Neat. (Coglianese Photography)
By Tim Wilkin
FRANKLIN, Ky. — He hasn’t been here a lot – and that could change one day – but when trainer Rob Atras brings a horse to run at Kentucky Downs, pay attention.
Like Sunday.
Atras, who is based in New York, is running Neat in Sunday’s one-mile $1.5 million Global Tote Gun Runner for 3-year-old colts.
It will be just the sixth horse Atras has run at Kentucky Downs since he first started coming in 2022.
“I love it there,” Atras said by phone from Belmont Park. “It is such a great atmosphere; they do such a great job there. The mornings are nice and peaceful. Win or lose, it’s a great place to come to.”
Last Sunday, Atras’ Chasing Liberty was awarded victory via disqualification in the $1 million National Thoroughbred League Juvenile Sprint Stakes. That was his second career win here following Law Professor, who took the FanDuel Tapit Stakes in 2022. Law Professor was the first horse Atras started at Kentucky Downs.
He hopes to get another trip to the Kentucky Downs winner’s circle on Sunday with Neat, who is owned by Randy Gullatt’s Red White and Blue Racing LLC.
Neat, who will be ridden by Junior Alvarado, is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line behind Brilliant Berti, who was made the 9-5 favorite by Kentucky Downs oddsmaker Nick Tammaro.
In his last start, Neat lived up to his name as he had a tidy score by a length in the Grade 2 at Saratoga on Aug. 2. It was after that when Atras made the decision to head to Kentucky.
“We had it in mind earlier, but I never want to get too far ahead of myself,” Atras said. “I just go race to race and see how the horse is doing. I know the owners love Kentucky Downs. They live in Kentucky, have a farm there. They always like to point to Kentucky Downs.”
Gullatt is also co-owner of Chasing Liberty.
Neat, a Kentucky-bred son of Constitution, will start from post position 12 in the Gun Runner and Atras is hoping that will not be an issue.
“I think we have enough tactical speed where he can be close and he can tuck in and save some ground,” he said.
He is also not showing too much concern about the first time Neat saw the Kentucky Downs course. That was last Sept. 7 in his career debut. He finished 11th in a field of 12 on a course labeled “good.”
He has won six of his last seven starts on grass and is 3-for-3 at the Gun Runner distance.
“We’re hoping we can throw that first (Kentucky Downs) race out and he handles it just fine on Sunday,” Atras said. “The mile is a very good distance for him. He really has a good turn of foot and he has been very consistent for us.”
FANDUEL TV U.S. Open Turf Championships
$2 million, G3 The Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon, (Race 6, post 2:27 p.m. CT)
Distance: 1 5/16 miles. Division: Fillies & Mares, 3-year-olds & up
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Three Priests (JPN) (122) Velazquez/Varian 8-1
2 Chop Chop (126) Prat/Cox 5-2
3 Angel Nadeshiko (122) I. Ortiz Jr./Joseph Jr. 10-1
4 Greenfinch (118) Dettori/A.O’Brien 3-1
5 Loved Reiko (122) J. Ortiz/Leitch 30-1
6 Vergara (122) Gaffalione/Motion 7-2
7 Neecie Marie (126) Rosario/Reid Jr. 4-1
8 Forever After All (122) Beschizza/Walsh 15-1
9 Viva La Red (122) Geroux/Biancone 30-1
$2 million, G2 The AGS Music City Stakes, (Race 7, post 3:04 p.m. CT)
Distance: 6 ½ furlongs. Division: 3-year-old fillies
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Crown Imperial (122) Torres/Ortiz 30-1
2 Kairyu (IRE) (124) J. Ortiz/DeVaux 6-1
3 Time to Dazzle (124) Santana Jr./Casse 6-1
4 Pipsy (IRE) (124) Rosario/Walden 6-1
5 Visually (124) Corrales/Morey 30-1
6 Amidst Waves (122) Prat/Weaver 20-1
7 Pharoah’s Wine (118) Chuan/Romans 20-1
8 Buttercream Babe (118) I. Ortiz Jr./Maker 9-2
9 Pounce (124) D. Davis/Casse 7-2
10 Simply in Front (118) L. Saez/Kenneally 15-1
11 Regulatory Risk (118) Geroux/Brown 15-1
12 Vive Veuve (122) Gaffalione/Sisterson 5-1
AE13 Gavea (GER) (118) Hernandez Jr./Stall 6-1
AE14 Uphill Dance (118) Geroux/Halden 20-1
AE15 Twirling Queen (122) L. Saez/D’Angelo 4-1
AE16 Toupie (122) Prat/Motion 8-1
$2 million, G3 The Mint Millions (Race 8, post 3:41 p.m. CT)
Distance: 1 mile. Division: 3-year-olds & up
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Emmanuel (126) J. Ortiz/Maker 6-1
2 Mountain Bear (118) Dettori/A. Obrien 10-1
3 Irish Aces (126) Gaffalione/Walsh 12-1
4 Cash Equity (122) (FR) Leparoux/Joseph Jr. 15-1
5 Tuft’s Revenge (126) Santana Jr./Maker 20-1
6 Strong Quality (126) Geroux/Casse 15-1
7 Funtastic Again (122) Corrales/Ward 5-1
8 Talk of the Nation (122) I. Ortiz Jr. /Pletcher 4-1
9 Reckoning Force (122) Machado/Walsh 15-1
10 Ancient Rome (122) Spencer/Hills 5-2
11 Goliad (S) (122) Prat/Mandella 10-1
S-supplement
$2 million, G1 The Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson (Race 9, post 4:18 p.m. CT)
Distance: 6 ½ furlongs. Division: 3-year-olds
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Hedwig (120) L. Saez/Harty 10-1
2 Evade (FR) (122) Torres/Maker 12-1
3 General Ledger (118) J. Ortiz/Joseph Jr. 15-1
4 Yellow Card (118) Velazquez/McCarthy 15-1
5 Bear River (118) Graham/Desormeaux 12-1
6 Apollo Ten (122) Gaffalione/Clement 6-1
7 Joe Shiesty (122) Cedillo/Foster 8-1
8 Please Advise (122) Prat/Weaver 8-1
9 Vote No (122) Corrales/Morey 20-1
10 Howard Wolowitz (118) I. Ortiz Jr./D’Angelo 9-2
11 Mansa Musa (IRE) (118) Alvarado/Mott 4-1
12 Smokey Smokey (122) Santana Jr./Maker 12-1
AE13 Barksdale (118) L. Saez/Walden 15-1
AE 14 Where Ya At Vince (118) Corrales/Rivelli 20-1
AE 15 Save The Trees (118) J. Ortiz/Maker 8-1
AE 16 How’s Ur Attitude (118) Dettori/Ennis 8-1
$2 million, G2 The Fanduel TV Kentucky Turf Cup (Race 10, post 4:55 p.m. CT)
Distance: 1 11/2 miles. Division: 3-year-olds & up
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Highway Robber (124) Loveberry/Lynch 6-1
2 Integration (124) Carmouche/McGaughey 8-5
3 Cathkin Peak (IRE) (124) J. Ortiz/Maker 15-1
4 Get Smokin (124) De La Cruz/Casse 12-1
5 Sugoi (124) I. Ortiz Jr./Maker 20-1
6 King Curlin (124) Emigh/Vanden Berg 30-1
7 Tawny Port (122) Prat/Clement 8-1
8 Balladeer (122) Geroux/Papaprodromou 20-1
9 Anglophile (122) Cannon/Lynch 10-1
10 Grand Sonata (122) Gaffalione/Pletcher 12-1
11 Chief Little Rock (IRE) 118) Dettori/A.O’Brien 4-1
$2 million, G2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint (Race 11, post 5:31 p.m. CT)
Distance: 6 furlongs. Division: 3-year-olds & up.
Post horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds
1 Gear Jockey (121) Lezcano/Arnold 30-1
2 Axthelm (121) J. Ortiz/Joseph Jr. 30-1
3 One Timer (121) Loveberry/Rivelli 8-1
4 Cogburn (125) I. Ortiz Jr./Asmussen 6-5
5 Charcoal (121) Concepcion/Wisner 30-1
6 Coppola (121) Lanerie/Romans 15-1
7 Grooms All Bizness (121) D. Davis/Duarte Jr. 15-1
8 Khaadem (IRE) (125) Spencer/Hills 7-2
9 Noble Reflection (121) Dettori/Papaprodromou 20-1
10 Nobals (121) Corrales/Rivelli 6-1
11 Witty (121) Gaffalione/Merryman 20-1
12 Mo Stash (121) L.Saez/Oliver 30-1
AE13 Five O’Somewhere (118) Bermudez/Spraggins 50-1
