Kentucky Downs Sprints: Fast Cash

Talk about fast cash: Kentucky Downs' Sept. 9 program includes the $400,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G3T) and $350,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes. Both are run at the specialty distance of 6 1/2 furlongs around one sweeping turn over the unique course near Franklin, Ky.

Handicappers in the know suggest inside speed is the way to go at this trip, and of course experience over the layout is key in any turf event.

The big names in the Turf Sprint include Wes Welker and Elizabeth Kumin's group 1 winner Undrafted, the 7-year-old gelding trained by Wesley Ward. A seven-time winner of 31 starts Undrafted advanced from mid-pack to finish a close-up fourth in this race last year while on the rail and has kept top company since.

Hogy was beaten a neck in the race a year ago and has held sharp form throughout 2017 including a score in the Colonel Power Stakes going about 5 1/2 furlongs at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in February. In his last outing, Aug. 3 at Saratoga Race Course, the graded stakes winner was claimed by Michael Hui and trainer Mike Maker from William Stiritz and trainer Larry Rivelli for $80,000. Florent Geroux has the mount.

The Sprint also features Mary Schnelly's World Thoroughbreds Racing's Tell All You Know, a speedburner who has post 4. With Katie Clawson up the 8-year-old was three lengths clear at Indiana Grand June 21 at five furlongs. Whitham Thoroughbreds' Bondurant holds a class edge, but has been running at a mile or longer in all six starts this season. He's faced top runners such as Heart to Heart, Chocolate Ride, Kasaqui, and Disco Partner in graded stakes in Kentucky and New York.

The Ladies features several runners with back class at Kentucky Downs.

Jackpot Ranch and Mike Rutherford's Mississippi Delta earned $205,680 winning last year's event as the 3-2 favorite. The 5-year-old Giant's Causeway  mare has drawn the rail here and has won twice in 2017 including a score in Belmont Park's Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) at seven panels.

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschnieder's Lull, a 3-year-old War Front  filly won last year's Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies under Brian Hernandez Jr. and returns to Kentucky off a second-place effort at Del Mar in the grade 2 San Clemente Handicap in late July. She'll break from post 5 and to her immediate outside is G. Watts Humphrey's Morticia, a Twirling Candy  filly who topped Lull by a nose in Belmont's seven-furlong Soaring Softly Stakes May 20.

Robert Lothenbach's Scatter Gun is two-for-two at Kentucky Downs, winning at this distance last year in an entry-level allowance.