Saham Returns for Commonwealth Turf Bid

The 2-3 finishers from the Oct. 17 Hawthorne Derby (gr. IIIT), plus a contender who had a bad-luck run in that race, meet again Nov. 27 in the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.

Saham, winner of the Jefferson Cup (gr. IIIT) over this course Sept. 26, was the runner-up in the Hawthorne Derby to Canadian invader Lucky Lindy, settling for second by 2 1/4 lengths after closing with a four-wide move. Joe Rocco Jr. returns to ride the 3-year-old Lemon Drop Kid   colt for trainer Brendan Walsh from post 12 in a field of 13 sophomores.

ANGST: Saham Breaks Through in Jefferson Cup

Saham is the co-highweight in the 1 1/16-mile Commonwealth Turf with One Go All Go, the Commonwealth Derby (gr. IIT) winner who last time out was fourth in the Bryan Station Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 30. Both carry 123 pounds.

Nun the Less was third in the Hawthorne Derby, running better than his lackluster seventh in the Jefferson Cup for trainer Chris Block. By Candy Ride, he won the Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park but is still seeking his first graded stakes win.

Nucifera is the Hawthorne Derby hard-luck horse who in his second U.S. start for trainer Graham Motion clipped heels and did not finish. Prior to the Hawthorne Derby, the More Than Ready   colt was third under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the Better Talk Now Stakes Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course. Velazquez gets the call back here from the rail.

Indiana-bred Bucchero, winner of the To Much Coffee Stakes last time out Oct. 31 at Indiana Grand Race Course, completes the field along with allowance winners Quality Bird, Magic of Believing, Granny's Kitten, Obsidian Splendor, and Bullards Kitten, maiden winners Czar and Wayward Kitten and former claimer Almasty.