Obliteration Tries Turf in KY Downs Juvenile Sprint

Impressive Sanford Stakes (G3) winner Obliteration , most recently runner-up to the undefeated Ewing  in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Aug. 2, tries turf for the first time in his fledgling career in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs Aug. 31.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Leland Ackerley Racing, Obliteration has all the potential to handle the change in surface. While his sire, Violence  , is known more for siring dirt runners (ranking 73rd through Aug. 29 by progeny turf earnings), his grandsire Medaglia d'Oro   has been a prolific dual-surface sire for the last decade. This year, he counts graded turf winners such as Nitrogen  and Spirit of St. Louis among his progeny. Additionally, Obliteration's dam, the Master Command  mare I'mclassyandsassy , produced the stakes-winning turf sprinter Sassy Beast  (The Big Beast  ). 

Along with the Saratoga Race Course shipper Obliteration, winner of the Sanford by 10 1/2 lengths, a handful of potent New York shippers compete for the lucrative prize. Among them in the 6 1/2-furlong contest is dominant Spa debut scorer Johnny's Red Storm  and the stakes-placed European colt Azizam , both from the George Weaver barn. 

Later in the card, an evenly matched group of 2-year-old fillies square off in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes at a mile over the all-turf oval.

Stakes-placed Meringue , cross-entered in the Aug. 30 Spinaway Stakes (G1), is entered, as well as the Joe Sharp-trained Spa debut winner Oscar's Encore  and the Siyouni  filly Loveliest , a first-out victress at Ellis Park July 5 for trainer Eddie Kenneally.