Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Juddmonte’s four-time winner Juncture (GB) will attempt to win her first graded stakes contest when she faces six rivals in the 48th running of the $300,000 Cardinal (Grade III) on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.
The Cardinal, scheduled to be run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, was slated as Race 10 with a post time of 3:53 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post on Thanksgiving Day will be 11:30 a.m. The 12-race program also will feature the $400,000 Falls City (GIII) in Race 11.
Juncture (GB), a 4-year-old filly trained by Brad Cox, placed twice in Group III races while based in Ireland with trainer Ger Lyons. Cox took over training of Juncture earlier this year and her resumé includes a victory in the Ouija Board Distaff at Lone Star Park and a recent third-place finish in the Rodeo Drive (GII) at Santa Anita. Jockey Flavien Prat will have the mount from post No. 6.
The competitive Cardinal field also includes Gentry Farm’s stakes placed Lovely Princess and CHP Racing’s Keeneland allowance winner Saffron Moon.
Here’s the field for the Cardinal from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Joyful Applause (Orlando Mojica, Helen Pitts); Star Fortress (IRE) (Luis Saez, Cherie DeVaux); Lovely Princess (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Walkathon (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes); Take a Stand (Fernando De La Cruz, Vicki Oliver); Juncture (Prat, Cox); and Saffron Moon (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown).
