$2.3M-earner Tawny Port seeks 1st Ky Downs triumph in Bowling Green Gold Cup
Kentucky Downs Stakes advance by Ryan Martin (Tawny Port winning Saratoga’s 2023 John’s Call by Coglianese Photography)
FRANKLIN, KY (August 27, 2026) – Peachtree Stable’s three-time Graded stakes-winning turf marathoner Tawny Port will pursue his first triumph at Kentucky Downs in Thursday’s third running of the $750,000 Marsh McLennan Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational going 2 1/16 miles.
Trained by Miguel Clement, the 7-year-old Tawny Port captured the two-mile Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup on June 4 at Saratoga Race Course by 2 ½ lengths to register a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. The triumph was his first trip to the winners circle since the 2023 John’s Call at Saratoga at the 1 ⅝-mile distance, which he won by 3 ½ lengths.
Tawny Port, who finished seventh in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, won the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland and Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown over the dirt during his 3-year-old season for original trainer Brad Cox.
In addition to his Graded scores, Tawny Port has placed in nine Graded events, including last year’s Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine when second beaten a nose. With a 3-0-2-1 record at Kentucky Downs, Tawny Port was second to Ole Crazy Bone in last year’s Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup only one week after finishing second in last year’s running of the Bowling Green Gold Cup. Two years ago, he finished third beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Kentucky Turf Cup.
“He stays longer than my mother-in-law,” quipped Clement. “He has an affinity for running in these turf marathon races. I believe he’ll get firm turf, which is what he needs. He was very impressive in the Belmont Gold Cup.”
Tawny Port enters from a fifth-place finish over yielding turf in the Grade 1 Christophe Clement on August 15 at Saratoga, a race that honors Clement’s late father.
“Last time, the turf was soft and I think that took away a little bit of our punch,” Clement said. “He’s a big, powerful horse and he doesn’t do as well over heavy ground, which given his size is not surprising. I think he’s training forwardly. He can really run.”
Tawny Port boasts career earnings in excess of $2.3 million with an overall record of 33-6-6-5.
Breaking from post 5, Tawny Port will be piloted by three-time Kentucky Downs leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione.
After capturing the 2024 edition, Limited Liability will return to Kentucky Downs in hopes for a non-consecutive second conquest of this event.
A third-generation Kentucky homebred for owner Stuart Janney, III, Limited Liability led through every point of call of the 2024 edition–then run as the Nashville Green Gold Cup–en route to an 8 ¼-length romp and a career-high 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
The Bowling Green Gold Cup will be Limited Liability’s first start since November, when he ran fifth in the Grade 2 Red Smith at Aqueduct. Although winless in six starts since, the 7-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy placed in three Graded races following his last victory.
Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 1.
Augustin Stables’ three-time Graded stakes winner Truly Quality seeks to get back on the winning track for trainer Jonathan Thomas. The 6-year-old Kentucky homered son of Quality Road last found in the winner’s circle in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup going 1 ½ miles in November at Del Mar, which he won for the second straight year. One start prior to his first Hollywood Turf cup win, he came from 13 lengths off the pace to win his Graded debut in the Grade 3 Singspiel at Woodbine.
Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr., a two-time Kentucky Downs leading rider, will pilot Truly Quality from post 4.
David A. Bernsen’s Goldeneye [post 6, Edwin Maldonado] boasts a victory at Kentucky Downs, winning gate-to-wire in a 1 ½-mile allowance race during the 2024 meet for trainer Peter Eurton. Fourth in last year’s running of this race, the 7-year-old son of Hard Spun enters from a second-place finish in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano going 1 ¾ miles at Santa Anita.
Completing the field are three-time winner Greystone [post 2, Florent Geroux], Graded stakes-placed Passing Game [post 3, Luan Machado], Belmont Gold Cup runner-up Navy Seal[post 7, Jose Ortiz], and Telescopic [post 8, Edgar Morales].
The Bowling Green Gold Cup is carded as Race 9 on Thursday’s 11-race program with a scheduled post time of 5:41 PM CT. First post is 12:55 PM CT.
The 1/ST BET Kentucky Downs Meet will be broadcast live each day of the seven-day meet on Peacock, FanDuelTV, as well as Kentucky Downs’ YouTube channel @kentuckydownsracing8897. NBC Sports also will provide live coverage of Opening Day from 3:00-5:00 PM CT, while NBC will air Kentucky Downs on Saturday, September 5 during the same time slot.
