A look at Sunday’s Ky Downs Preview stakes quartet

Jul 28, 2025 Jennie Rees No Comments

Ellis Park stakes previews by publicist Kevin Kerstein. Coady Media photo of Destino d’Oro winning a Churchill Downs allowance race)

Video: Eric Foster talks about Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint contender Joe Shiesty

HENDERSON, Ky. (Monday, July 28, 2025) – Steve Landers Racing’s emerging 3-year-old Destino d’Oro will face nine fellow 3-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (Grade III), the featured event on Day 2 of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Run as Race 9 at 1 1/8 miles on turf, the Pucker Up field will go to post at 3:42 p.m. (all times Central), first post is 11:50 a.m.

The Pucker Up anchors an all-stakes Late Pick 4 that begins with the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), continues with the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed) and concludes with the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed).

Trained by Brad Cox, Destino d’Oro made an eye-catching return to action last month at Churchill Downs with a last-to-first score in a first-level allowance contest. The daughter of Bolt d’Oro began her career with a 2 ¼-length debut win last fall at Kentucky Downs, then finished a close third as the 8-5 favorite in the Jessamine Stakes (GII) at Keeneland behind May Day Ready and Totally Justified. Luan Machado will have the mount in the Pucker Up from post No. 3.

Among her challengers is Claiborne Farm’s homebred Admit, who won a mid-June allowance at Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Drury Jr. The consistent filly made noise over the winter at Turfway Park, winning back-to-back starts before finishing second in the Cincinnati Trophy and third in the Bourbonette Oaks (Listed). Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call from post 8.

Flying Dutchmen’s Hereforagoodtime, trained by Brendan Walsh, will seek her first graded stakes win following a third-place effort in the Regret Stakes (GIII) in late May at Churchill Downs. A two-time winner, Hereforagoodtime will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 10.

The complete lineup for the Pucker Up Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Liam in the Dust (Cristian Torres, Rodolphe Brisset, 15-1)
Drop the Hammer (Jaime Torres, Mike Maker, 15-1)
Destino d’Oro (Machado, Cox, 3-1)
Princess Attitude (Axel Concepcion, Vicki Oliver, 9-2)
Fixin to Bee (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II, 10-1)
Just Ruthless (Gabe Saez, Destin Heath, 20-1)
Deloraine (Rafael Bejarano, Eoin Harty, 10-1)
Admit (Hernandez, Drury, 7-2)
Nosleeptilbrooklyn (Declan Cannon, Brian Lynch, 20-1)
Hereforagoodtime (Gaffalione, Walsh, 4-1)

The winner of Sunday’s Pucker Up Stakes will receive a free berth, including entry and starting fees, into the Dueling Grounds Oaks (GIII), held Wednesday, Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.

For more information about Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkowensborogaming.com or follow Ellis Park on all social media channels.

HIGHWAY ROBBER RETURNS FOR KY DOWNS PREVIEW TURF CUP DEFENSE –Susan and Jim Hill’s Highway Robber is set to defend his title in Sunday’s seventh running of the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), one of four stakes contests on a stellar day of racing at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

*Highway Robber winning last year’s Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup at Ellis Park. Coady Media photo*

Run at 1 ¼ miles on turf, the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup will kick off an all-stakes Late Pick 4 sequence in Race 7 that also includes the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed) (Race 8), the $400,000 Pucker Up (Grade III) (Race 9) and the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed) (Race 10). First post for the spectacular day of racing is 11:50 a.m. (all times Central), with the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup field going to post at 2:42 p.m.

Highway Robber, trained by Brian Lynch, won this race last year then went on to finish second by a half-length in the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (GII). Following his runner-up effort at Kentucky Downs, Highway Robber scored a thrilling nose victory in the Sycamore Stakes (GIII) in early October at Keeneland. To begin his 5-year-old campaign, Highway Robber finished a disappointing seventh in the Dubai City of Gold Stakes (GII) at Meydan. After returning to North America, Highway Robber finished third in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) then second in the Chorleywood Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs. Jockey Cristian Torres will have the call in Sunday’s race and break from the rail.

Among Highway Robber’s rivals in the race include two of his stablemates: Michael Paradis‘ three-time winning millionaire Anglophile and Frankly Speaking‘s William L. McKnight (GIII) winner Dashman.

Anglophile, who finished third in this race last year, was third in the Elkhorn (GII) and second in the Man o’ War (GII) as part of his continuing 5-year-old campaign. Declan Cannon has the mount out of post 7.

Dashman has been away from the races since his victory in the William L. McKnight in late January. A 4-year-old son of Oscar Performance, Dashman broke his maiden at Ellis Park last year. He’ll break from post 9 with Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle.

The field for the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Highway Robber (Torres, Lynch, 9-5)
Verstappen (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 4-1)
Multitask (Rafael Bejarano, Eoin Harty, 20-1)
Sugoi (Luan Machado, Mike Maker, 10-1)
Clyde’s Got a Gun (Edgar Morales, Helen Pitts-Blasi, 15-1)
Tapit Shoes (Mario Gutierrez, Ed Moger Jr., 20-1)
Anglophile (Cannon, Lynch, 9-2)
Quatrocento (Julien Leparoux, Fausto Gutierrez, 12-1)
Dashman (Hernandez, Lynch, 6-1)
Ole Crazy Bone (Jaime Torres, Mike Maker, 15-1)

The winner of Sunday’s race will receive a free entry to the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (GII), held Saturday, Sept. 6.

SIMPLY IN FRONT TOPS FIELD OF NINE IN KY DOWNS PREVIEW LADIES TURF MILE – Colebrook Farms’ Longies Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II) winner Simply in Front will face eight rivals in Sunday’s eighth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, part of a quartet of stakes on Day 2 of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend.

Simply in Front winning last year’s Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs. Coady Media photo

Run at one mile on the turf, the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile is the second leg of an all-stakes Late Pick 4 at Ellis Park. The sequence begins in Race 7 with the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), continues in Race 9 with the $400,000 Pucker Up (Grade III) and concludes with the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed) in Race 10. First post is 11:50 a.m. (all times Central), with the Ladies Turf Mile scheduled for 3:12 p.m.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Simply in Front scored a shocking 15-1 upset victory in the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day. The 4-year-old daughter of Summer Front boasts a record of 13-4-3-0 with earnings of more than $1.8 million. In addition to her win this spring, she captured last year’s Music City Stakes (GII) at Kentucky Downs. She will break from the rail Sunday with jockey Luan Machado aboard.

Chief among her challengers is William Pacella, Nancy Delony and Frank Shoop’s homebred Pharoah’s Wine. Trained by Dale Romans, Pharoah’s Wine was the runner-up in last year’s Valley View Stakes (GII) at Keeneland, finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind Poolside With Slim. The 4-year-old enters Sunday’s race off back-to-back allowance victories during the Churchill Downs Spring Meet with jockey Corey Lanerie in the irons. The veteran rider retains the mount Sunday from post 6.

The field for the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Simply in Front (Machado, Kenneally, 3-1)
Amber Cascade (Nik Juarez, Mike Maker, 10-1)
Waves of Mischief (Edgar Morales, Brendan Walsh, 8-1)
Summerintahoe (Julien Leparoux, Michael Ann Ewing, 30-1)
Irish Maxima (Jaime Torres, John Servis, 6-1)
Pharoah’s Wine (Lanerie, Romans, 5-2)
Austere (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 5-1)
Sanctify (Gabe Saez, Hutch Holsapple, 20-1)
She’s Lookin Lucky (Brian Hernandez Jr., Matt Shirer, 9-2)

The winner of Sunday’s Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile will receive an automatic berth, which includes entry and starting fees, to the Ladies Turf (GIII), held Saturday, Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs.

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF SPRINT WINNER NOBALS BRINGS BIG RESUME TO KY DOWNS PREVIEW TURF SPRINT – Patricia’s Hope‘s 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade I) winner Nobals headlines a highly-competitive field of 12 horses entered in Sunday’s eighth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint will go as Race 10 at 4:12 p.m. (all times Eastern). It concludes an all-stakes Late Pick 4 that also includes the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed) and the $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (Grade III). First post is 11:50 a.m.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, Nobals has a decorated resume with nine stakes victories, including his Breeders’ Cup triumph at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old turf sprinter also won the 2023 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII), 2023 Da Hoss Stakes and added the 2024 Kennedy Road Stakes (GII) last season. Nobals will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post No. 7.

Chief among his rivals is the speedy Joe Shiesty, named after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Owned by Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills and Don Coomes, the Eric Foster trainee returned from a five-month layoff with a front-running score in the Mighty Beau Stakes (Listed) in June at Churchill Downs. As a 3-year-old, Joe Shiesty also captured the William Walker Stakes (Listed) by 2 ¼ lengths. Luan Machado, aboard for his victory in last month’s Mighty Beau, will ride from post 3.

The loaded field of turf sprinters also includes Sonata Stable’s eight-time winning millionaire Arzak; Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Partnerships’ 11-time winner Coppola and Ron Dowdy’s Charcoal, who pulled a shocking 26-1 upset in this race a year ago.

The field for the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint in order of post position (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Coppola (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dale Romans, 9-2)
Mo Stash (Edgar Morales, Vicki Oliver, 15-1)
Joe Shiesty (Machado, Foster, 5-1)
Go Captain (Corey Lanerie, Lonnie Briley, 30-1)
Chiseler (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg, 30-1)
Double Clutch (Axel Concepcion, Rusty Arnold II, 20-1)
Nobals (Gaffalione, Rivelli, 5-2)
High Front (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen, 20-1)
Bal a Kazoo (Joe Ramos, Bob Gorham, 30-1)
Arzak (Jaime Torres, Mike Trombetta, 3-1)
Charcoal (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Tracey Wisner, 15-1)
Bear River (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 15-1)

The winner of Sunday’s Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint will receive a free berth, including entry and starting fees, to the Turf Sprint Stakes (GII), held Saturday, Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs.

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