Churchill Downs, Races 6 & 8 Friday, September 27, 2024
By The 2YO EdgeMan
CD6:092124 – Five and one half furlongs on the Dirt. Eleven fillies are entered with six having never previously started, four that have been out once, and one experienced gal who will be making her fourth start. It is interesting to note that Vekoma has three fillies in the field.
#2 – Rational Theory (3/1 ML fav) – Practical Joke (ALL = 16.5%; Dirt = 18.2%) is pops to this filly whose damsire is Uncle Mo (BM = 20.0%). Mom only found the Winner’s Circle one time in her 12 starts and banked a scant $35,000. Today’s filly sold for $160K as a yearling (26/90) and then wheeled back as a 2YO for the fine sum of $525K (2/29). She’s been out one time previously – on 8/18/24, trainer Steve Asmussen (M = 8/69, 11.6%) sent her out for a 6f test on the dirt at SAR and she made the lead, opened up by two lengths, but then struggled home in the stretch, falling nearly 10 lengths short. Then, Steve gave her a work in upstate NY before shipping her down to Louisville for three morning drills over today’s strip. Her two half mile spins were both done in under 48 seconds (2/80 and 4/133). Tyler will get the chance to ride for the first time.
#9 – Coaster (10/1) – Another firster comes out of the barn of Ron Moquett (M = 3/15, 20.0%) and is one of the three Vekoma (20 winners / 51 starters) babies in the field. Mama is by Street Sense (BM = 13.9%) – she was unraced and this is her first foal. Today’s gal is a homebred for Anita Ebert Racing and she’s been prepping for this debut with nine works (37 furlongs), all here under the Twin Spires. She’s flashed some potential in the mornings – on 8/11/24, she went four panels in 47.8 seconds (2/87) and then she covered 5/8th of a mile in 1:00 flat on 9/6/24 to earn a nice bullet (1/21). Interestingly, Keith Asmussen gets the call to be her pilot.
#11 – Going Steady (7/2) – The Coach, D. Wayne Lukas (M = 2/28, 7.1%), fresh off a huge PA Derby score, will saddle this filly by Constitution (ALL = 14.6%, Dirt = 16.7%). Ghostzapper (BM = 11.8%) is her unraced mom’s sire and she’s only thrown one other of racing age. This homebred has been racing three times up at SAR and finished runner-up to the talented La Cara two back on 8/11/24 (eight lengths behind). Lukas then shipped her down to Louisville and gave her two 4f spins over the CD surface, her most recent was accomplished in 46.8 seconds (1/25). Luis Saez, here rider in her debut, will slip his boots into the irons.
Final Analysis – The ML fav, #2, looks fit and has that race of experience, along with Tyler in the saddle, but I’m going to chase a price. My pick is #9 Coaster. Nothing needs to be said about her daddy and her works have been encouraging. I still feel like Moquette is gonna get a win this meet, but time is growing short. Mom is a bit of a question mark with no races and no foals on the track, but the 10/1 ML odds are too much to pass up and not take a shot.
CD8:092124 – One Mile on the Dirt. 11 Colts are entered and set to do battle. Four are firsters, four have started once, two have been out twice, and one has three races under his belt. There are three Into Mischief colts set to run.
#1 – Piquant (7/2) – Louisville’s own, Brad Cox (M = 22.2) will sling the saddle on this Medaglia d’Oro (ALL = 14.6%; Dirt = 17.6%) homebred by Godolphin. His dam is by Street Cry (BM = 13.7) and she was one for eight on the track with $77K in purse money. She has three other foals of racing age – none have yet been overly successful. Today’s colt will be making his second start – his first came at ELP on 8/24/24. He went off at odds of 9/5 that day but started slow, but made up a bit of ground to end 5+ lengths back in fourth place. Brad has given him three works of 4f at Ellis since then and will give Tyler a leg up for the first time today.
#6 – Burning Glory (12/1) – This FTS colt is a Juddmonte Farms homebred that is one of the three in here by Into Mischief (ALL = 17.8%; Dirt = 18.3%). His dam was one for seven on the track, but that win was in her second start at age two – she earned $76,000 – and she’s by Tapit (BM = 13.3%). She has produced two other foals of racing age, but neither have yet had much success. HOFer Bill Mott (M = 2/16, 12.5%; FTS = 2/9, 22.2%) has been training this lad up to his debut by giving him 11 works, all up in Saratoga – 45 furlongs – including four of his last five at 5/8th of a mile. He showed that he may be a speedy one by earning a bullet in his third work – 35.6 seconds on 7/9/24 (1/14). Bill will put the reins into the hands of Jose.
#8 – Buzz Rocket (12/1) – Mott (M = 2/16, 12.5%; FTS = 2/9, 22.2%) has a second entry in this race and this colt has a very famous half-brother by the name of California Chrome (16/27, $14 million, and won his second start as a 2YO). Chrome was the first foal from his 18 YO dam. Of the other eight foals of racing age that she’s thrown, one was a winner as a juvenile. Today’s colt, by Curlin (ALL = 13.6%; Dirt = 14.9%) hammered for $460K as a yearling (14/39). Mott started this guy working at SAR and put him through six morning spins there before moving him to Belmont Park in mid-July for seven more drills (54 furlongs in total). Florent Geroux will be in the saddle.
#9 – Extradition (12/1) – The first of two that Steve Asmussen (M = 8/69, 11.6) will saddle is a colt produced by Gun Runner (ALL = 19.8%; Dirt = 21.8%) and a Not For Love (BM = 12.4%) mare. His dam was victorious three times in 13 tries and banked $123K. She’s tossed two other foals of racing age including a full sis to today’s runner who has earned $141K by going three for nine (all of her races have been this year as a 4YO). This lad is a Three Chimney Farms homebred who Winchell has also bought into. He’s been out twice previously, both at Ellis Park and both on the dirt. First out, he went short and didn’t show much at all. Most recently, he stretched out to today’s distance of one mile and he languished at the back of a six horse field before making a nice run to finish as the runner-up, however, he was still more than a dozen lengths behind the run-away winner. Steve then sent him back for morning work and gave him five drills since his last afternoon run (the last four covered five panels). Luis Saez has been asked to try him for the first time.
#10 – Into Thin Air (12/1) – Another of the Into Mischief (ALL = 17.8%; Dirt = 18.3%) contingent, this colt hails from a Tiznow (10.9%) mare. Mom was pretty distinguished on the track in her short career as she won half of her six starts, including a win first out while a juvey and also scored in a G3 event while still a 2YO. She ended with $198K in prize money and only has one other foal of racing age, but that one has not done much yet. Greg Tramontin was the high bidder last year for this guy when he was a yearling, giving $400K for him (42/69). Tom Amoss (M = 1/20, 5.0%) is his conditioner and he certainly has put a bottom under this fella having worked him 18 times with his last ten covering five poles. The tally is a total of 80 furlongs (yes, that’s eight miles)! He started work at Keeneland in April before being vanned over to Churchill in early July. His times have certainly not been slow, but they’ve also not been super fast. Jareth Loveberry gets the opportunity to guide him.
#11 – Publisher (3/1 ML fav) – Yet another well-bred colt is the second one in here trained by Steve Asmussen (M = 8/69, 11.6%) and he’s sired by American Pharoah (ALL = 12.1%; Dirt = 9.7%). This is mom’s first foal, but she was another fine racemare, albeit she had a short career on the track. Three wins in four starts with her only defeat coming at the Grade 2 level when she finished third earned her $157K. Proud Citizen (BM = 12.5%) was her pops. This colt has raced one time – back on 8/12/24 he went seven furlongs at Ellis Park on the dirt. He started slow that day, but made a nice move, came wide into the lane, looked like he might run on for the victory, but ended third, beaten less than three lengths. After the race, Steve shipped him here to CD and his giving him four morning drills (17 furlongs). Son Erik will tickle the reins for the second time.
Final Analysis – As you can see from above, this is a talented field of two-year-old colts. In a race such as this, I like to go with one that provides a bit of a value and I also especially favor the one with some experience when there is so much competition. So, my pick is #9 Extradition. Gun Runner is so good with these babies and this dude has been out twice. His last race showed that he has some heart and I like the fact that he’s put in solid work since that last run. Luis is a positive and the 12/1 ML odds are juicy.
There is more baby racing on the schedule this weekend as Churchill wraps up it’s September Meet. Thank you all for your support of this piece and I wish all of my Fabulous Ediges all the best!
