Untamed Domain Returns to Grass in American Turf

After finishing off the board in a dirt try in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) March 10, Untamed Domain will return to the turf May 5 on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Before top 3-year-olds contest the first American classic of the season, Untamed Domain will be the 123-pound highweight in the American Turf Stakes presented by Ram Trucks (G2T), which features a full field of top sophomore turf runners going 1 1/16 miles.

While West Point Thoroughbreds' Untamed Domain finished sixth in his March 10 effort at Tampa Bay Downs, the son of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom  now returns to grass, the surface on which he won last year's Summer Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine.  Trainer Graham Motion, who sent out Animal Kingdom to a Derby win in his dirt debut, said May 2 that while Untamed Domain's breeding suggests turf, he wanted to see how the graded stakes winner would fare on dirt. With that question answered for now, Motion is looking forward to a return to turf.

MAYBERG: Untamed Domain Grinds Out Summer Stakes Victory

Since the Tampa Bay Derby, Untamed Domain has worked five times, including four works on the synthetic surface at Fair Hill Training Center. Those breezes were all the fastest or second-fastest of the day for the distance at Fair Hill—three at six furlongs and one at five. Motion said he's been especially pleased with the most recent works by Untamed Domain.

Untamed Domain finished second by a length to Mendelssohn in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. Mendelssohn will be among the favorites in this year's Kentucky Derby off his blowout win in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2).

Beyond Mendelssohn, the performances from a number of horses in the Juvenile Turf has flattered Untamed Domain. Fourth-place finisher Catholic Boy won the Remsen Stakes (G2), and fifth-place Beckford won the William Walker Stakes on the Churchill turf and is pointing for Royal Ascot. Other runners include Masar and James Garfield, who have group 3 wins this season; Kentucky Derby starters My Boy Jack, who has won two graded stakes since the race, and Flameaway, the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) runner-up; Snapper Sinclair, who has two graded stakes placings this year; and Hemp Hemp Hurray, a recent stakes winner at Turfway Park who is being pointed to Royal Ascot.

"It's really been incredible the way they've all come back and run so well," Motion said.

Also entered Saturday is Speed Franco, who won the Dania Beach Stakes (G3T) Feb. 3 on the Gulfstream Park turf—a race where Untamed Domain finished third. Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Speed Franco has finished second in his two most recent starts, the Palm Beach Stakes (G3T) and Cutler Bay stakes, both at Gulfstream.

Treadway Racing Stable's Maraud, who edged Speed Franco by a neck to win the Palm Beach, will try to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) April 6 on the Keeneland turf.

Entries: American Turf S. presented by Ram Trucks (G2T)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 05, 2018, Race 9

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/16m
• Turf
• $300,000
• 3 yo
• 3:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Speed Franco (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	120	Gustavo Delgado	6/1
2	2Inscom (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Simon Callaghan	15/1
3	3Threeandfourpence (KY)	Ryan L. Moore	118	Aidan P. O'Brien	4/1
4	4Pont Du Gard (LA)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Ignacio Correas, IV	50/1
5	5Channel Cat (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	15/1
6	6River Boyne (IRE)	Flavien Prat	118	Jeff Mullins	5/1
7	7Tigers Rule (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Vickie L. Foley	15/1
8	8Arawak (KY)	Gary L. Stevens	118	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
9	9Captivating Moon (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Chris M. Block	6/1
10	10Maraud (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	6/1
11	11Untamed Domain (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	H. Graham Motion	5/1
12	12Rushing Fall (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	Chad C. Brown	5/1
13	13Dragon Drew (KY)	James Graham	118	William B. Bradley	20/1
14	14Admiralty Pier (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Barbara J. Minshall	12/1
15	15Alternative Route (ON)	Adam Beschizza	118	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	30/1
16	16Tiz Mischief (KY)	Robby Albarado	118	Dale L. Romans	30/1