellist , Sy Dog , Highest Honors , and Red Run , 13 of the horses are graded stakes winners at the grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 level. In such a stacked field, it may come down to whoever gets the best trip when it comes time for the uphill charge to the wire over the rugged Kentucky Downs course.

Veterans Therapist  and Red Knight , two copper-coated older geldings, enter Saturday's Turf Cup off arguably their best campaigns yet.

Both trained by last year's Kentucky Downs' leading trainer Mike Maker, the duo has bankrolled over $2 million between them, and each sport has a recent grade 1 triumph on their resume. Eight-year-old Therapist, a hardy New York-bred owed by Michael Dubb, exits a late-running victory in the July 22 United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park.

Claimed by Dubb and Maker this past winter at Gulfsteam Park, the son of Freud has shined over the 1 1/2-mile distance, snaring two graded stakes wins so far over the testing trip.

Therapist, ridden back by Javier Castellano, leaves from the 11 post in the Turf Cup in a quest toward his first-ever Breeders' Cup start. The Turf Cup is part of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In."

Trinity Farm's homebred Red Knight was a determined winner of the Turf Cup last year when edging Gufo  by a short nose. The venerable 9-year-old was then unplaced in his next out efforts, including a foray in the Breeders' Cup Turf, before returning to the winner's circle in the William L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream. Red Knight registered his first grade 1 win in the 1 3/8 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park in May. Like Therapist, he does his best running from off the pace, which at times can compromise his late rally. He was third to his stablemate last out in the United Nations.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call from the 2 hole.

Maker is looking to win this race for what would be his sixth time in nine years, following Da Big Hoss  (2015, 2016), Oscar Nominated  (2017), Zulu Alpha  (2019), and Red Knight. 

A horse competing in the Turf Cup on the opposite end of the pace is the frontrunning Get Smokin . The Mark Casse trainee, 15-1 on the morning line, will attempt to take the field all the way on Sunday under Fernando de La Cruz.

The two-time graded stakes winner, beaten less than a length in each of his last three starts, will attempt to stretch his speed to 1 1/2 miles for the first time.

"(Get Smokin) is extremely good right now," Casse said. "He is one of those horses that likes to be on the lead and the farther you go, the easier it is to be on the lead. This is a bit of an experiment and we'll see how it goes."

Among the other intriguing contenders to watch include Godolphin's Santin , who appears to be rounding back to the form that saw him win the 2022 Turf Classic (G1T) and Arlington Million (G1T) after his bold runner-up effort in this year's Million last month, and Verstappen , a consistent War Front   gelding who defeated Red Knight earlier this spring in Keeneland's Elkhorn Stakes (G2T).