Churchill Downs, Race 2 – Thursday, May 16, 2024
By The 2YO EdgeMan
CD2:051624 – 5f on the Dirt. Seven colts and one filly do battle in this unrestricted event. Sires of note include Maclean’s Music, Uncle Mo, Carvaggio, and Daredevil who has two in here. Add to that list two First-Crop sires – Tiz The Law and Game Winner. On the trainer side, I’ve circled the names of Asumussen who’s got two entered, along with one each from McEntee, Ward, and Jack L. Hancock. Let’s get after it…
#2 – Empress Julia (2/1) – The Morning Line favorite comes from the Wesley Ward barn and she’s the lone filly that will be facing down the boys today. She is sired by Uncle Mo and was thrown by a Pioneerof the Nile mare – that cross has seen three runners perform in 2YO MSW events with a purse of $30,000+ and one of those was successful in her third start at two. Mom won half of her six races on the track, including her third start in October of her two-year-old campaign at Remington Park (76 Equibase Speed Figure). She has only produced one other foal of racing age – a colt that won second time out at two in June at Ellis Park (72 EBSF). Today’s runner is a homebred from Three Chimneys Farm who has worked out five times, all at KEE, with her last two covering a half mile. The first two drills were three panel bullets – 4/15/24 and 4/22/24 – 36.4 seconds and 36 seconds, respectively (both were 1/18). Her third was solid, too – 35 flat from the gate on 4/28/24 (3/22). Walter Rodriguez gets the call to ride.
#4 – Bob’s Carrot (3/1) – The first of two from Asmussen, this colt is by Daredevil and is out of an Into Mischief mare who won one of her four starts on the track and collected $52,000 in purse money. She’s produced three other foals of racing age, one of them was a stellar eight for 14 on track, including a win in her second time out in September of her 2YO campaign at Belmont when she fashioned a sharp 85 EBSF. All told, she banked a half million dollars. Kirk and Judy Robison picked today’s dude up for $160K as a yearling last year (3/29). This fella has also been working over at Keeneland where he’s logged four works at three furlongs. His best was two back when he went 36.6 seconds from the gate on 5/1/24 (13/40). The jockey in charge will be Ricardo Santana, Jr.
#6 – Lebowski (7/2) – This colt is Asmussen’s second runner in this field and he’s from Caravaggio out of an unraced Elusive Quality mare. She’s thrown one other foal of racing age who won at first asking as a 2YO in July last year at Saratoga and that was in a G3 event when she earned an 81 EBSF. This dude’s been through the auction ring three times – as a weanling, he sold for $90,000, then as a yearling, he went for $200K, and the bidding stopped shy of the $260K reserve price that had been set earlier this year when he was a two-year-old. This fella started his morning work regime at Keeneland on 4/5/24 and worked there twice before vanning west on I-64 for his last three drills here at Churchill Downs. Steve will give the leg up to his son, Keith.
Pick – #2 Empress Julia – I hate to go with the chalk and also never like going against two solid Asmussen runners, but this gal is well-bred and has worked out nicely. Not sure why Wes didn’t go with a bigger name rider, but I’m confident that Walter can get her to the wire. Add to that mom and only ½ sib of racing age scored while two-year-olds. I’m in.
We’ve got another quality juvenile affair tomorrow right here at Churchill, so check back into the great Past the Wire for all of the info on that one from yours truly. Thank you for your support of our efforts! Take care and be safe, my Edgie Partners.
