Nun the Less Has Class Edge in Jefferson Cup

Nun the Less, an impressive winner last time out in Canterbury Downs' Mystic Lake Derby, has a class edge on the field for the Sept. 26 Jefferson Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs. Eleven 3-year-olds have been entered for the $100,000 one-mile turf test.



Nun the Less, a $140,000 Keeneland September sale purchase in 2013 by Lothenbach Stables from Claiborne Farm, agent, closed from 10 lengths off the pace Aug. 29 in Minnesota to get the win in the $200,000 Mystic Lake. Prior the son of Candy Ride   was third in Arlington International's American Derby (gr. IIIT) and this spring ran well against Divisidero and A Lot in the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) under the Twin Spires on Kentucky Derby Day.



Nun the Less is the third foal out of the Forest Wildcat mare Nunnery, who is out of Convent, a full sister to the late Pulpit.



Florent Geroux will be aboard Nun the Less for trainer Chris Block.



Third in the Mystic Lake as the 7-5 favorite was Matthew Schera's Syntax, winner of Delaware Park's Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) earlier this summer. Trainer Bill Mott will send out the Irish-bred son of Haatef—African Moonlight, by Halling, who has a steady 3-3-1 record from 10 starts on turf. Shaun Bridgmohan will be aboard for the first time.



George Strawbridge Jr.'s Augustin Stable's Cat Humor is winless on turf but does have a pair of wins over Presque Isle's Tapeta Footings. Out of Dynamic Cat, by Dynaformer, the bay gelding is a half brother to three stakes winners.



Raymond Hill's High Noon Rider, a $400,000 Keeneland September graduate, was a close-up sixth this summer in the $500,000 Penn Mile (gr. IIIT) and won Saratoga's $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes at the end of August.



Both Cat Humor and High Noon Rider are by top sire Distorted Humor  .



Trainer Tevis McCauley will serve double duty in the Jefferson Cup with a pair of family homebreds in Sylven Park (by Wildcat Heir) and Wild and Unbridled (by Unbridled's Song). Both come to Churchill Downs off wins, the former against allowance optional claiming foes going five furlongs at Gulfstream Park and the later against allowance rivals going seven furlongs at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.