Lucrative Kentucky Turf Cup Awaits War Dancer
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Grade II winner War Dancer will try to secure the most lucrative victory of his career when the 4-year-old son of War Front faces an expected 10 rivals in the $600,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs.
The 1 1/2-mile race on the rolling hills of the Franklin, Ky. turf course will be the richest stakes offered in North America on Saturday and will be part of a card featuring four stakes worth a total of $1.2 million.
Diamond M Stable's War Dancer won last year's 1 1/4-mile Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) at Colonial Downs and this year has continued to fare well, while facing older horses and stretching out in distance. War Dancer followed a runner-up finish in this year's 1 1/2-mile Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (gr. IIT) on the turf at Keeneland with a victory in the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) at the same distance on the turf at Churchill Downs.
War Dancer just missed his first grade I placing in his previous start as he enters Saturday's race off a fourth-place finish in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 17 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Ken McPeek will send out War Dancer along with last year's Kentucky Turf Cup runner-up Olympic Thunder. Brazilian-bred Olympic Thunder (BRZ) has not won in six starts this year but a return to the unique Kentucky Downs turf course could help the son of Durban Thunder turn things around. Last year he finished second by a neck to Temeraine.
Trainer Chris Block, who won the Kentucky Turf Cup in 2012 with Ioya Bigtime, will saddle Suntracer, who will try to improve on last year's third-place finish in this race. Suntracer finished just a head behind War Dancer in this year's Louisville Handicap.
The Kentucky Turf Cup also has attracted the top two finishers from the John's Call Stakes Aug. 6 at Saratoga in Tricky Hat (CHI) and Holiday Star. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Tricky Hat edged Holiday Star by a nose in that recent 1 5/8-mile turf test.
The other three stakes on Saturday's Kentucky Downs card are the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint, $200,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf, and the $200,000 More Than Ready Mile Stakes. Entries for all four stakes races follow.
Kentucky Turf Cup S. (gr. IIIT)
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 13, 2014, Race 9
- 1 1/2m
- Turf
- $600,000
- 3 yo's & up
- 5:35 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fear the Kitten (IL) | Rafael Mojica, Jr. | 121 | Michael J. Maker |
| 2 | Pyrite Mountain (ON) | Julien R. Leparoux | 121 | Todd A. Pletcher |
| 3 | War Dancer (KY) | Alan Garcia | 123 | Kenneth G. McPeek |
| 4 | Holiday Star (PA) | Edgar S. Prado | 121 | H. Graham Motion |
| 5 | Suntracer (IL) | Florent Geroux | 121 | Chris M. Block |
| 6 | Cozy Kitten (KY) | Robby Albarado | 121 | Michael J. Maker |
| 7 | Tricky Hat (CHI) | Rosie Napravnik | 123 | Claude R. McGaughey III |
| 8 | Saffron Hall (ON) | Rafael Bejarano | 123 | Michael J. Maker |
| 9 | Olympic Thunder (BRZ) | Chris Landeros | 121 | Kenneth G. McPeek |
| 10 | O'Prado Ole (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 121 | Dale L. Romans |
| 11 | Layton Register (KY) | Brice Blanc | 121 | Philip J. Oliver |
More Than Ready Mile S.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 13, 2014, Race 7
- STK
- 1m
- Turf
- $200,000
- 3 yo's & up
- 4:35 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power Foot (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 121 | Neil D. Drysdale |
| 2 | Serendip (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 121 | Ron Moquett |
| 3 | Guys Reward (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 125 | Dale L. Romans |
| 4 | Regally Ready (KY) | Rosie Napravnik | 125 | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 5 | Doctor Peter (KY) | David Mello | 121 | Doug L. Anderson |
| 6 | Tattenham (KY) | Shaun Bridgmohan | 121 | H. Graham Motion |
| 7 | R. Great Adventure (KY) | Edgar Perez | 121 | Brian Williamson |
| 8 | Saturday Launch (KY) | Joseph Berrios | 121 | Edward Harrison Frederick |
| 9 | Stormy Going (KY) | Juan C. Saez | 121 | Luis A. Jurado |
Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint S.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 13, 2014, Race 8
- STK
- 6 1/2f
- Turf
- $200,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 5:05 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiama (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 121 | Brian A. Lynch |
| 2 | Samiam (KY) | Shaun Bridgmohan | 121 | William Van Meter |
| 3 | Sky Treasure (KY) | Alan Garcia | 121 | Mark E. Casse |
| 4 | Eden Prairie (KY) | Florent Geroux | 125 | Neil L. Pessin |
| 5 | Liz Pendens (KY) | Robby Albarado | 121 | Michael Stidham |
| 6 | Corporate Culture (KY) | Rosie Napravnik | 121 | Michael J. Maker |
| 7 | Mizzen Miss (KY) | Jesus Lopez Castanon | 118 | Bernard S. Flint |
| 8 | Richies Party Girl (KY) | Rafael Manuel Hernandez | 122 | Wesley A. Ward |
| 9 | Livi Makenzie (KY) | Didiel A. Osorio | 121 | Ron Moquett |
| 10 | Quay (KY) | Joseph Rocco, Jr. | 121 | Robert Ribaudo |
| 11 | Vuitton (KY) | Chris Landeros | 121 | Eddie Kenneally |
| 12 | Dream Softly (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 121 | Andrew McKeever |
| 13 | Kune Kune (GB) | Corey J. Lanerie | 121 | James Nicol |
| 14 | Soft Whisper (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 121 | David R. Vance |
| 15 | Drama Drama (KY) | Juan C. Saez | 121 | Victoria H. Oliver |
Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 13, 2014, Race 10
- STK
- 1m
- Turf
- $200,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 6:05 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allanah (KY) | Carlos H. Marquez, Jr. | 121 | Kellyn Gorder |
| 2 | Rosee Is Cozee (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 121 | Luis A. Jurado |
| 3 | Miz Ida (KY) | Shaun Bridgmohan | 121 | Steve Margolis |
| 4 | Sister Ginger (KY) | Rosie Napravnik | 121 | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 5 | Kiss Moon (KY) | Robby Albarado | 122 | David R. Vance |
| 6 | Sumting Wong (IA) | David Mello | 121 | Doug L. Anderson |
| 7 | Kepi (IL) | Joseph Rocco, Jr. | 121 | Brian Williamson |
| 8 | I'm Already Sexy (KY) | Florent Geroux | 125 | Wayne M. Catalano |
| 9 | Strike Charmer (KY) | Chris Landeros | 121 | David M. Carroll |
| 10 | Honey Hues (KY) | Jesus Lopez Castanon | 125 | Bernard S. Flint |
| 11 | Iwantthat (KY) | Calvin H. Borel | 121 | Lon Wiggins |
| 12 | La Malaguena (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 125 | Brian Michael |
| 13 | Seeking Treasure (KY) | Sheldon Russell | 121 | Doug Matthews |
| 14 | Maria Maria (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 118 | James P. DiVito |
| 15 | Stoptalkingmaria (KY) | Fernando De La Cruz | 121 | Murat Sancal |
| 16 | Annabird (KY) | Juan C. Saez | 121 | Luis A. Jurado |