ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, MOM’S ON STRIKE

FIRST RACE

The final day of the Kentucky Downs meet gets underway with a race for $40,000 claimers, a spot where graded winner GRANNY’S KITTEN gets the edge. His best days are no doubt behind him, but he should appreciate a class drop and he starts for Mike Maker, the all-time leading trainer at Kentucky Downs. Another old class horse, CHOCOLATE RIDE, has been active this summer, unlike GRANNY’S KITTEN, who has been away since April, but having gone unplaced in two prior Kentucky Downs starts, that raises a concern that perhaps he is not fond of this unique course; still rates as the second selection given his accomplishments and winning connections. AUBENAS hasn’t run a step in two U.S. starts after being an honest performer in France; suspect he is better than he showed when sixth over yielding ground at Saratoga last out when away for a year.

SECOND RACE

PLUS QUE PARFAIT and LAKE NAKURU need some luck to start - having landed on the also-eligible list - but figure prominently if they get a chance to run. Both come off encouraging debuts in longer grass races at Ellis Park, with PLUS QUE PARFAIT running third behind next-out Kentucky Downs stakes winner Henley’s Joy and LAKE NAKURU pressing the pace and holding second behind Pole Setter, a colt subsequently sixth in a stake here. Of those in the body of the field, first timers JERSEY AGENDA and BLOCKBUSTER merit attention, as does dirt-to-turf mover NO PICTURE CHARLIE. ‘AGENDA excites the most of those, having been seemingly bought back by his breeder for $250,000 at OBS in April, a sale at which he worked a furlong in 10 seconds flat; is out of a full sister to multiple Grade 1 turf winner Riskaverse.

THIRD RACE

HEMBREE figures to draft right behind the speed in this seven-furlong sprint, and pounce in the lane. He followed up a first-level allowance win at Belmont with a close fourth at Saratoga in which he lost by less than two lengths; back on less than two weeks rest after a ship from New York, however. Stakes dropper SONIC BOOM was a five-length maiden winner on this course in a maiden sprint in 2016, though he bombed here last year in failing to beat a horse in the Franklin Simpson. He has faltered over his last five starts, though some of his struggles have seemed at times the result of unfavorable circumstances, such as running just five-eighths or getting hung wide. COMMUTE was second here earlier in the meet under similar circumstances, showing the way before getting outkicked by Vici, who returned with a third in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint. That noted, COMMUTE wasn’t a whole lot better than the rest, finishing just a length in front of SHARM EL SHEIKH, for example.

FOURTH RACE

Filled with numerous first-timers and many lightly-

raced horses untested on turf, the fourth race is tricky to evaluate... ultimately gave the edge to LES

BIZ, though she lacks grass experience. She rates on top based on the strength of her debut, when she set the pace before fading to third behind Into Trouble, winner of Saturday’s Arlington-Washington Lassie. A half-sister to multiple stakes-winning synthetic performer Royal Son, LES BIZ sold well earlier this year for $335,000 at OBS. FORTUNATE

GIRL was outrun in her only start, though when debuting in an off-the-grass maiden race at Saratoga. The mere fact she taken to the Spa by trainer Mark Casse indicates she is held in high regard.

BOXWOOD pressed the pace before tiring late to be third in a turf route at Indiana Downs, and may appreciate a cutback in distance.

FIFTH RACE

PETER’S KITTEN, twice second in as many starts, missed by less than a length most recently at Saratoga - a particularly encouraging effort in light of a disadvantageous trip in which she was hung wide. PERFECT PITCH set the pace in that same Aug. 15 race at Saratoga before fading to seventh. She is a logical candidate to improve following the experience she gained in that debut race. PAIGELY was the runner-up on debut in a fast race at Ellis Park, but was well beaten by stablemate Pachinko, who aside from winning that day, has a long history of underachieving.

SIXTH RACE

ENGLISH DANCER has rattled off three straight victories, winning a couple from just off the pace on turf and another on the lead in the mud; unplaced in two prior starts at Kentucky Downs, though a fourth here when she debuted in 2016 was respectable. BRIDALED TEMPER is the one to beat, a filly that missed by just a head last out at Ellis Park and who had been fourth in a stake over the summer at Arlington; second as the favorite at Kentucky Downs once previously back in the fall of last year. CAUSE ME GRIEF was a popular filly at the claims box up in New York this summer, getting haltered in consecutive races, first for $32,000 at Belmont Park July 12 and then on the rise to $40,000 at Saratoga Aug. 10. She ran third in each of those starts, and now Asmussen gives her a shot for a lucrative payday in this allowance.

SEVENTH RACE

With those that have started not shown much to encourage, this maiden race looks ripe for a firsttime starter to win. So debuting runners take the 1-2-3 spots in the selections. ZALIA gets top billing, having breezed nicely and being a nicely bred daughter of the late, great Scat Daddy and out of a dam that was graded placed on turf. LADY LEAH and BACKFLASH are other capable first-timers, going for Maker and Asmussen, respectively. ‘LEAH has been the faster worker of the two, though BACKFLASH should not be discounted for Asmussen, whose youngsters are regularly well prepared.

EIGHTH RACE

ANGASTON jumped up when moved to the grass in the spring, winning two consecutive allowances at Churchill and narrowly missing in another. His latest - a sixth at Ellis Park - was not on par with those races, though he still ran solidly to lose by just 2 1/2 lengths to older stakes horses; now with 3-year-old turf sprinters and well suited. FUNNY DUCK, who lit up the tote on Derby Day with an upset in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile in the slop, moves back to the grass - where he raced from October through April. After getting outrun in graded stakes on fast surfaces, this seems like an opportune spot to go back to the turf; battle tested and at least based on his effort in the Pat Day Mile, fond of one-turn races. BATTLE STATION is an honest sort, a stakes winner in New York-bred company on dirt that has also been first or second in three starts in turf sprints.

NINTH RACE

Grade 3 Bewitch winner MOM’S ON STRIKE was no match for TRICKY ESCAPE in the off-the-turf Waya at Saratoga Aug. 12, but never seemed comfortable on the dirt. She was placed in an early drive to pull alongside TRICKY ESCAPE before that one scampered away when asked in the lane. Horseplayers should expect her to return to peak form in the Ramsey Farm. TRICKY ESCAPE capitalized on the conditions in the Waya, though she is a classy filly regardless of surface. She won a Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial at Delaware in July, and was a fine second in this race last year to Kitten’s Roar, a filly that would go on to run second in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor a start later. LOTTIE spun her wheels even more than ‘MOM in the Waya, running third, and only by default in a four-horse field. She has proven her quality on the grass with graded placings, and now receives a four-pound weight break from the top two.

TENTH RACE

The Kentucky Downs meet concludes with a starter going 1 1/2 miles. STRATTON has already won a race like this one, taking the 1 7/8 Hasta La Vista Handicap at Turf Paradise back in May. A couple starts since at Canterbury were useful considering the circumstances - a second in a starter going 7 1/2 furlongs and a close eighth in a stake, also going a too short mile. PURELY BOY keeps on chugging along at age 9, winning four races this year from nine starts, though all four of those wins this year have come on Polytrack. He is no stranger to success on turf over his long career, as reflected by his 11 for 23 on record on the lawn. MANSOOR and HUSKY CLIPPER were a neck apart when second and first, respectively, in an Aug. 4 starter at Belterra Park. MANSOOR drew the better of the two on Thursday, drawing post one, while HUSKY CLIPPER is hung outside.