Flatten the Curve gives trainer Henk Grewe his first North American victory. (Coady Media)
By Maribeth Kalinich
FRANKLIN, Ky.—Kentucky Downs offered the richest day in horse racing outside of the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup today under a blue sky with a firm and fast turf track.
There were 11 races on the card with purses totaling over $11.5 million including five stakes worth over $10.5 million.
The day offered quite a few surprises including 99-1 Kelsey Danner & NBS Stable’s Ground Support who took race 2, a one-mile $170,000 maiden race for 2-year-old fillies.
Under Adam Beschizza, Florida-bred Ground Support was off slowly. Beschizza rated her under a hold down the backstretch through the far turn. The team slipped through near the rail into the upper lane and finished well to prove best under all out pressure winning by 3/4 of a length.
The daughter of Army Mule rewarded her faithful handsomely with $203.20 for the win plus $72.26 for place and $29.14 show.
Catching up with “Biscuit” afterward the race.
The first stakes of the day was the $1 million Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational or 3-year-olds and up.
Six starters lined up for the 2-1/16 mile marathon and in the end it would be Eckhard Sauren’s French-bred Flatten the Curve taking the prize for trainer Henk Grewe.
Under Thor Hammer Hansen Flatten the Curve was settled outside well back. He began to advance willingly late on the third turn then took command outside at the quarter pole and promptly kicked away, was eased up nearing the wire for a 5-1/2 length victory in a time of 3:29.58 ( Kentucky Downs new timing system did not get the fractions ).
Veteran Tawny Port was in just a bit tight at the start then unhurriedly settled at the rear inside. Under Joel Rosario he saved ground on all turns and then advanced in upper stretch, angled five wide near the eighth pole, kept on to gain the place over Limited Liability.
Golden Eye, San Siro and Balladeer complete the order of finish. Freedom’s Way and Lord. Eddard Stark were both scratched.
Flatten the Curve, who actually came to Kentucky from Germany, was bred by SAS IEI, Ecurie De Castillion and Khalia Mohamme Al Attiyah. The 6-year-old gelding is by French stallion Zarak out of French mare Lailoma (Teofilo {IRE}).
With 41 career starts this was Flatten the Curve’s second North American Start having finished fourth in the Belmont Gold Cup in June. He was coming off of a win in Hamburg on July 5 in the my bed.eu Ranger Hamburger going two miles on good turf.
His first North American win, the chestnut gelding now has eight career wins (four this year) with nine seconds and four third places giving him over half a million in career earnings.
Flatten the Curve had been purchased at the Arqana Deauville 2020 October Yearling Sale for $28,274 US.
The Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes
Winning trainer Henk Grewe (who is unbeaten on turf with Flatten the Curve) “He’s an unbelievable horse. He came to our stable last year and since then the only time he lost was in Saratoga when the changed it to dirt.
“He was really relaxed, because the pace was good. We wanted to follow the favorite with Frankie Dettori. We had the perfect race. In the stretch it was so easy, it was perfect. Very proud. It was my first win out of Europe. It’s something special for me.
“I think we go now to the Melbourne Cup (set for Nov. 4).”
(As a French-bred, Flatten the Curve was racing for $500,000 instead of the full $1 million) “It’s much better than in Europe, and the races for us are much easier over here than in Europe.”
Winning jockey Thore Hammer Hansen:
At what point did you know that you had your first American victory security?
“I think once we turned off the bend, I was pretty certain. He was ultra strong. He’s proved us every single time that he can get better again. I think this is probably his best performance today, and it was great.
Did you expect him to win by that great of a margin?
“I expected him to win, to be honest, I always have great faith in this horse. He’s my favorite. He’s been ultra-tough for us ever since he went to Henk Grewe. If you take away the dirt race at Saratoga, that wasn’t really planned, he’s still unbeaten for us. Very tough horse. I expected him to win here, but the way he did it I didn’t expect that.
FLATTEN THE CURVE wins the $1,000,000 Boiling Green Invitational for Henk Grewe & @ThoreHammer
— Jess Stafford (@jess_stafford_) August 30, 2025
Easy work for the son of Zarak here at @KYDownsRacing – next stop Melbourne Cup pic.twitter.com/2SDvrlanpG
Did the race play out the way you had hoped one would play out? “
“No, to be honest. They went pretty slow. I expected themto go a better pace, but saying that, I always had it in the back of my mind, because there was a couple of horses, I wasn’t certain were going to stay this trip. I was always hopeful that the pace was going to pick up. He just ju mped into the bridle a little bit, but he switches off nicely after a couple of furlongs, and that’s what he did today.
“I was planning to follow Frankie the whole way, because I thought he was the horse to beat, but he was struggling and getting under pressure from a long way out. I just decided to,roll out around him. I was pretty certain I was going to pick up the leader. So, it’s just worried that maybe Rosario was going to come from behind. But obviously he never did. And he won in a great fashion.”
