Despite lack of turf racing, field size remains robust

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – No turf hasn’t necessarily equated to small fields. Three straight allowances on the final Friday of the Churchill Downs spring meet all have some bulk to them, obscuring the effects of what has transpired here in recent weeks with the cancellation of turf racing.

An exorbitant purse structure is a major factor as to why horsemen have forged ahead with their Churchill entries, and the Friday co-features are good examples. Depth is a good thing as far as bettors are concerned, and these competitive lineups will make for spirited wagering as an 11-race card reaches its apex in late afternoon.

First post Friday, and through the holiday weekend, is 12:45 p.m. Eastern. The 42-day meet runs through Monday.

Race 8

Hot and Sultry and Downtown Abby both can boast 89 Beyer Speed Figures from maiden wins, while Khuluq and Golden Sights both were second in stakes company in their respective last outs. They’re all potential threats in a field of eight fillies and mares going a one-turn mile in this firstlevel allowance with a $127,000 purse.

Golden Sights, with Florent Geroux riding for Brad Cox, has gone unraced more than six months.

“She got ready pretty quick after getting the winter off,” Cox said. “It seems like she’s grown and developed from 2 to 3. Running her a mile against older horses, she might need this, but it seemed like the right opportunity to get her started back.”

Race 9

Olga Isabel stuck around in Kentucky after a maiden victory early on the May 6 Kentucky Oaks card while stabled at the Thoroughbred training center in Lexington for Gustavo Delgado, who otherwise is based in Florida. The daughter of Tiznow turned back an odds-on favorite, Inventing, in that breakthrough score and would seem to rate a solid chance eight weeks later as one of 11 3-year-old fillies in this $127,000 first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles.

Kenny McPeek has two of the top challengers in Runaway Wife and Mama Rina, while last-out winners Delightful Symphony and Colorful Mischief also figure to draw tote attention.

Race 10

The second-through-seventh finishers behind Injunction in a common June 5 race are rematched in this $134,000, second-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles, with none of them having done enough thus far to establish themselves as an obvious favorite here.

Scarlet Fusion, runner-up at 37-1 when last they all met, will have to prove that effort was no fluke breaking from post 1 in an oversubscribed lineup of older horses. The most interesting newcomer is Royal Act, a California shipper who was second to Thousand Words nearly 2 1/2 years ago in the Robert Lewis Memorial.

Olympiad on the scene

Olympiad arrived Tuesday morning at Churchill following an overnight van ride from Saratoga and will be one of the favorites for the Grade 2 Stephen Foster, which anchors closing weekend as one of five Saturday stakes.

Olympiad will be risking a perfect 2022 slate when facing the Brad Cox duo of Mandaloun and Caddo River in the $750,000 Foster, a Win and You’re In event toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. At least seven older horses were expected when entries for the 1 1/8-mile Foster and all other Saturday races were drawn Wednesday.

Since winning the Grade 2 Alysheba here May 6, Olympiad has been at Saratoga with Riley Mott, son of and assistant to trainer Bill Mott. The 4-yearold Speightstown colt is 4 for 4 this year.

“He’s really been thriving since his last race,” the younger Mott said.

The balance of the field was expected to include Americanrevolution, Last Samurai, Proxy, and Title Ready.

The 41st Foster will be the focus of a two-hour broadcast (4-6 p.m. Eastern) on NBC. A 50 percent chance of rain and a high temperature of 85 are in the local forecast for Saturday.

The other Saturday stakes are the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, Kelly’s Landing, American Derby, and Tepin. All will be run on the main track, with the Grade 2 Wise Dan being put on hiatus given the cancellation of all turf racing.

Five more stakes are scheduled for the last two days. Two new races, the Maxfield and Anchorage, will be run Sunday, followed Monday by the Hanshin and the 2-year-old twins, the Bashford Manor and Debutante.