Jonathan’s Way heads KJC; Good Cheer headlines Golden Rod Saturday
Stakes previews by Churchill Downs’ Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media/Kurtis Coady photo above of Jonathan’s Way winning Churchill Downs’ G3 Iroquois winner Jonathan’s Way)
(LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024) – The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues next Saturday at Churchill Downs, where Rigney Racing’s Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) winner Jonathan’s Way headlines a competitive field of 10 2-year-olds entered in the 98th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), the featured race on the Stars of Tomorrow II program.
The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club will be run as Race 11 on the 12-race program with a post time of 5:48 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m. The card also will feature its filly counterpart, the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) in Race 9, which is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Prep Season. Additional stakes on the program are the $225,000 Ed Brown in Race 6 and the $225,000 Fern Creek in Race 10.
Trained by Phil Bauer, Jonathan’s Way burst onto the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a commanding 2 ¾-length score in the Iroquois in September and earned 10 qualifying points toward a spot in the starting gate for Kentucky Derby 151. After his standout performance, the Ohio-bred colt was among the top choices for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) but finished a disappointing seventh after chasing a moderate early pace set by eventual winner Citizen Bull. Jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for the Iroquois and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, retains the mount and will guide Jonathan’s Way on Saturday from post No. 2.
Jonathan’s Way will face several promising 2-year-olds including Grey Stakes (GIII) winner He’s Not Joking; Saratoga Special (GII) runner-up First Resort; and Breeders’ Futurity (GI) third-place finisher Filoso.
The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):
· He’s Not Joking (Florent Geroux, Josie Carroll)
· Jonathan’s Way (Rosario, Bauer)
· Tiztastic (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)
· Dapper Moon (Ricardo Santana Jr., Dallas Stewart)
· Filoso (John Velazquez, Chad Summers)
· Clock Tower (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward)
· Sonic Skidaddle (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)
· First Resort (Luis Saez, Eoin Harty)
· Render Judgment (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
· Redacted (Edgar Morales, Dallas Stewart)
The Kentucky Jockey Club is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season race that offers qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).
Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow programs, inaugurated in 2005, have launched the careers of some of horse racing’s biggest stars, including Kentucky Derby winners Mystik Dan, Mandaloun, and Super Saver, along with Kentucky Oaks winners Thorpedo Anna, Pretty Mischievous, Secret Oath, Monomoy Girl, Believe You Can and Rachel Alexandra.
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
UNDEFEATED GOOD CHEER HEADLINES $400,000 GOLDEN ROD ON ROAD TO KENTUCKY OAKS – Godolphin’s undefeated homebred Good Cheer will face a talented field of seven 2-year-old fillies entered in next Saturday’s $400,000 Golden Rod (Grade II) at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/16-mile contest that is the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program.
The Golden Rod, scheduled as Race 9, will have a post time of 4:48 p.m. The 12-race Stars of Tomorrow II program begins at 1 p.m. and also features the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season race, along with the $225,000 Ed Brown and $225,000 Fern Creek.
As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Prep Season, the Golden Rod will award qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
Trained by Brad Cox, Good Cheer has dazzled in all three of her starts. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was a dominant winner of the Rags to Riches at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27, drawing off by 5 ½ lengths. Earlier in her campaign, Good Cheer captured an allowance race by an eye-popping 17 lengths and broke her maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis with an 8 ¼-length romp. Leading rider Luis Saez retains the mount and will break from post 3.
Joining Good Cheer in the starting gate for the Golden Rod is her stablemate Éclatant, owned by Stonestreet Stables. The undefeated daughter of Into Mischief is 2-for-2, both victories coming in sprints. Saturday’s Golden Rod will mark her first attempt around two turns. Jockey Florent Geroux has the call from post 1.
The field also includes Shortleaf Stable’s Quietside, a multiple Grade I-placed runner trained by John Ortiz. Quietside burst onto the scene in August with a 6 ¼-length maiden-breaking victory at Saratoga under Saez. Since then, the daughter of Violence has finished second in the Spinaway (GI) and third in the Alcibiades (GI), both behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner Immersive. With Saez opting to ride Good Cheer, jockey Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 4.
The complete field for the Golden Rod from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
· Eclatant (Geroux, Cox)
· Fixin to Bee (John Velazquez, Rusty Arnold II)
· Good Cheer (Saez, Cox)
· Quietside (Gaffalione, Ortiz)
· Sturgeon Moon (Evin Roman, Paulo Lobo)
· My Lil Punky (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)
· Flash Wear (Cristian Torres, Tommy Vance)
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
MYRTLEWOOD STAKES WINNER ECHO SOUND RETURNS IN $225,000 FERN CREEK – Gabriel Dulgnan’s undefeated Myrtlewood Stakes winner Echo Sound will look to extend her perfect record in next Saturday’s fourth running of the $225,000 Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The 6 ½-furlong contest for 2-year-old fillies is part of the all-juvenile Stars of Tomorrow II program and will be run as Race 10 with a post time of 5:18 p.m. The 12-race card begins at 1 p.m. and features three additional stakes: the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) and the $225,000 Ed Brown.
Trained by Rusty Arnold II, Echo Sound is 3-for-3, highlighted by a 2 ½-length victory in the Myrtlewood at Keeneland over fellow Fern Creek entrant Praying. The daughter of Echo Town debuted with a 14-1 upset at Ellis Park on Aug. 3 before notching a hard-fought allowance win at Churchill Downs on Sept. 12. Luis Saez, who guided Echo Sound to her allowance score, will be back aboard for the Fern Creek from the rail.
Among Echo Sound’s challengers is Morplay Racing’s Shisospicy, who turned heads with a stunning 16 ¼-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Jose D’Angelo, the daughter of Mitole dominated her six-furlong maiden special weight race under Paco Lopez, who retains the mount and will break from post 4.
The field for the Fern Creek Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
· Echo Sound (Saez, Arnold)
· Atomic City (Ben Curtis, Eddie Kenneally)
· Hollygrove (Florent Geroux, Whit Beckman)
· Shisospicy (Lopez, D’Angelo)4
· Praying (John Velazquez, Robbie Medina)
· Cotillard (Isaias Ayala, Luis Seglin)
· Shezafunkydrummer (Gerardo Corrales, Larry Rivelli)
· Rosato (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)
· Impulse Buy (Tyler Gaffalione, Rodolphe Brisset)
· Me Governor (Rafael Bejarano, Carlos David)
· Viral Plane Lady (Julio Felix, Rogelio Labra)
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
BOWMAN MILL STAKES RUNNER-UP TOUGH CATCH LEADS EIGHT SPRINTERS IN $225,000 ED BROWN – S.O.K. Racing, Gervais Racing, On Our Own Stable, Sak Stables and Dallas Stewart’s Tough Catch, a tough-luck runner-up in the Bowman Mill Stakes, tops a competitive field of eight 2-year-old sprinters entered in Saturday’s fourth running of the $225,000 Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The Ed Brown Stakes, run at 6 ½ furlongs, is slated as Race 6 on the 12-race Stars of Tomorrow II program, which features an all-2-year-old lineup. The card includes three additional stakes races: the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) and the $225,000 Fern Creek. First post is at 1 p.m., with the Ed Brown scheduled for 3:21 p.m.
Trained by his co-owner Stewart, Tough Catch nearly captured the Bowman Mill Stakes in his last start, making a bold move at the eighth pole before finishing a half-length behind Long Neck Paula. The gray son of Complexity will break from the rail in the Ed Brown under jockey Tyler Gaffalione.
The complete field for the Ed Brown Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
· Tough Catch (Gaffalione, Stewart)
· Glean (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward)
· El Dandi (Walter Rodriguez, Israel Acevedo)
· Wisconsin Gal (Killian Leonard, Paul McEntee)
· Thrilla (Brian Hernandez Jr., Keith Desormeaux)
· Coming in Hot (Edgar Morales, John Ennis)
· Keep It Easy (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans)
· Vehemently (Andres Calleja, Michelle Elliott)
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
NATURAL RISE EARNS 10 POINTS ON JAPAN ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY WITH CATTLEYA STAKES VICTORY – Hiroyuki Yoshioka’s Natural Rise remained undefeated after holding off a late charge from Clay King to win Saturday’s Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, the kickoff race on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.
With his victory in the Cattleya Stakes, Natural Rise earned 10 qualifying points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Ridden by Takeshi Yokoyama for trainer Keizo Ito, Natural Rise finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Clay King, piloted by Christophe Lemaire. T O Elvis, Snappy Dresser and Kanreiski rounded out the top five, earning 5, 3, 2 and 1 qualifying points, respectively.
Natural Rise is now a perfect 2-for-2. His lone start before the Cattleya Stakes was a maiden-breaking performance on July 20 at Sapporo.
The undefeated colt is a Japanese-bred son of Kizuna out of the Distorted Humor mare Lady Madonna.
The next race on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby is the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, set for Dec. 11 at Kawasaki Racecourse.
SALUTE TO KENTUCKY OAKS WINNER THORPEDO ANNA NOW SCHEDULED FOR RACE 9 ON BLACK FRIDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Fans at Churchill Downs on Black Friday will have the opportunity to honor one of the brightest stars in horse racing, Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner and one of the favorites to win 2024 Horse of the Year honors.
The standout 3-year-old filly will be paraded in the Churchill Downs paddock during Race 9, from approximately 4:30-4:50 p.m. Thorpedo Anna will join the field for Race 9 during the walkover to the paddock and remain there throughout the race, giving fans a unique opportunity to celebrate her historic campaign up close.
Owned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing, Thorpedo Anna has assembled a dazzling resume this season under the guidance of trainer Kenny McPeek. Her dominance in the 3-year-old division includes Grade I victories in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, Cotillion Stakes and most recently, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) against older horses at Del Mar.
DOWN THE STRETCH – Racing resumed Saturday at Churchill Downs for an 11-race program that had a first post of 1 p.m. The Derby City 6 Jackpot began in Race 6 and had a carryover of $152,734. … Jockey Tyler Gaffalione took off his mounts Saturday as he recovers from being dismounted one week ago at Churchill Downs. … Jockey Julien Leparoux had three mounts in Races 5, 8 and 11 on Saturday’s card to continue his pursuit of 3,000 wins. The veteran rider entered the day one win away from the milestone. … For more information about the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs and to purchase tickets, visit www.churchilldowns.com.
