Mercante headlines full field for $250K Ky Downs Preview Mint Millions

Jul 27, 2025 Jennie Rees No Comments

Ellis Park press release by publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media/Madison Becker photo of Mercante winning the G3 Arlington Stakes)

HENDERSON, Ky. (Sunday, July 27, 2025) – Carl Pollard’s stellar homebred Mercante is set to return to action Saturday and face a full field of 12 turf specialists entered in the ninth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile (Listed) – one of three stakes events on the first of two Kentucky Downs Preview Days at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The Ky Downs Mint Millions Turf Mile Preview goes as finale on the 10-race card with a post time of 4:12 p.m. (all times Central), first post is 11:50 a.m.

Along with the Ky Downs Mint Millions Turf Mile Preview, the card also includes the $250,000 Ky Downs Nashville Derby Preview in Race 8 and $250,000 Ky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint Preview in Race 9. The $3 All Turf Pick 3 will comprise all three stakes events.

Mercante, trained by Brian Knippenberg, was a gutsy winner of the Arlington Stakes (Grade III) in late May at Churchill Downs, defeating eventual Wise Dan (GII) winner Brilliant Berti by a neck. Prior to his win in the Arlington Stakes, Mercante won the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII) at Turfway Park and finished second by three-quarters of a length to Spirit of St Louis in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day. Jockey Joe Ramos will have the call Saturday and break from post No. 2.

Among Mercante’s rivals include Lael Stables’ Fair Grounds Stakes (GIII) winner and Wise Dan runner-up Taking Candy; Godolphin’s Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial winner Encino;Perry Martin’s Steve Sexton Mile (GIII) winner Komorebino Omoide (JPN) and Michael Ivarone, Jules Ivarone, Carrie Brogden, Kevin Pollard, Ed Gorry and David Menard’s Gulfstream Park Mile (GII) winner Steal Sunshine.

The full lineup for the Ky Downs Mint Millions Turf Mile Preview from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Taking Candy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Cherie DeVaux)
Mercante (Ramos, Knippenberg)
Ocelot (David Cabrera, Tristan Ashford)
Aspenite (Erik Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)
Best Actor (Mario Gutierrez, Ed Moger Jr.)
Encino (Luan Machado, Brad Cox)
Green Light (Tyler Gaffalione, Rodolphe Brisset)
Beach Gold (Keith Asmussen, Patrick Biancone)
Komorebino Omoide (JPN) (Ramon Vazquez, Robertino Diodoro)
Epic Ride (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)
Quatrocento (Julien Leparoux, Fausto Gutierrez)
Steal Sunshine (Rafael Bejarano, Bobby Dibona)

The winner of Saturday’s race will receive an automatic berth into the Mint Millions, run on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs.

For more information, visit www.ellisparkowensborogaming.com.

NATIVE RUNNER SEEKS FIRST STAKES VICTORY IN KY DOWNS PREVIEW NASHVILLE DERBY – Calumet Farm’s American Derby (Listed) runner-up Native Runner seeks his first stakes victory in an uber-competitive cast of nine 3-year-olds entered in the fourth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby Saturday at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The field for the Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby will go to post in Race 8 of 10 with a post time of 3:12 p.m. (all times Central). First post is 11:50 a.m.

Breaking from post No. 4 in the 1 1/8-mile turf contest, Native Runner finished a half-length behind Minaret Station in last month’s American Derby at Churchill Downs. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Native Runner is a three-time winner from nine starts including a first-level allowance score in early June at Churchill Downs. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount.

Other notable entries in the race include trainer Brad Cox’s duo of allowance winner Emergence and American Derby fourth-place finisher Siesta Key; Audubon Stakes (Listed) third-place finisher Tomasello and recent local allowance winner Yinzer.

The field for the Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Mesero (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans)
Yinzer (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)
I Know I Know (Julien Leparoux, Patrick Biancone)
Native Runner (Hernandez, McPeek)
Esmark (Luan Machado, Vicki Oliver)
Coalmoon (Joe Ramos, Paulo Lobo)
Emergence (Tyler Gaffalione, Cox)
Tomasello (Fernando De La Cruz, Mark Casse)
Siesta Key (Florent Geroux, Cox)

The winner of Saturday’s race will receive an automatic berth to the Nashville Derby (GIII), held Saturday, Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs.

GRADED STAKES WINNER IRISH MAXIMA SET FOR TURF DEBUT IN KY DOWNS PREVIEW LADIES TURF SPRINT – Irish Three Racing’s Grade III winner Irish Maxima is set to make her turf debut against a competitive cast of nine fillies and mares that entered in Saturday’s seventh running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint at Ellis Park Racing and Gaming.

Run at 5 ½ furlongs, the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint will go as Race 9 of 10 with a post time of 3:42 p.m. (all times Eastern). The card will also include the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Mint Millions Mile (Listed) and $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby. First post is 11:50 a.m.

Trained by John Servis, Irish Maxima is an eight-time winner from 12 starts, with notable victories in the Distaff Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct and Barbara Fritchie Stakes (Listed) at Laurel. The daughter of Maximus Mischief will be ridden by Axel Concepcion from the rail.

Chief among her rivals in the race include Gentry Farms’ multiple stakes winner Accomplished Girl; Godolphin’s Pea Patch Stakes runner-up Pondering and G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s four-time winner Bling, who finished third in this race last year.

The complete field for the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):