Carl Spackler, Bango Among 'Thurby' Stakes Headliners

Before the graded stakes taking place during the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) race cards, three high-value stakes headline weekday stakes action at Churchill Downs May 2.

Racing on "Thurby"—so called as the Thursday before the Derby—is top notch. There are 12 races, including the $250,000 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds racing five furlongs, the restricted $200,000 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes for older horses at six furlongs, and the $350,000 Opening Verse Stakes at a mile on turf.

• The latter race, the 11th on the card, drew numerous skilled grass horses, led by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Carl Spackler , a two-time graded stakes winner in 2023 for trainer Chad Brown. He makes his 4-year-old debut in the race, facing opposition led by the grade 1-placed Ah Jeez  and multiple stakes winners Smokin' T  and Talk of the Nation .
• A race before, Tamaroak Partners' Bango , an 11-time winner at Churchill Downs from 21 starts for trainer Greg Foley, will face six rivals as he bids to become the winningest horse in track history. He is currently tied with Ready's Rocket  with 11 wins. Bango won the St. Matthews by five lengths last year.
• Preceding both of these races is the Kentucky Juvenile in which Ice Wine Stable and Smart Choice Stable's Shoot It True , a daughter of Munnings  , could give trainer Wesley Ward a third victory in the race.