Kevin Kerstein advances Churchill’s closing-day stakes

Jun 23, 2024 Jennie Rees No Comments

Stakes previews by Kevin Kerstein for Churchill Downs’ June 30 closing card (Coady Media/Renee Torbit photo of Zozos winning last year’s G3 Ack Ack)

ZOZOS RETURNS TO DEFEND TITLE IN $300,000 HANSHIN STAKES

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, June 23, 2024) – Barry and Joni Butzow’s seven-time winner Zozos will return to defend his title in Sunday’s $300,000 Hanshin Stakes presented by the JRA (Listed) at Churchill Downs but will face a highly-competitive field of 10 rivals including Extra Anejo, Tumbarumba, Frosted Grace and Cagliostro.

The one-mile Hanshin Stakes is the featured race on the closing day program at Churchill Downs which will feature mandatory payouts in all wagers. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Hanshin will go as Race 10 at 5:27 p.m.

Along with the Hanshin, the 11-race program also will include the $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed); $225,000 Debutante (Listed); $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes; and $175,000 Maxfield Overnight Stakes.

Trained by Brad Cox, Zozos is set to make his second start of his 5-year-old campaign following a third-place effort in the Churchill Downs Stakes (Grade I) seven weeks ago. The talented son of Munnings used last year’s Hanshin, run at Ellis Park, as a launching pad to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) where he finished a disappointing fifth to Cody’s Wish. Prior to the Dirt Mile, Zozos scored a front-running victory in the Ack Ack Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Jockey Florent Geroux will be in the irons for the Hanshin and break from post No. 3.

Another talented runner entered in the Hanshin is Winchell Thoroughbreds’ highly regarded 4-year-old Extra Anejo. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Extra Anejo made his seasonal debut three weeks ago at Churchill Downs when he cruised to a 3 ½-length allowance victory under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Two years ago, the son of Into Mischief drew attention when he broke his maiden by an eye-catching 9 ½ lengths at Keeneland. Following a setback at the end of his 2-year-old campaign, Extra Anejo returned as a 3-year-old where he dusted a first-level allowance field by 6 ¼ lengths before testing the Grade I Haskell, where he finished a disappointing fourth to Geaux Rocket Ride, Mage and Arabian Knight. Gaffalione will be back aboard Extra Anejo for the Hanshin and break from post 6.

While Extra Anejo searches for his first stakes victory in the Hanshin, Wathnan Racing’s Tumbarumba will attempt to win his third-career stakes contest. Trained by Brian Lynch, the ultra-consistent Tumbarumba began his 2024 season with a gutsy victory in the Fred Hooper Stakes (GIII) at Gulfstream Park. Following that race, the son of Oscar Performance finished a nose behind Steal Sunshine in the Gulfstream Park Mile (GII) and a neck back of Il Miracolo in the Ghostzapper Stakes (GIII). Jockey Luis Saez will have the call on Tumbarumba in the Hanshin from the rail.

Other accomplished Hanshin entrants include recent Blame Stakes (GIII) runner-up Cagliostro and Oaklawn Mile (GIII) winner Frosted Grace.

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

Tumbarumba (Saez, Lynch)
Frosted Grace (Joel Rosario, Mike Maker)
Zozos (Geroux, Cox)
Injunction (Jose Ortiz, Doug Cowans)
Best Actor (Frankie Dettori, Ed Moger Jr.)
Extra Anejo (Gaffalione, Asmussen)
Charge It (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher)
Happy American (Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin)
Cagliostro (Flavien Prat, Cherie DeVaux)
Raise Cain (Luan Machado, Ben Colebrook)
Three Technique (Rafael Bejarano, Jason Cook)

ASMUSSEN SEEKS EIGHTH BASHFORD MANOR WIN WITH DEBUT WINNER SPIRALIZER – Wathnan Racing’s impressive 2-year-old colt Spiralizerwill attempt to give his Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his record-extending eighth victory in the $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed) when he takes on 12 rivals entered in Sunday’s 123^rd running of the six-furlong dash at Churchill Downs.

Carded as Race 9 of 11, the Bashford Manor field will go to post at 4:55 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Spiralizer, a son of Twirling Candy, debuted just two weeks ago at Churchill Downs when he cruised to a two-length victory over five rivals as the heavy 8-5 favorite. The Florida-bred will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione in the Bashford Manor from the rail.

For Asmussen, his success in the Bashford Manor began in 2004 when Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Lunarpal won the race under jockey Shane Sellers. Since then, Asmussen scored victories with Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos(2010), Cinco Charlie (2014), Sir Truebadour (2018), Cazadero (2020) and Gulfport (2022).

Like Spiralizer, this year’s Bashford Manor field also includes local maiden special weight winners Conquering Cat, Enduring Spirit, Politicallycorrect and Vinegar Hill.

One of the horses entered in the Bashford Manor scheduled to ship from outside the Commonwealth is Griffin Stables, Terry Lovingier and Paul Sabesky’s California-bred Bodacious. Trained by Jorge Periban, who won the 2019 Bashford Manor with Phantom Boss, Bodacious dominated six rivals by 5 ¾ lengths on debut at Santa Anita. The son of Smokem will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 5.

Here is the complete field for the Bashford Manor from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Spiralizer (Gaffalione, Asmussen)
Ivan the Great (Antonio Fresu, Doug O’Neill)
Vinegar Hill (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis)
Moneyline (Frankie Dettori, Caio Caramori)
Bodacious (Rosario, Periban)
Politicallycorrect (Jose Ortiz, Chris Davis)
Enduring Spirit (Rey Gutierrez, Rafael Ramos)
Conquering Cat (Luis Saez, Chris Davis)
War Tax (Jose Gomez, Carlos Martin)
Heat (Irad Ortiz Jr., Mark Casse)
Happyflyer (Francisco Arrieta, Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Mo Hair Sam (Cristian Torres, John Hancock)
Smoken Wicked (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)

GUTSY DEBUT WINNER ADEERA SET FOR STAKES COMPANY IN $225,000 DEBUTANTE – L and N Racing and Jerry Caroom’s gutsy debut winner Adeera will try stakes company when she faces six fellow 2-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s 123^rd running of the $225,000 Debutante Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

Run at six furlongs, the Debutante will go as the fourth race on the closing day program with a post time of 2:14 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by five-time Debutante winner Steve Asmussen, Adeera debuted May 31 at Churchill Downs when she gamely battled at the rail, drawing clear for a 3 ¾-length victory under jockey Keith Asmussen. The daughter of 2020 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Authentic will be ridden in the Debutante by Cristian Torres with Keith Asmussen sidelined by an injury. The duo will break from post No. 5.

Steve Asmussen has been very successful in the Debutante with his first victory in the race coming in 2001 with Cashier’s Dream. Since that victory, his other Debutante winners are Effectual (2005), Richwoman (2006), Rated Fiesty (2007) and Magic Dance (2019). He also entered Lone Star Park debut winner Glee in this year’s race.

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

Glee (Joel Rosario, Asmussen)
Daisy Duke (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
Fortuna Mia (Luis Saez, Rey Hernandez)
So There She Was (Antonio Fresu, Doug O’Neill)
Adeera (Torres, Asmussen)
Vodka With a Twist (Flavien Prat, Phil D’Amato)
La Marinera (Rogelio Miranda, Kelly Fernandez)

MODESTY WINNER FAST AS FLIGHT RETURNS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS TO DEFEND TITLE IN $175,000 ANCHORAGE OVERNIGHT STAKES – TEC Racing’s Modesty Stakes (Grade III) winner Fast as Flight is slated to ship from Canada back to Churchill Downs where she’ll attempt to win her second-consecutive stakes score in Sunday’s third running of the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes.

Run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, the Anchorage is part of five stakes contests on the closing day card from Churchill Downs. First post is 12:45 p.m. and the Anchorage Overnight Stakes will go as Race 8 of 11 at 4:23 p.m.

Fast as Flight, trained by Martin Drexler, invaded Churchill Downs seven weeks ago when she scored a 20-1 upset victory in the Modesty on Kentucky Oaks Day. The 6-year-old daughter of Air Force Blue has been victorious four other times in her 19-race career, including in last year’s Anchorage that was run at Ellis Park. Jockey Jose Ortiz, who rode Fast as Flight to victory in the Modesty, will have the call in the Anchorage and break from post 8.

Another accomplished turf specialist entered in the Anchorage is Miocomet Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Heavenly Sunday. Trained by Brad Cox, Heavenly Sunday finished fourth in the Modesty after setting modest early fractions and getting run down by Fast as Flight. Prior to that start, Heavenly Sunday sported victories in the 2023 Edgewood (GII) and Mrs. Revere (GIII). Jockey Florent Geroux has the call from post 2.

The field for the Anchorage Overnight Stakes from the rail out, (with jockey and trainer):

Misread (Joel Rosario, Tommy Drury Jr.)
Heavenly Sunday (Geroux, Cox)
Personal Best (Irad Ortiz Jr., Jimmy Toner)
Embrace Me (Cristian Torres, Lance Rutledge)
Forever After All (Adam Beschizza, Brendan Walsh)
Tower Bridge (Axel Concepcion, Cherie DeVaux)
Be My Sunshine (Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Fast as Flight (Ortiz, Drexler)
Walkathon (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)

EYE-CATCHING MAIDEN WINNER WORLD RECORD SEEKS STAKES GLORY IN $175,000 MAXFIELD – WinStar Farm and Siena Farm’s ultra-impressive maiden special weight winner World Record will jump to stakes company Sunday at Churchill Downs and take on six fellow 3-year-olds entered in the third running of the $175,000 Maxfield Overnight Stakes.

The seven-furlong Maxfield is one of five stakes on the closing day card. First post is 12:45 p.m. and the Maxfield Overnight Stakes will go as Race 6 at 3:18 p.m.

World Record, a bay son of Gun Runner, dominated his 11 rivals three weeks ago by 6 ¼ lengths while earning a stout 95 Brisnet Speed Rating. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, World Record will be ridden in the Maxfield by Flavien Prat from the rail.

Other intriguing 3-year-olds that entered the Maxfield include Springboard Mile winner Otto the Conqueror and last-out allowance winners Raging Torrent and This Is Uscar.

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