Ellis Park Derby highlights Sunday’s stakes six-pack

Ellis Park stakes advances and media notes by Kevin Kerstein/Coady Media photo above of Who Dey winning a Churchill Downs allowance last fall

HENDERSON, Ky. (Monday, Aug. 5, 2024) – Maccabee Farm’s accomplished Ohio-bred Who Dey leads a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s seventh running of the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed), the featured event on the stakes-filled 10-race program.

The Ellis Park Derby, run at one mile on the main track, highlights a phenomenal day of racing at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, featuring six stakes contests. The first post is at 11:50 a.m. (all times Central), and the Ellis Park Derby is scheduled as Race 6 at 2:26 p.m.

In addition to the Ellis Park Derby, the card will include the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), the $175,000 Audubon Oaks, the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family, the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile and the $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones.

Trained by Tommy Drury Jr., Who Dey finished a game second to SocietyMan two months ago in the Matt Winn Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs. Before that, Who Dey’s 2024 campaign includes a runner-up effort in the Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland and a fourth-place finish to eventual Preakness Stakes (GI) winner Seize the Grey in the Pat Day Mile (GII). Kentucky Derby-winning rider Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call in the Ellis Park Derby from the rail.

The Ellis Park Derby field also includes Florida Derby (GI) runner-up Catalytic, Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) third-place finisher Stretch Ride and undefeated Most Wanted.

Here is the field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

• Who Dey (Hernandez, Drury)
• Most Wanted (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)
• Not This Boy (Luan Machado, Doug Cowans)
• Give Me a Reason (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)
• Stretch Ride (Martin Chuan, Dale Romans)
• Native Land (Jaime Torres, Riley Mott)
• Catalytic (Luis Saez, Saffie Joseph Jr.)

Sunday’s stellar program at Ellis Park includes an all-stakes Dade Park 6 sequence for the final six races of the card. The 20-cent bet, with a 15% takeout, begins in Race 5, the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones featuring Grade I winner Saudi Crown. Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Ellis Park on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

BLACK EYED SUSAN WINNER TAXED BATTLES RECENT IOWA DISTAFF WINNER MAGICAL LUTE IN GROUPIE DOLL STAKES – A competitive field of 10 fillies and mares has been entered in Sunday’s 43rd running of the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming featuring Richard Bahde’s Black Eyed Susan (GIII) heroine Taxed and Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Iowa Distaff winner Magical Lute.

The Groupie Doll Stakes, which has a storied history at Ellis Park, is scheduled as the final race on the 10-race card, with a post time of 4:17 p.m. The one-mile contest shares the spotlight with the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed), the $175,000 Audubon Oaks, the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family, the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile and the $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones. The first post is at 11:50 a.m.

The competitive cast of 10 fillies and mares in the Groupie Doll is led by the accomplished Taxed, who drew attention as a 3-year-old when she won the Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico after being claimed by Bahde and trainer Randy Morse for $50,000. Now as a 4-year-old, Taxed has two victories this season, both in allowance races, and a third-place finish behind Scylla and Shotgun Hottie in the Fleur de Lis (GII) at Churchill Downs. Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the mount in the Groupie Doll from post No. 3.

Another accomplished filly entered in the Groupie Doll is Ian Wilkes-trained Magical Lute. A daughter of Maclean’s Music, Magical Lute scored a 1 ½-length victory four weeks ago when she won the Iowa Distaff at Prairie Meadows under jockey Chris Landeros. Overall, Magical Lute has four wins from 14 starts with purse earnings of $311,796. Landeros will have the riding assignment for the Groupie Doll from the far-outside post 10.

Here is the complete field for the Groupie Doll Stakes in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

• Mystic Pleasure (Florent Geroux, Rodolphe Brisset)
• Hidden Connection (Cristian Torres, Bret Calhoun)
• Taxed (Hernandez, Morse)
• Pigalle (Luan Machado, Tommy Drury Jr.)
• Musical Mischief (Edgar Morales, Michael McCarthy)
• Be Like Water (Axel Concepcion, Vickie Oliver)
• Fancy (Jaime Torres, Brendan Walsh)
• Take a Stand (Fernando De La Cruz, Vickie Oliver)
• Jersey Pearl (Luis Saez, Darren Miller)
• Magical Lute (Landeros, Wilkes)

GRADE I WINNER SAUDI CROWN RETURNS FOR $150,000 R. A. ‘COWBOY’ JONES – FMQ Stables’ Grade I winner 0Saudi Crown is set to return to action following a four-month layoff, leading a field of 12 horses entered in Sunday’s $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes, run at one mile, will go as Race 5 of 10 with a post time of 1:54 p.m. It is one of six stakes contests on the card, sharing the spotlight with the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed), the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), the $175,000 Audubon Oaks, the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family, and the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile. The first post is 11:50 a.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, the highly regarded Saudi Crown achieved Grade I glory as a 3-year-old in the Pennsylvania Derby (GI), which vaulted him to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). After a disappointing 10th-place finish, Saudi Crown returned victorious as a 4-year-old with a convincing 5 ¾-length score in the Louisiana Stakes (GIII) at Fair Grounds in mid-January. Four weeks later, Saudi Crown shipped to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup (GI), where he finished third to Senior Buscador and Ushba Tesoro. Sunday’s R.A. “Cowboy” Jones will be Saudi Crown’s first start since finishing 12th in the Godolphin Mile (GII) on the undercard of the Dubai World Cup (GI) in late March. Regular rider Florent Geroux will once again pilot the son of Always Dreaming, breaking from post No. 6.

The competitive cast entered in the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones features many horses with stakes-filled back class, including Jon Lapczenski and JIL Stable’s Mr. Wireless; Godolphin’s Prevalence; Michael A. Foster’s Injunction; Eric Grindley,David Miller, Howard Preuss and John Werner’s Three Technique; and Andrew and Rania Warren’s Raise Cain.

Here is the complete field, in order of post position, for the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones (with jockey and trainer):

• Machin Gun Man (Manny Esquivel, Jesus Sanchez)
• Mr. Wireless (Brian Hernandez Jr., Bret Calhoun)
• Prevalence (Cristian Torres, Brendan Walsh)
• Confidence Game (David Cohen, Keith Desormeaux)
• Pipeline (Jaime Torres, Cherie DeVaux)
• Saudi Crown (Geroux, Cox)
• Silver Prospector (Erik Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)
• Injunction (Edgar Morales, Doug Cowans)
• Three Technique (Rafael Bejarano, Jason Cook)
• Raise Cain (Luan Machado, Ben Colebrook)
• Happy American (Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin)
• Big Blue Line (Axel Concepcion, Will Walden)

MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER TARIFA CUTS BACK TO ONE TURN FOR AUDUBON OAKS – Godolphin’s two-time Grade II winner Tarifa is set for her return since finishing ninth three months ago in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) when she leads a field of eight 3-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s fifth running of the $175,000 Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Trained by Brad Cox, Tarifa will compete around one turn in the seven-furlong Audubon Oaks, her first time doing so since she was a 2-year-old. The race is scheduled as the ninth on Sunday’s stakes-filled card, with a post time of 3:48 p.m. The first post is 11:50 a.m.

Sunday’s card at Ellis Park features six stakes contests led by the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed). Along with that race, the program includes the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family, the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, and the $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones.

Tarifa was one of the leaders on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks this winter after winning both the Rachel Alexandra (GII) and Fair Grounds Oaks (GII). In the Kentucky Oaks, Tarifa was well-backed at odds of 5-1 but, after racing wide during the opening stages of the 1 1/8-mile race, finished a well-beaten ninth. Jockey Florent Geroux, who was aboard Tarifa for the first three starts of her career, will have the mount in the Audubon Oaks from the rail.

Here is the field for the Audubon Oaks from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

·        Tarifa (Geroux, Cox)

·        Fibber (Axel Concepcion, Chris Hartman)

·        Nay V Belle (Corey Lanerie, Greg Foley)

·        Tambo (Cristian Torres, Peter Eurton)

·        Reagan’s Flame (Francisco Arrieta, Lindsay Schultz)

·        Mink’s Palace (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally)

·        Merasol Sugar (Jaime Torres, John Ortiz)

·        Adogate (Erik Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)

BASHFORD MANOR WINNER POLITICALLYCORRECT HEADLINES ELLIS PARK JUVENILE – Walmac Farm, Five Fillies Stable and Ryan Ritt’s dominant Bashford Manor Stakes (Listed) winner Politicallycorrect leads a field of seven 2-year-olds entered in Sunday’s ninth running of the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, one of six stakes on the stellar 10-race program at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Trained by Chris Davis, the undefeated Politicallycorrect will stretch out to seven furlongs for the first time in the Ellis Park Juvenile after cruising to victories in a 5 ½ furlong maiden special weight contest and the six-furlong Bashford Manor. A son of Violence, Politically Correct had a tough start in the Bashford Manor when he broke slow and spotted the field nearly eighth lengths in the opening quarter mile. Around the far turn, Politically Correct swept by the pacesetters while remaining mostly in hand by jockey Jose Ortiz. In Sunday’s Ellis Park Juvenile, Luis Saez will pick up the call and break from post No. 4.

Other intriguing 2-year-olds that entered the race include eye-catching Churchill Downs maiden special weight winner Owen Almighty along with Sanford (GIII) third- and fourth-place finishers Three Echoes and Mr. Squeaky Wheels.

Here is the field for the Ellis Park Juvenile from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

·        Heat (Luan Machado, Mark Casse)

·        Charbonnay (Evin Roman, John Ennis)

·        Enduring Spirit (Manny Esquivel, Rafael Ramos)

·        Politicallycorrect (Saez, Davis)

·        Mr. Squeaky Wheels (Axel Concepcion, Adam Rice)

·        Three Echoes (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)

·        Owen Almighty (Cristian Torres, Brian Lynch)

The Ellis Park Juvenile is one of six stakes on the Sunday program. Carded as Race 7 at 2:52 p.m., the other stakes are the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed), the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), the $175,000 Audubon Oaks, the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family, and the $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones. The first post is at 11:50 a.m.

DOMINANT 16 ¾-LENGTH MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT WINNER STILETTOS INVADES KENTUCKY FOR ELLIS PARK DEBUTANTE – Collinsworth Thoroughbred Racing’s eye-catching 16 ¾-length maiden special weight winner Stilettos will invade Kentucky from her home base in Texas to take on nine fellow 2-year-old fillies entered in the seventh running of the $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante presented by the Hudson Family.

Run at seven furlongs, the Ellis Park Debutante is part of a duo of 2-year-old stakes on the program, along with the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile for open company. In total, the 10-race program features six stakes events, led by the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds (Listed) and the $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed). Other stakes include the $175,000 Audubon Oaks and the $150,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones.

Conditioned by Bret Calhoun, Stilettos moved to his Kentucky base following her June 29 romp at Lone Star Park. The Texas-bred daughter of Upstart will be ridden in the Ellis Park Debutante by Brian Hernandez Jr. out of post No. 6.

The field for the Ellis Park Debutante also includes local maiden special weight winners Mrs Worldwide, Rich City Girl and American Woman, along with Churchill Downs maiden special weight heroine Adeera.

There is only one filly in the race with a prior stakes victory on her resume, Patricias Hope’s Shezafunkydrummer. Trained by Larry Rivelli, Sheszafunkydrummer is based at Hawthorne, where she broke her maiden on debut by 4 ½ lengths under David Cohen. One month later, the daughter of Maclean’s Music shipped to Prairie Meadows, where she rallied from just off the pace to win the Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths. Cohen has the call in the Ellis Park Debutante from post No. 8.

Here is the complete field for the Ellis Park Debutante from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

• Into Golden Road (Rayneir Arrieta, Heather Irion)
• Mrs Worldwide (James Graham, Brian Lynch)
• Rich City Girl (Gerardo Corrales, Rivelli)
• Run Camila Run (Agustin Gomez, Anna Decker)
• Baytown Butterfly (Joe Bealmear, Paul McEntee)
• Stilettos (Hernandez, Calhoun)
• Sturgeon Moon (Evin Roman, Paulo Lobo)
• Shezafunkydrummer (Cohen, Rivelli)
• Adeera (Erik Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)
• American Woman (Cristian Torres, Brendan Walsh)

The Ellis Park Debutante will go as Race 8 at 3:19 p.m.

ELLIS PARK HOSTS COMMUNITY DAY ON SATURDAY – Ellis Park Racing & Gaming will host Community Day at the Races for Saturday’s nine-race program featuring a special silent auction with all proceeds going to Friends of Ferdinand, a local non-profit dedicated to horse aftercare.

Among the silent auction items offered will be a complimentary two-day stay at the luxurious Terre Haute Casino Resort. Located just two hours from Ellis Park, the lucky winner can resort to greatness at Terre Haute Casino Resort while staying in a suite at our brand-new luxury hotel along with a $200 dining certificate for the acclaimed Four Cornered Steakhouse.

For more information about community day and additional silent auction items, visit the Ellis Park Racing & Gaming Facebook page.

$50,000 CASH CASE DRAWING HELD AUG. 24 – Get ready for the biggest giveaway in the history of Ellis Park Racing & Gaming on Saturday, Aug. 24 where one lucky winner will take home $50,000 in cold-hard cash.

Players can earn entries by playing their favorite games each day on the gaming floor throughout the month of August

Additional details are available at the promotions counter.