Nothing fake about Turfway’s Synthetic Championships: Four stakes totaling $1M, 51 entries!
Stakes previews by Turfway Park publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photo above of Howard Wolowitz winning last year’s Holiday Cheer)
FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025) – Godolphin’s Grade III winner Encino is set to make his return to Turfway Park Racing & Gaming where he’ll face an oversubscribed field of 12 plus one also-eligible entered in next Saturday’s 30th running of the $250,000 Prairie Bayou (Listed), part of a stakes quartet for the Synthetic Championships.
The Synthetic Championships, which features four stakes contests worth a combined $1 million in purses, is the highlight of the Turfway Park Holiday Meet. First post is 5:55 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the one-mile Prairie Bayou going as Race 8 at 9:25 p.m.
Along with the Prairie Bayou, the night also includes the $250,000 Holiday Cheer, the $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm and the $250,000 My Charmer presented by Claiborne Farm. A total of 51 horses were entered for the stakes quartet, an average of 12.75 per race.
Encino, trained by Brad Cox, returns to the Tapeta at Turfway Park where he scored a one-length victory in last year’s John Battaglia Memorial (Listed). Following that race, Encino was a gate-to-wire winner of the Lexington (GIII) at Keeneland but an injury forced him to the sidelines for the remainder of his 3-year-old campaign. Now as a 4-year-old, Encino’s resume includes victories in the Jonathan B Schuster Memorial at Horseshoe Indianapolis and the Presque Isle Mile at Presque Isle Downs. Jockey Flavien Prat has the mount in Saturday’s affair and will exit post No. 12.
Chief among Encino’s rivals is Bloom Racing Stable and True North Stable’s Dresden Row, who finished second in last year’s Prairie Bayou. Trained in Canada by Lorne Richards, Dresden Row scored a 1 ¾-length victory last month in the Autumn Stakes (GIII) at Woodbine. A 4-year-old son of Lord Nelson, Dresden Row has won six of 15-career starts with other notable victories coming in the 2024 Ontario Derby (GIII) and Durham Cup (GIII). Regular rider Ryan Munger will be in the saddle and exit post 5.
The Prairie Bayou field also includes Qatar Racing, Fergus Galvin and Marc Detampel’s stakes winner Cameo Performance. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Cameo Performance finished third in the Autumn Stakes, defeated 1 ¾ lengths. Prior to that start, Cameo Performance finished third in the Muniz Memorial (GII) at Fair Grounds and third in the Tapit Stakes (Listed) at Kentucky Downs. His lone stakes victory comes as a 3-year-old when he won the Dueling Grounds Derby Preview at Ellis Park. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call in the Prairie Bayou and will break from post 3.
The field for the Prairie Bayou in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):
- Wagstaff (Orlando Bocachica, Paul McEntee)
- Horsepower (Samuel Marin, Joe Orseno)
- Cameo Performance (Ortiz, Walsh)
- Theismann (Danny Sheehy, Peter Eurton)
- Dresden Row (Munger, Richards)
- Best Actor (Rodolfo Guerra, Ed Moger Jr.)
- Quatrocento (Julien Leparoux, Fausto Gutierrez)
- Henro (Joe Ramos, Chris Hartman)
- Otago (Adam Beschizza, Kelsey Danner)
- Chiron (Gabe Saez, Richie Estvanko)
- Surly Furious (Luan Machado, Glenn Wismer)
- Encino (Prat, Cox)
- AE. Naptown (Victor Carrasco, Jose Magana)
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Turfway Park onwww.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Racing analyst Geoff Riggs will be on the simulcast signal to talk horseplayers through Saturday’s Synthetic Championships and Tony Calo will call all the action.
Fans can also watch each race from Turfway Park on FanDuel TV.
HOWARD WOLOWITZ RETURNS TO DEFEND TITLE IN $250,000 HOLIDAYCHEER – Gold Square’s talented sprinter Howard Wolowitz is set to defend his title against an over-subscribed field of 14 horses that were entered in next Saturday’s 30thrunning of the $250,000 Holiday Cheer, one of four stakes races during the Synthetic Championships at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Run at six furlongs, the Holiday Cheer will go as the ninth race on the 10-race card with a post time of 9:55 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 5:55 p.m. Along with the Holiday Cheer, the program also includes the $250,000 Prairie Bayou (Listed), $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm and the $250,000 My Charmer presented by Claiborne Farm.
Trained by Jose D’Angelo, Howard Wolowitz cruised to a 1 ½-length victory in this race last year. A 4-year-old son of Munnings, Howard Wolowitz became a Grade I winner last year as a 3-year-old when he won the Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs then finished ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI). As a 4-year-old, Howard Wolowitz was sent to Saudi Arabia where he finished a disappointing 10th in the 1351 Turf Sprint (GII). Once he returned to North America, Howard Wolowitz finished a game second to Bear River in the Turf Sprint (GII) at Kentucky Downs. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Howard Wolowitz from post No. 3.
The Holiday Cheer is full of talented sprinters including multiple Grade III winner Roll On Big Joe. Owned by Rancho Temescal, Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, White Fence and Richard Hale Jr., Roll On Big Joe dominated last month’s Bet On Sunshine (Listed) by 4 ½ lengths at Churchill Downs. Prior to that start, the Bob Hess Jr. trainee scored a gutsy three-quarters of a length win in the Kelly’s Landing (GIII), which was only his second start since relocating from Southern California to Kentucky. While based on the West Coast, Roll On Big Joe won the Palos Verdes (GIII) by four lengths in February at Santa Anita. Roll On Big Joe will be ridden by Julien Leparoux in Saturday’s Holiday Cheer and break from post 7.
Another accomplished horse entered in the race is Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) winner Nobals. Owned by Patricia’s Hope and trained by Larry Rivelli, Nobals rose to stardom three years ago when he achieved a stakes double at Turfway Park, winning the Turfway Prevue and Animal Kingdom Stakes. In his 4-year-old season, Nobals won the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII) at Churchill Downs en route to his Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory at Santa Anita. Three weeks ago, Nobals got back to the winner’s circle when he defended his title in the Kennedy Road Stakes (GII) at Woodbine. The 13-time winner will have jockey Rafael Hernandez in the irons for the Holiday Cheer and exit post 8.
The field for the Holiday Cheer from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
- Coming in Hot (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)
- Run Carson (Adam Beschizza, Kelsey Danner)
- Howard Wolowitz (Ortiz, D’Angelo)
- Out On Bail (Flavien Prat, Mike Maker)
- Arrest Me Red (Luan Machado, Wesley Ward)
- Lucky Score (Irving Moncada, Mark Casse)
- Roll On Big Joe (Leparoux, Hess)
- Nobals (Hernandez, Rivelli)
- Run Curtis Run (Vincent Cheminaud, Mike Maker)
- Lofty Adjudicator (Walter Rodriguez, Anna Navarrete)
- Joe Shiesty (Fernando De La Cruz, Eric Foster)
- Script (Danny Sheehy, Rusty Arnold II)
- AE. Incinerator (Victor Carrasco, Jose Magana)
- AE. Wound Up (Flavien Prat, Librado Barocio)
GODOLPHIN, WALSH DUO OF PONDERING, CIVETTA LEAD FIELD IN $250,000 HOLIDAY INAUGURAL – Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh’s two-horse charge of Grade III winner Pondering and stakes winner Civetta top a field of 13 fillies and mares entered in next Saturday’s $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm, one of four stakes contests for the Synthetic Championships at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
The six-furlong Holiday Inaugural, carded as Race 7 at 8:55 p.m., is the co-featured event on the night along with the $250,000 Prairie Bayou (Listed), $250,000 Holiday Cheer and $250,000 My Charmer presented by Claiborne Farm. First post is 5:55 p.m.
Pondering, a 3-year-old filly by Hard Spun, enters the Holiday Inaugural following a game three-quarters of a length victory in the Bessarabian Stakes (Grade III) on turf at Woodbine. Prior to that start, she won the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint Preview at Ellis Park, then finished third in the Franklin Stakes (GII) at Keeneland. Pondering will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post No. 3.
Stablemate Civetta enters the Holiday Inaugural following an allowance victory at Churchill Downs. A 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, Civetta scored a stakes win last season at Gulfstream Park when she won the Wait a While as the heavy 4-5 favorite. Prior to that start, Civetta finished second in the Matron Stakes (GIII) in the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting. She’ll be ridden in the Holiday Inaugural by Luan Machado and break from post 7.
Other accomplished fillies and mares in the race include Summerhill Stables’ Roxelana Stakes (Listed) winner Mink’s Palace; Bradley Thoroughbreds, Gainesway Stable, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes and Cambron Equine’s Wishing Well Stakes winner Lithe Spirit; LNJ Foxwoods’ Glen Cove Stakes (Listed) winner Ellen Jay and Dede McGehee’s five-time Turfway Park winner Nice as Pie.
The field for the Holiday Inaugural in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):
- Ms. Tart (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis)
- Ellen Jay (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox)
- Pondering (Ortiz, Walsh)
- Lithe Spirit (Joe Ramos, Steve Asmussen)
- Shezafunkydrummer (Dylan Machado, Rusty Arnold II)
- Uphill Dance (Irving Moncada, Rachel Halden)
- Civetta (Luan Machado, Walsh)
- Gata Brazil (Walter Rodriguez, Mike Maker)
- Nice as Pie (Gabe Saez, Kelsey Danner)
- Mink’s Palace (Edgar Morales, Eddie Kenneally)
- Niki Nine Doors (Vincent Cheminaud, Chris Davis)
- Girl of My Dreams (Danny Sheehy, Anna Meah)
- Johanny (Vincent Cheminaud, Eoin Harty)
The top three finishers in the Holiday Inaugural will receive stallion credits at Claiborne Farm upon their retirement. The winner will receive $10,000, runner-up $5,000 and third-place $2,500.
MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER CAITLINHERGRTNESS INVADES FROM NORTH OF THE BOARDER FOR $250,000 MY CHARMER – WinStar Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Caitlinhergrtness is set to make her Turfway Park debut when she invades from Canada to face a field of 11 fillies and mares entered in next Saturday’s 37th running of the $250,000 My Charmer presented by Claiborne Farm, one of four stakes contests for the Synthetic Championships.
The My Charmer shares the Saturday spotlight with the $250,000 Prairie Bayou (Listed), $250,000 Holiday Cheer and $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm. Run at one mile, the My Charmer field will go to post as Race 6 at 8:25 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 5:55 p.m.
Caitlinhergrtness has been a standout throughout her 16-race career with victories in the Ontario Matron (GIII) and Belle Mahone Stakes (GIII) at Woodbine. As a 3-year-old, the daughter of Omaha Beach defeated open company in the King’s Plate Stakes, then finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland. Trained by Kevin Attard, Caitlinhergrtness will be ridden by Flavien Prat and exit post No. 2.
The My Charmer field also includes Happy Friday’s Argentinian Group I winner Nanabush (ARG); C2 Racing Stable and BAG Racing Stables’ Grade III winner Literate and TEC Racing’s graded stakes placed Queens Command (IRE).
The field for the My Charmer Stakes in order of post positions (with jockey and trainer):
- Crosley (Joe Ramos, John Langemeier)
- Caitlinhergrtness (Prat, Attard)
- Literate (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
- Queens Command (IRE) (Ryan Munger, Martin Drexler)
- Nanabush (ARG) (Victor Carrasco, Horacio De Paz)
- Landed (Walter Rodriguez, Wesley Ward)
- Vina Arana (IRE) (Adam Beschizza, Jack Sisterson)
- Next Up (Dylan Machado, Matt Sims)
- She’s Lookin Lucky (Luan Machado, Matt Shirer)
- Trial (Irving Moncada, Tommy Drury Jr.)
- Louder Than Words (Samuel Bermudez, Anthony Granitz)
The top three finishers in the My Charmer will receive stallion credits at Claiborne Farm upon their retirement. The winner will receive $10,000, runner-up $5,000 and third-place $2,500.
