FRANKLIN, Ky. (Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024) — The field is set for Kentucky Downs’ landmark DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational, with its $3.1 million purse for Kentucky-breds and $1.9 million for other horses.
A capacity twelve 3-year-olds were entered today for next Saturday’s 1 5/16-mile turf stakes, with another two invited on as also-eligibles with the opportunity to run if there are scratches. The Grade 3 DK Horse Nashville Derby is carded as the eighth of 11 races, with an approximate post time of 4:16 p.m. Central.
In addition, next Saturday’s card includes the $1.5 million Exacta Systems Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs and $1.5 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3) at a mile. Both attracted overflow fields, as did 10 of the 11 races on Saturday’s program. First post is 12:25 p.m. Central.
“Huge shout out to the horsemen and our racing office,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ Vice President of Racing. “Our goal is to improve every year, and I’d say we’re achieving that mission. What’s really gratifying is how geographically diverse these stakes fields are, with horses coming from all over, including from Europe.”
Kentucky Downs’ seven-day all-turf meet runs Aug. 29, 31 and Sept. 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11. Reserved seating can be purchased at themintkentuckydowns.com/tickets, with free general admission and tailgating at the top of the stretch.
For Kentucky-breds, the DK Horse Nashville Derby will be America’s second richest race, behind only the $5 million Kentucky Derby, among stakes held at one track. The $1.9 million base purse itself is the most lucrative turf stakes in North America outside three Breeders’ Cup races.
Three New York horses figure to be the Nashville Derby favorites: Carson’s Run, winner of the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby in his last start for trainer Christophe Clement; Belmont Derby (G1) runner-up White Palomino, scratched by Chad Brown out of the postponed Saratoga Derby to await this race; and the Shug McGaughey-trained Cugino, Churchill Downs’ impressive Audubon winner who missed the Saratoga Derby with an untimely temperature.
Kentucky is presented by Cameo Performance and Abrumar, 1-2 finishers in Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby. Lagynos was second by a neck in Saratoga’s Hall of Fame (G2) in his last start after collecting a second, two thirds and a fourth in Kentucky stakes in his prior turf starts.
Rothschild, third in the Oceanside in his only start this year, ships in from California for trainer Tim Yakteen. Rothschild finished 2023 with a second by a neck in Del Mar’s Cecil B. DeMille (G3) in his turf debut.
The Nashville Derby had three changes to the original invitations extended, and the 1 5/16-mile stakes will now have three European-based horses with the addition of Sea the Thunder (GB) for British-based trainer Ralph Beckett. Sea the Thunder joins original invitees Stromberg (GB) for Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien and Bellum Justum (IRE) for Britain’s Andrew Balding. If their accomplishments seem light compared with their American competitors, they have more experience at longer distances and could be horses benefiting from the firmer Kentucky Downs turf.
The new invitees include the Wesley Ward-trained Navy Seal (IRE), second in a Saratoga allowance race in his last start, and the Todd Pletcher-trained Nomos, second in Delaware’s 1 3/8-mile Kent. El Matador and Hamilton’s Way are on the also-eligible list and can run if there are scratches.
The $1.5 million Exacta Systems Ladies Sprint (G2) attracted a sensational field, including the first, second and fourth-place finishers of Saratoga’s Grade 3 Caress: Dontlookbackatall, Danse Macabre and Secret Money.
The Caress was the Clement-trained Dontlookbackatall’s third straight stakes win, giving her an overall turf record of 5-4-0 in 11 starts. Danse Macabre (trainer Kelsey Danner) rallied to take the lead late only to be nailed on the wire at Saratoga. Secret Money (Brendan Walsh) was making her move when she found herself in tight at the sixteenth pole, settling for fourth by a total of a half-length.
Secret Money won last year’s Music City (now a Grade 2) at Kentucky Downs, with Danse Macabre second that day after capturing Kentucky Downs’ Untapable at age 2.
Awesome Treat earned a spot in the starting gate by winning Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint at 25-1 odds. Second in a photo was Red Carpet Ready, a multiple graded-stakes winner on dirt who was making her turf debut at Ellis with the Ladies Sprint the target.
California-based Richard Baltas brings the 4-year-old filly Ag Bullet, who is 5 for 6 on turf, including winning Santa Anita’s Grade 3 Monrovia. Also from the West Coast: Ruby Nell and Elm Drive.
Bling, third in the Ellis prep by a total of a neck, was third in last year’s Music City. Also in the body of the race are Kaufymaker, Ocean Club and Moon Ray. The field is so strong that Chicago-based Oeuvre, whose16 wins include a Kentucky Downs allowance race last year, is on the also-eligible list.
The Ladies Sprint is run as the ninth race, with an approximate post of 4:50 p.m. Central.
Multiple graded-stakes winner and millionaire Fluffy Socks, part of trainer Chad Brown’s deep arsenal of female turf milers and distance horses, escapes her talented stablemates to run in the Kentucky Downs’ Ladies Turf as she returns to the site of her first win four years ago.
Last year’s Ladies Turf winner Regal Realm is back. If she’s been a bit disappointing in her two starts this year, trainer Jonathan Thomas designed them as a means to getting back to Kentucky Downs after a long layoff. Thomas also entered New York’s Perfect Sting winner Mouffy, also owned by Augustin Stable.
The overflow field includes Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf winner Walkathon, a multiple graded-stakes winner who is 6 for 13 on turf. Other graded-stakes winners in the field include last year’s runner-up Sparkle Blue, her Graham Motion-trained stablemate Mission of Joy, Nadette, Implicated, Evvie Jets and Turnerloose (winner of the 2021 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies). Stakes-winner Spirit and Glory, Sacred Wish rounds out the field.
The Ladies Turf goes off as the 10th race, with an approximate post of 5:24 p.m. Central.
Note: Trainer Larry Rivelli entered One Timer in a $220,000 allowance (the third race) for horses that have not won a stakes on turf this year. One Timer was second on a head bob in last year’s Ainsworth Turf Sprint (G2) a year after taking the Franklin-Simpson (G2 then, now a G1). Rivelli said the 5-year-old gelding, who has raced only once this year, could run back in a week in the Turf Sprint, or he could scratch out of the allowance race. The allowance race drew a field of nine, Saturday’s only race that didn’t attract more than 12 horses.