Whitmore Looks to Score in Churchill Downs Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Whitmore at Oaklawn Park
Stacked with talent from one end of the gate to the other, the field for the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1) May 4 features former classic runners, graded stakes winners, and a tremendous amount of class.
With the race upgraded for the first time to grade 1 status comes a new level on intensity and a brand new set of challenges for runner in last year's renewal looking for another shot at the winner's circle.
"The chemistry of the race is a little different," said trainer Ron Moquett, who has entered grade 1 winner Whitmore in Saturday's race. "It's a really good race with the speed offset by all of the different types of horses."
Having placed fourth in last year's renewal of the Churchill Downs Stakes, Whitmore is one of three runners in the 12-horse field returning to the Louisville track to contest the seven-furlong sprint. The multimillionaire finished less than four lengths behind winner Limousine Liberal and runner-up Warrior's Club, who are both entered.
A 6-year-old gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect, Whitmore kicked off his 2019 season with a win in the March 9 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He followed that effort with a second-place run in the April 13 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at the Arkansas track, finishing 2 3/4 lengths behind fellow Churchill Downs Stakes runner Mitole.
"I think sitting on a big race, all we need is a good trip," Moquett said. "In a full field of 12, you put a jock like Javier (Castellano) like we have and you hope that he goes through, gets him involved, and makes the right decision on the trip. Our strategy is always: Let him go out there and get his pace, see where he's at, and let him go from there."
Owned by Robert LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables, and Head of Plains Partners, Whitmore worked four furlongs April 26 in :49 4/5 at Oaklawn. He will break from post 12.
William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mitole will look to add a sixth consecutive win to his résumé. A 4-year-old son of Eskendereya, Mitole kicked off his win streak in 2018 with a victory in an optional-claiming allowance race at Oaklawn before scoring back-to-back listed wins in Oaklawn's Bachelor Stakes and the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.
Back in Arkansas, the bay colt took a March 2 optional-claiming allowance race before stepping up to graded company next out in the Count Fleet.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Mitole will break from post 8 with Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons.
Multiple graded stakes winner Promises Fulfilled returns to North America in the Churchill Downs Stakes after finishing fourth in the March 30 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) at Meydan.
Owned by Robert Baron and trained by Dale Romans, the Shackleford colt ended his sophomore season on a high note, notching wins in the Amsterdam Stakes (G3), H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1), and Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2). He rounded out the year with a fourth at the historic Louisville track in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
Jockey Luis Saez will partner with Promises Fulfilled, the highweight in Saturday's race, from post 6.
Stepping up for the first time to grade 1 company, Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables' Bobby's Wicked One surprised and delighted the Keeneland audience and trainer Al Stall Jr. with an upset score in the Commonwealth Stakes. With rains forecast for Saturday and an audience of thousands expected for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Stall said he's concious that Saturday will test his quick-footed son of Speightstown .
"He came out of the race at Keeneland in good shape but this will be balking because of the competition and the racing surface," Stall said. "Whether that's good or bad I'm not sure. The horse acts like his normal self and he's a tryer. You can count on him showing up everytime he runs. He needs to work out the proper trip, which everybody does but we're excited about running him and he's coming into it like he wants it too."
"I guess since it went from a grade 2 to a grade 1, you have both horses coming out of the Count Fleet and another nice horse from (Mike) Maker so it's definatiely a Kentucky Derby day grade 1. They're not supposed to be easy. Everybody is going to find out where they stand after the race that's for sure."
Ridden by Miguel Mena, who was aboard for the Commonwealth, Bobby's Wicked One will break from post 4.
Slated to defend his title in the Churchill Downs Stakes for the third year in a row, Katherine Ball's Limousine Liberal suffered a career-ending injury May 1 while galloping at Keeneland. Trainer Ben Colebrook said the 7-year-old gelded son of Successful Appeal fractured a sesamoid in his left front ankle during training and will be moved to Ball's farm for rest and rehabilitation.
"He'll go to the owner's farm and everything will be good hopefully," Colebrook said. "But unfortunately, it is career-ending injury. I don't think he'll have to have surgery. I think it will heal on its own."
Most recently third to Bobby's Wicked One in the Commonwealth Stakes, Limousine Liberal has been a model of consistency throughout his racing career. A multiple graded stakes winner and earner of more than $1.8 milllion over four years on the racetrack, Limousine Liberal's holds a 9-6-7 record from 27 starts.
Colebrook, who has trained the striking dark bay since he broke his maiden in 2015, said Limousine Liberal's departure will be a difficult change to process going forward.
"It's a tough game," Colebrook said. "It'll be a big void not having him in the barn. He's been there for a lot of years and he's really irreplaceable."
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 04, 2019, Race 8Entries: Churchill Downs S. presented by Twinspires.com (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Do Share (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Michael J. Maker
10/1
2
2Limousine Liberal (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Ben Colebrook
5/1
3
3Majestic Dunhill (KY)
Manuel Franco
118
George Weaver
30/1
4
4Bobby's Wicked One (KY)
Miguel Mena
118
Albert M. Stall, Jr.
10/1
5
5Wild Shot (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
George R. Arnold, II
50/1
6
6Promises Fulfilled (KY)
Luis Saez
120
Dale L. Romans
4/1
7
7Warrior's Club (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
D. Wayne Lukas
12/1
8
8Mitole (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
7/2
9
9Uncontested (KY)
John R. Velazquez
118
Jennifer Patterson
10/1
10
10Still Having Fun (MD)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Timothy L. Keefe
30/1
11
11Uno Mas Modelo (KY)
James Graham
118
Anthony T. Quartarolo
20/1
12
12Whitmore (KY)
Javier Castellano
118
Ron Moquett
4/1
