$400K, G3 Pucker Up heads KY Downs Preview Sunday

Jul 28, 2024 Jennie Rees No Comments

PIN UP BETTY LEADS COMPETITIVE FIELD IN GRADE III, $400,000 PUCKER UP STAKES

Ellis Park stakes previews by Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media/Kurtis Coady photo of Pin Up Betty taking Churchill Downs’ Regret Stakes)

HENDERSON, Ky. (Sunday, July 28, 2024) – Three Diamonds Farm’s Regret Stakes (Grade III) winner Pin Up Betty headlines a very competitive field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (GIII), the featured event on Day 2 of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The Pucker Up Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, is part of an all-stakes Late Pick 4 sequence that includes the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed), and $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed). Winners of these races will earn automatic berths to the corresponding events later this summer at Kentucky Downs.

The Pucker Up Stakes will go as Race 9 with a post time of 3:48 p.m. (all times Central), first post is 11:50 a.m.

Pin Up Betty, trained by Mike Maker, won the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs by 1 ½ lengths eight weeks ago. She then shipped to New York for the Belmont Oaks Invitational, finishing fourth, beaten only 2 ¼ lengths by European invader Cinderella’s Dream. Jockey Jaime Torres will ride Pin Up Betty from post No. 6.

Another notable filly in the race is Gary Barber’s private purchase, Mo Fox Givin. Now trained by Mark Casse, Mo Fox Givin was a narrow runner-up in the Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs under Ron Moquett‘s care. Earlier in the season, she almost pulled off a 58-1 upset in the Appalachian Stakes (GII) at Keeneland while trained by Leonard Powell. Jockey Cristian Torres will ride Mo Fox Givin from post 7.

Here is the complete field for the Pucker Up Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Everland (Florent Geroux, Eric Foster)
Kalispera (IRE) (James Graham, Brian Lynch)
Waves of Mischief (Luan Machado, Brendan Walsh)
Hello Hollywood (Jose Ortiz, Brian Lynch)
She’s Fire (Israel Rodriguez, Kevin Rice)
Pin Up Betty (Jaime Torres, Maker)
Mo Fox Givin (Cristian Torres, Casse)
Sanctify (Jareth Loveberry, Hutch Holsapple)
Mont Saint Michel (FR) (Alex Achard, Brendan Walsh)
Adrasteia (Declan Cannon, Fergus Bogle)

The Pucker Up Stakes is the local prep for the Sept. 11 $1.6 million Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational at Kentucky Downs. (Purse money for the Dueling Grounds Oaks is pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. Recently, Kentucky Downs announced the purse increase from $1.5 million to $1.6 million.)

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Ellis Park on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Live, on-site coverage will be provided on TwinSpires and the Ellis Park simulcast signal by racing analyst Joe Kristufek and track announcer Tony Calo.

FanDuel TV will also provide on-site coverage all summer at Ellis Park. Next week, Caton Bredar, Gabby Gaudet and Anthony Pascale will offer fans live reports for Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend.

For the latest information about racing and gaming at Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES PLACED SIEGE OF BOSTON RETURNS TO ELLIS PARK FOR $300,000 KY DOWNS PREVIEW TURF CUP – Allen Stable’s three-time winner and multiple graded stakes placed turf specialist Siege of Boston tops a competitive field of 12 older horses plus two also-eligibles entered in Sunday’s $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Siege of Boston is no stranger to the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup, having finished a fast-closing third last year to Me and Mr. C and Cellist. This year, Siege of Boston seeks redemption in the 1 ¼-mile contest, which will go as Race 10 at 4:17 p.m. First post is 11:50 a.m.

The Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup is one of four stakes contests on Sunday’s card at Ellis Park, awarding the winner an automatic berth to the $2 million Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (GII), run Saturday, Sept. 7. The other stakes on the card include the $400,000 Pucker Up, $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed), and $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed).

Trained by Jimmy Toner, Siege of Boston has been consistent across his 17-race career, with a runner-up finish in the Canadian Turf Cup (GII) at Gulfstream Park and third-place finishes in the River City (GIII) at Churchill Downs and Tampa Bay Stakes (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs. Jockey Jose Ortiz will ship from his summer base at Saratoga to ride Siege of Boston from post No. 5.

Also entered in the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup are three horses from top turf trainer Mike Maker: Flying P Stable’s Camp Hope; Michael Hui and Phil Forte’s Guntown and Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s What Say Thee. Maker won last year’s race with Me and Mr. C.

Two other notable entries in the race are Live Oak Plantation’s stakes winner Win for the Money and Gary Barber’s recent allowance winner Miranda Rights, both trained by Mark Casse. The duo is also entered in Saturday’s $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile.

Here is the complete field for the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Win for the Money (Cristian Torres, Casse)
Anglophile (Declan Cannon, Brian Lynch)
Desert Duke (Carlos Lopez, Chris Hartman)
Highway Robber (Florent Geroux, Brian Lynch)
Siege of Boston (Ortiz, Toner)
Miranda Rights (Luan Machado, Casse)
What Say Thee (Luis Saez, Maker)
Last Samurai (Manny Esquivel, Eddie Milligan Jr.
King Curlin (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg)
Uncle Jake (Axel Concepcion, Carlo Vaccerezza)
Classic Causeway (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
Guntown (Gerardo Corrales, Maker)
AE. Clyde’s Got a Gun (Edgar Morales, Helen Pitts)
AE. Camp Hope (Jaime Torres, Maker)

MODESTY STAKES WINNER FAST AS FLIGHT TAKES ON 13 ACCOMPLISHED FILLIES AND MARES IN $250,000 KY DOWNS PREVIEW LADIES TURF MILE (LISTED) – TEC Racing’s Modesty Stakes (Grade III) winner Fast as Flight is set to ship from Canada to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, where she’ll face 13 accomplished fillies and mares, including recent Anchorage Stakes winner Walkathon, in Sunday’s $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile.

Carded as Race 8, the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile field will go to post at 3:19 p.m. First post on the stakes-laden card is 11:50 a.m.

Sunday’s stellar card features four stakes contests led by the $400,000 Pucker Up (GIII). Also included are the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed) and $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed). Winners of these races will receive automatic berths to their corresponding races at Kentucky Downs, which runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 11.

Fast as Flight, trained by Martin Drexler, shocked the field nearly three months ago with a 20-1 upset in the Modesty Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Overall, the 6-year-old daughter of Air Force Blue has five wins, six seconds, and two thirds from 20 starts, with earnings of $656,104. This will be Fast as Flight’s third start at Ellis Park. Last year, she won the Anchorage Stakes, which was moved from Churchill Downs to Ellis Park. Current leading rider Luan Machado will ride Fast as Flight from post No. 5.

While Fast as Flight won last year’s Anchorage Stakes, she’ll face this year’s winner, Walkathon, on Sunday. Owned by Whitham Thoroughbreds and trained by Ian Wilkes, Walkathon scored her fifth lifetime victory last month, going gate-to-wire in the Anchorage Stakes at Churchill Downs. The multiple graded stakes winner will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post 11.

Here is the complete field for the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Quality Star (Evin Roman, Paulo Lobo)
She’s Lookin Lucky (Axel Concepcion, Matt Shirer)
Regal Realm (Florent Geroux, Jonathan Thomas)
Neverwalkalone (BRZ) (Cristian Torres, Paulo Lobo)
Fast as Flight (Machado, Drexler)
Jill Jitterbug (Manny Esquivel, Ryan Walsh)
Excellent Question (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh)
Get Twisted (Santo Sanjur, Anna Navarrete)
Bolivie (IRE) (Jaime Torres, Brendan Walsh)
Tequilera (Adam Beschizza, Michael Matz)
Walkathon (Hernandez, Wilkes)
Dana’s Beauty (Jose Ortiz, Mike Maker)
Maxisuperfly (Gerardo Corrales, Eric Foster)
Safeen (Jareth Loveberry, Eddie Kenneally)

The $1.5 million Ladies Turf (GIII) is set for Saturday, Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs.

JOE SHIESTY IN THE POCKET FOR $250,000 KY DOWNS PREVIEW TURF SPRINT – Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills and Don Coomes’speedy stakes winner Joe Shiesty is set to face 11 rivals in Sunday’s $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, one of four stakes events at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint will go as Race 7 of 10 with a post time of 2:50 p.m. (all times Central). The Sunday card is the second day of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park, with the winner receiving an automatic berth to the $2 million Turf Sprint, run Saturday, Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs. First post for the stakes-filled program is 11:50 a.m.

Trained locally by Eric Foster, Joe Shiesty scored a powerful 2 ¼-length victory on May 1 in the William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs. Before that race, Joe Shiesty competed primarily on Tapeta at Turfway Park, where he turned heads on Dec. 21 by breaking his maiden by an impressive 12 ¾ lengths. A son of Air Force Blue, Joe Shiesty will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales from post No. 10.

Other notable entrants in the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint include Charles Marquis’ Dade Park Dash winner Bear River; Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Racing Partnership’s multiple stakes winner Coppola and BBN Racing’s Grade III winner Mo Stash.

Here is the complete field for the 5 ½-furlong Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint in post position order (with jockey and trainer):