Burnham Square, with Brian Hernandez up, winning Keeneland’s Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass. (Coady Media/Christine Hayden)
Test Score, Wimbledon Hawkeye set for $3.5 million DK Horse Nashville Derby on NBC
Saturday’s $11.74 million card includes four other turf stakes
By Jennie Rees
FRANKLIN, Ky. — The field was set Monday for Saturday’s $3.5 million DK Horse Nashville Derby, which not only is the richest race in Kentucky Downs’ history but potentially the most lucrative in America outside the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup.
East Coast-based G1 Belmont Derby winner Test Score and Britain’s Wimbledon Hawkeye head an overflow field of fourteen 3-year-olds entered in the Nashville Derby, along with major Kentucky Derby prep winners Burnham Square, Sandman and Tiztastic. A total of 12 can start, with the two “also-eligible” horses needing defections to participate.
The Grade 3 Nashville Derby, carded as the 10th race, is part of a 12-race program featuring five stakes, three of which will air live on NBC from 3-5 p.m. Central with broadcasters Nick Luck and Britney Eurton at Kentucky Downs. In addition to the Grade 3, 1 5/16-mile Nashville Derby, NBC will air live the $2.5 million The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) and the $2 million Never Say Die Ladies Turf Sprint (G2). The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race, with its winner earning a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
The Nashville Derby, even without the $1.5 million purse enhancement reserved for Kentucky-bred horses, is America’s richest turf race outside the Breeders’ Cup. The full $3.5 million provides the opportunity for the stakes to pay off as the second-richest race held at one track in America behind only the $5 million Kentucky Derby. Just its $2 million base purse matches that of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Tiztastic winning the Fair Grounds’ G2 Louisiana Derby under Joel Rosario. (Hodges Photography)
The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint and the Never Say Die Ladies Turf Sprint are the richest turf sprints in America. Also Saturday is the $2 million Resolute Racing Ladies Turf (G3) at a mile and the $1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup at 2 1/16 miles.
With a total of $11.74 million offered, including Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money, Saturday approaches the Kentucky Derby card’s offering, both surpassed only by Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday and next Saturday’s Kentucky Downs card ($14.2 million). It’s part of a concerted push to beef up the meet’s first Saturday to create an event on par with the second Saturday that has traditionally been the meet’s marquee day.
“On what is traditionally an exciting weekend of racing to close out the summer with the Pacific Classic and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Kentucky Downs is honored to be able to offer five stakes races headlined by the Nashville Derby to celebrate the best of turf racing in America,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ vice president for racing. “Being on NBC, having five big stakes races that day, we’ve made the batter. Now we just have to let the cake rise.”
First post is 11:25 a.m. Central, with gates opening at 10 a.m. CT.
Kentucky Downs runs this Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Sept. 4, 6, 7 and 10.
Here’s a look at the first Saturday’s stakes:
$3.5 million DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational (G3)
Test Score winning the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Saratoga under Manny Franco. (Coglianese/NYRA)
Four horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby are in the Nashville Derby field, with Keeneland’s G1 Toyota Blue Grass winner Burnham Square and Oaklawn’s G1 Arkansas Derby winner Sandman trying to transfer their Grade 1-winning dirt form to the grass. Those horses finished sixth and seventh, respectively in the Derby. Also, out of the Kentucky Derby is fourth-place Final Gambit, winner of Turfway Park’s Jeff Ruby (G3), and Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Tiztastic. If Tiztastic’s last two starts on turf were disappointing, he was brilliant last year at Kentucky Downs, winning the $250,000 Keeneland September yearling sale allowance race and 10 days later taking the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile.
The Nashville Derby favorites could be Test Score, who has faced the top 3-year-old turf horses all year, and Wimbledon Hawkeye, who will try to replicate fellow Brit Bellum Justum’s Nashville Derby victory last year.
Test Score, trained by Graham Motion, was second in Churchill Downs’ G1 American Turf, captured the G1 Belmont Derby and then was third by a total of a half-length in the G1 Saratoga Derby.
Hill Road, New York’s Peter Pan (G3) winner on dirt and most recently a well-beaten third in the Jim Dandy (G2) won by leading 3-year-old Sovereignty, returns to grass for the first time since his first two starts last year in Ireland.
Sandman winning the G1 Arkansas Derby under Jose Ortiz. (Coady Media/Renee Torbit)
Besides Sandman, trainer Mark Casse has a second entrant in Tomasello, who earned a fees-paid spot in the race by winning Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby.
With Colonial Downs’ Secretariat (G2) runner-up Simulate, Hall of Famer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado have a chance to sweep America’s two most lucrative races outside the Breeders’ Cup. Mott, of course, trains and Alvarado rides Sovereignty, who in addition to winning the Kentucky Derby added the Belmont Stakes and this past Saturday’s Travers Stakes to his incredible resume.
$3.5 million DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational (G3) field Race 10. Post time: 4:46 p.m. CT. Distance: 1 5 1/16 miles on turf. Division: 3-year-olds. Purse includes $1.5 million KTDF
$2.5 million The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2)
Howard Wolowitz, winner of last year’s Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson for 3-year-old sprinters, is back for this overflow field to try to earn a free spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. It will be Howard Wolowitz’s first start since Feb. 22 in Saudi Arabia.
Also returning to Kentucky Downs is the British-based 9-year-old $2.3 million-earner Khaadem, who was second in last year’s Turf Sprint.
A total of 15 horses entered the six-furlong Turf Sprint, with 12 able to start. One of the most intriguing entries is the Will Walden-trained 4-year-old Irish-bred filly Pipsy taking on males at six furlongs rather than staying against her own sex in the 6 1/2-furlong Ladies Turf Sprint. Pipsy was second in last year’s Music City (G2), also at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Twelve-time winner Nobals, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, was fourth in last year’s stakes at Kentucky Downs. One Timer, his stablemate and another millionaire in the Larry Rivelli stable, was second by a head in the 2023 running of the stakes after winning the 2022 Franklin-Simpson.
Implementation returns to the grass for the first time since winning a Kentucky Downs allowance race last year. He comes into the race off dirt stakes victories in his last two starts.
Coming from California is Grade 3 San Simeon winner Air Force Red. Others entered include hard-knocking millionaires Arrest Me Red and Arzak.
Bear River earned his spot with victory in Ellis Park’s Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, defeating Nobals that day. The 9-year-old Charcoal, fifth in last year’s Turf Sprint, will make his fifth start at Kentucky Downs while attempting to improve upon his trio of fifths and a fourth in previous years.
$2.5 million The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) field Race 9. Post time: 3:52 p.m. CT. Distance: 6 furlongs on turf. Division: 3-year-olds & up. (Purse includes $1 million KTDF)
$2 million Never Say Die Ladies Turf Sprint (G2)
Ag Bullet, fresh off dominating males in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Saratoga, returns to the site where she set a course record in last year’s stakes (1:14.19 for 6 1/2 furlongs). She faces a full field of 12 fillies and mares that includes last year’s G2 Music City winner Simply in Front, a multiple graded-stakes winner who would have had a fees-paid spot had she gone in the Resolute Racing Ladies Turf (G3) at a mile for having won Ellis Park’s Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf.
Others include Colonial Downs’ G2 Beverly D winner Charlene’s Dream; millionaire Danse Macabre, winner of a Kentucky Downs stakes at 2 and second in one at 3; and last year’s third-place finisher Ocean Club, who since has won a pair of graded stakes. Zeitlos is 9-5-2 in 20 starts. Only three have been on turf, over which she has a pair of seconds. She also loves the distance, going 7 for 10.
For the money, owners and trainers are taking a shot at the grass with dirt stakes-winners such as Irish Maxima and Jody’s Pride. The front-running G2 winner Kehoe Beach may appreciate cutting back a bit in distance to 6 1/2 furlongs.
Oujda, whose career started in her native France, shoots for a fourth straight victory in her U.S. debut. She won a six-furlong turf stakes at Woodbine in her first North American start.
$2 million Never Say Die Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) field Race 8. Post time: 3:14 p.m. CT. Distance: 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. Division: fillies & mares 3 years old & up. (Purse includes $1 million KTDF)
$2 million Resolute Racing Ladies Turf (G3)
A pair of ultra-consistent Europeans could be the ones to beat in British-based Cheshire Dancer and German-based Lady Ilze. Cheshire Dancer comes in off a Group 3 victory at Ascot against older fillies and mares. Lady Ilze won the German 1000 Guineas, then was a competitive fifth against her elders in a Group 1 at Newmarket.
Another leading contender in the field of 11 fillies and mares is Special Wan, an Irish import who won a Kentucky Downs allowance race last year in her U.S. debut for co-meet leading trainer Brendan Walsh. In her last two starts, Special Wan won Gulfstream Park’s G3 Honey Fox over firm turf and was a good third in the G1 Just a Game over Saratoga’s yielding turf.
Trainer George Weaver brings back Grade 1 winner Sacred Wish, who was second in last year’s Ladies Turf. For her career, Sacred Wish has four wins and eight seconds in 21 starts, earning almost $1.2 million.
Pin Up Betty is a multiple graded-stakes winner over the Churchill Downs turf for Kentucky Downs’ all-time leading trainer Mike Maker.
Neom Beach won two stakes and three straight races overall at Lone Star Park heading into this race for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by his youngest son, Erik.
The Chad Brown-trained Segesta beat Sacred Wish by a neck to win Monmouth Park’s Grade 3 Matchmaker in their last start. Segesta was a good second in last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Oaks.
Multiple stakes-winner Landed is scheduled to make her turf debut in the mile stakes.
$2 million Resolute Racing Ladies Turf (G3) field Race 11. Post time: 5:25 p.m. CT. Distance: mile on turf. Division: fillies & ares 3 years old & up. (Purse includes $1 million KTDF)
$1 million Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup
Limited Liability, last year’s inaugural winner by 8 1/2 lengths, will have to beat French-bred, German-based Flatten the Curve to repeat. Limited Liability most recently was sixth in Monmouth Park’s G2 United Nations after dropping a head decision in Keeneland’s G2 Elkhorn.
Flatten the Curve has won five of his last six starts in Germany and France. The defeat was a fourth in Belmont Gold Cup (G2) that was taken off the turf at Saratoga. Tawny Port, a multiple graded-stakes winner on dirt, was third in last year’s Kentucky Turf Cup (G2). The field of eight also includes East Coast-based Lord Eddard Stark, winner of Gulfstream Park’s two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in December. California’s Balladeer, a Grade 2 winner two years ago after capturing a Kentucky Downs allowance race, makes the trip to Franklin for the fourth time.
Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational field Race 7. Post time: 2:37 p.m. CT. Distance: 2 1/16 miles on turf. Division: 3-year-olds & up. (Purse includes $500,000 KTDF)
