Destino d'Oro Eyes First Stakes Win in Pucker Up

The second day of Ellis Park's Kentucky Downs Preview races continues Aug. 3 with the $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3T) as the headlining event. Steve Landers Racing's Destino d'Oro , an auspicious daughter of Bolt d'Oro   from the Brad Cox barn, tops a field of 10 3-year-old fillies going postward for the 1 1/8-mile turf contest. 

Destino d'Oro, a narrow third in last year's Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland in only her second start, opened her sophomore season with a late-closing score in a Churchill Downs allowance race June 19. Luan Machado will retain the mount Sunday.

A win in the Pucker Up could propel Destino d'Oro back to Kentucky Downs, the sight of her debut victory last year. The winner of Sunday's Pucker Up Stakes will receive a free berth, including entry and starting fees, into the $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.

Two contenders exiting career-best numbers coming into Sunday are Flying Dutchmen's Hereforagoodtime  and G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Princess Attitude . The former, a $400,000 daughter of Justify  , recorded a 103 Equibase Speed Figure in her first stakes try after winning two in a row for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Princess Attitude, trained by Vicky Oliver, has placed twice in stakes company since breaking her maiden at Keeneland. The Frankel   filly netted a 101 ESF when finishing runner-up to Lush Lips  in the June 28 Tepin Stakes.

Another multiple stakes-placed filly looking to add a black-type win to her résumé is Claiborne Farm's homebred Admit . After failing to hit the board when running on dirt in Keeneland's Ashland Stakes (G1) following two placings in stakes on the all-weather at Turfway Park, the Blame   filly earned a determined victory in her turf debut in a Churchill allowance optional claimer June 14.

Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup

Last year's KY Downs Preview Turf Cup Stakes winner Highway Robber  returns to defend his title as the 9-5 morning-line favorite Sunday. The 5-year-old Hard Spun   gelding segued last year's win to a gallant runner-up finish in the $1,995,000 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2T). 

Owned by Jim and Susan Hill, Highway Robber is one of three entrants for trainer Brian Lynch, who will also saddle last-out William L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) victor Dashman  and grade 3 winner Anglophile  in the $300,000 1 1/4-mile event for 3-year-olds and up.

Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint

2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) hero Nobals  heads a competitive field of 12 older horses for the $250,000 KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint Stakes. The 5 1/2-furlong turf affair will pit Nobals against stakes-winning speedsters Coppola  and Joe Shiesty . 

The Dale Romans-trained Coppola, one of four front-running types in the race, will assure a fast and furious early pace Sunday. In his most recent victory, the son of Into Mischief   established a new course record for five furlongs on the turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis, stopping the clock in :54.39 in the William Garrett Handicap.

Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile

Colebrook Farms' Simply in Front , an impressive come-from-behind winner of last year's Music City Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs, will look to get back to the Franklin, Ky., oval in the $250,000 KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile Stakes.

The Eddie Kenneally-trained filly added another graded stakes win to her record this past spring in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard. 

Stakes winner Austere  and Pharoah's Wine , an impressive recent winner of a Churchill Downs third-level allowance contest June 18, are among Simply in Front's biggest challengers.