LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Multiple graded stakes winner Beau Recall (IRE) is set for her 2020 campaign along with Grade III-winning stablemate Juliet Foxtrot (GB) as they face 12 rivals, including six other graded stakes winners, that were entered in Saturday’s 44th running of the $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.
Run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, the Old Forester Mint Julep is carded as Race 11 on Saturday’s 11-race race card. The program will also feature the $100,000 Winning Colors presented by Finlandia (GIII) in Race 7. First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern).
Beau Recall and Juliet Foxtrot, trained by Brad Cox, drew post positions No. 1 and 2, respectively. Cox will use Saturday’s Old Forester Mint Julep as a likely prep race for the $300,000 Just a Game (GI) on June 27 at Belmont Park and/or $350,000 Jenny Wiley (GI) at Keeneland on July 11.
Owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing, Beau Recall had a stellar 5-year-old campaign with victories in the $400,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GII) and $200,000 Yellow Ribbon (GII). Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Beau Recall.
Juddmonte Farms’ Juliet Foxtrot reached graded stakes glory in the $150,000 Modesty (GIII) prior to a heartbreaking runner-up effort in the $200,000 John C. Mabee (GII). Juliet Foxtrot concluded her 2019 campaign with a second-place finish in the $400,000 First Lady (GI). Florent Geroux has the call on Juliet Foxtrot.
Six other graded stakes winners are among the Mint Julep competitors: Madaket Stables, Tim and Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds’ $200,000 Wonder Again (GIII) winner La Signare (post 5); First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm’s $300,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) victor Nay Lady Nay (post 6); Madaket Stables, Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stables and Steven Bouchey’s $175,000 Nassau (GII) champ Secret Message (post 7); Augustin Stable’s $200,000 Lake Placid (GII) hero Varenka (post 9); John McCormack’s $150,000 The Very One (GIII) winner Elizabeth Way (post 13); and Mrs. J.V. Shields and E.J.M McFadden Jr.’s $150,000 Gallorette (GIII) winner Mitchell Road (post 14).
The complete field for the Old Forester Mint Julep
1. Juliet Foxtrot, J: Florent Geroux, T: Brad Cox
2. Beau Recall, J: Shaun Bridgmohan, T: Brad Cox
3. Winning Envelope, J: Julien Leparoux, T: Chris Block
4. She’sonthewarpath, J: Chantal Sutherland, T: Steve Margolis
5. La Signare, J: Ricardo Santana Jr., T: Brendan Walsh
6. Nay Lady Nay, J: Jose Ortiz, T: Chad Brown
7. Secret Message, J: John Velazquez, T: Graham Motion
8. Altea, J: Joel Rosario, T: Chad Brown
9. Varenka, J: Javier Castellano, T: Graham Motion
10. Hanalei Moon, J: Tyler Gaffalione, T: Mark Casse
11. Zofelle, J: Corey Lanerie, T: Brendan Walsh
12. Coco Channel, J: Rafael Bejarano, T: Charlie LoPresti
13. Elizabeth Way, J: Brian Hernandez Jr., T: Roger Attfield
14. Mitchell Road, J: Joe Talamo, T: Bill Mott
Winning Colors draws fierce field of stakes winners
Graded stakes winners Break Even, Bell’s the One, Mia Mischief and Spiced Perfection top an extremely-competitive nine-horse affair in Saturday’s 17th running of the Grade III, $100,000 Winning Colors presented by Finlandia at Churchill Downs.
The six-furlong Winning Colors is the co-featured event on Saturday’s card along with the $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (GIII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The Winning Colors will go as Race 7.
The Winning Colors field is led by Grade I winners Mia Mischief and Spiced Perfection. Mia Mischief, owned by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, won last year’s $500,000 Distaff (GI) at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old mare by Into Mischief began her 2020 campaign with a 2 ¼-length allowance victory and 4 ½-length win in Oaklawn Park’s $125,000 Carousel Stakes. Asmussen’s go-to rider Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the irons from post No. 8.
Haruya Yoshida’s newly-purchased mare Spiced Perfection will break from post 7 Saturday in her first start with trainer Mark Casse. Spiced Perfection has earned more than $1.2 million in purse earnings, which includes a Grade I score in the $300,000 La Brea for former owners Dare To Dream Stable and trainer Brian Koriner. In 2019, Spiced Perfection was transferred to trainer Peter Miller and scored a hard-fought victory in the $300,000 Madison (GI) for owners Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch. Javier Castellano will have the call in Saturday’s Winning Colors.
The Winning Colors field also includes Klein Racing’s multiple stakes winner Break Even (post 2); Lothenbach Stables $250,000 Raven Run (GII) winner Bell’s the One (post 4); and KMN Racing’s $200,000 Evening Jewel hero Sneaking Out (post 1).
Break Even is cross-entered as a main track-only competitor in Race 9 on Thursday at Churchill Downs.
The complete field for the Winning Colors
1. Sneaking Out, J: Jose Ortiz, T: Jerry Hollendorfer
2. Break Even, J: Joel Rosario, T: Brad Cox
3. Princess Causeway, J: Chris Landeros, T: Ian Wilkes
4. Bell’s the One, J: Corey Lanerie, T: Neil Pessin
5. Unique Factor, J: Florent Geroux, T: Peter Miller
6. Take Charge Angel, J: Julien Leparoux, T: Ben Colebrook
7. Spiced Perfection, J: Javier Castellano, T: Mark Casse
8. Mia Mischief, J: Ricardo Santana Jr., T: Steve Asmussen
9. Lady Suebee, J: Tyler Baze, T: John Sadler
Grade I-winner Hog Creek Hustle tunes up in Friday Allowance
Something Special Racing’s Grade I winner Hog Creek Hustle will attempt to return to top form in a highly-competitive allowance event on Friday at Churchill Downs.
“The Hog,” as he is affectionately known around the stable area, scored a come-from-behind victory in last year’s $400,000 Woody Stephens (GI) at Belmont Park, which gave trainer Vickie Foley her first Grade I win. The now 4-year-old son of Overanalyze will attempt to turn his form around following an eighth-place finish in the $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint (GIII) and a well-beaten third-place effort in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (GII). Hog Creek Hustle is the 4-1 favorite in the main body of the race.
Friday’s Race 7 allowance event drew a solid field of 12 sprinters with four horses on the also eligible list. Among those on the also eligible list is Phoenix Thoroughbred and Three Chimney Farm’s potential future star Volatile, who earned a stout 107 Brisnet Speed Rating in his 7 ½-length allowance win at Oaklawn.
“It’s one of the toughest allowance races I’ve ever seen,” said trainer Wes Hawley, who entered recent Oaklawn Park allowance winner Absolutely Aiden in the seven-furlong event. “I knew it could probably draw a tough field but this is incredibly strong.”
Friday’s card gets underway at 1 p.m. Post time for Race 7 is 4:08 p.m. Free Brisnet past performances can be found on www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping.
Down the stretch at Churchill Downs
The 20-cent single 6 Jackpot was hit on Sunday for the tune of $223,803. The jackpot will start over in Races 5-10 on Monday.
Monday’s card featured a $5,768 carryover in the $1 Super Hi 5. First post was 1 p.m.
Churchill Downs all-time leading trainer Dale Romans held a 737-733 win lead over Steve Asmussen at the start of Monday’s program.
Racing will continue on Thursday at Churchill Downs for a four-day racing week. First post is 1 p.m.
Edited Churchill Downs Press Release
Photo: Beau Recall wins the 2019 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2). Credit: Churchill Downs
