95 horses are entered for Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs

A total of 95 of some of the nation’s top claiming-level horses, including seven also-eligible entries, have been entered in Saturday’s 24th annual Claiming Crown championship series, which will be staged at Churchill Downs for the first time.

The Claiming Crown features lucrative prize money for horse racing’s blue-collar athletes as they compete for $1.05 million in purses over eight races with starter allowance conditions. The event will bring together claiming-level horses from across the country, with horses based in 11 different states: Kentucky, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

The first of 11 races Saturday is 1 p.m. EST and the Claiming Crown will cover races 4-11 starting at 2:30 p.m.

The marquee event, the $175,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $35,000 or less in 2021-22, goes as race 10 at 5:35 p.m. Last year’s winner at Gulfstream Park, the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Twelve Volt Man, is back to defend his title against a field of 10 colts and geldings.

Twelve Volt Man has competed for the majority of his 10-race career in South Florida, with the exception of a third-place finish in the $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct in New York. The 4-year-old gelded son of Violence started for a $35,000 claiming tag on Oct. 14, 2021, to become eligible for the Claiming Crown.

In last year’s Jewel at Gulfstream Park, Twelve Volt Man finished three-quarters of a length in front of Hanalei’s Houdini to spring the 10-1 upset victory under jockey Edwin Gonzalez. Saturday’s Jewel will be the first start for Twelve Volt Man since winning a starter handicap at Gulfstream Park on Aug. 28. Gonzalez will be in town to ride and the duo will break from post No. 9.

One of the top local hopes in the Jewel is multiple stakes-placed Intrepid Heart. Owned by Jack Wagon Stables and trained by Joe Sharp, Intrepid Heart finished a hard-fought second to stablemate Twilight Blue in the $200,000 Fort Larned on Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs. The former $25,000 claim sports an overall record of 27: 8-7-4 with earnings of $520,382. Since Sharp claimed Intrepid Heart on Sept. 24, 2021, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tapit has finished off the board only once and hasn’t finished worse than second in his last seven starts. Tyler Gaffalione will have the mount on Intrepid Heart and break from post 5.

Among the other competition entered in the Jewel is Happy Got Lucky Stable’s $153,000 Maryland Millions Day Classic winner Ournationonparade. Trained by Parx-based conditioner Jamie Ness, Ournationonparade was claimed off Chris Hartman for $50,000 on Sept. 28 and went on to win the Maryland Millions Classic by 5 3/4 lengths as the 2-1 favorite. Jockey Paco Lopez will be in the irons from post 10.

Emerald

Recent allowance winner Onenightstandards leads an oversubscribed field of 16 colts and geldings entered in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Emerald.

Run at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the Emerald will go as the finale on the 11-race card with a post time of 6:05 p.m.

Trained by Mike Maker, Onenightstandards won a one-mile allowance event two starts ago at Kentucky Downs. The 4-year-old son of Archarcharch was claimed for $80,000 last September but became eligible for the Emerald after starting for a $20,000 claiming tag on April 7, 2021, at Keeneland. Overall, Onenightstandards has won three of 13 career starts with purse earnings of $173,762. In his last start, Onenightstandards finished third in a 1 1/2-mile allowance event at Keeneland. Onenightstandards will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post No. 4.

Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial

Bad Beat Brian will attempt a repeat victory in the $100,000 Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial.

Carded as race 4 of 11, the Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial is scheduled to run at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, with a post time of 2:30 p.m.

Trained by Brittany Vanden Berg, Bad Beat Brian was claimed for $40,000 on July 23 at Ellis Park when he finished a narrow second to Fore Left as the 4-5 favorite. In last year’s Claiming Crown Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial, Bad Beat Brian rallied from more than six lengths off the early pace to defeat Xy Speed by one length. After that start, Bad Beat Brian tested stakes company at Sam Houston in the $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint where he was the runner-up by 1 1/2 lengths to Seven Scents. Most recently, the 5-year-old gelded son of Jack Milton finished fourth, beaten two lengths, in the $350,000 Woodford (G2) at Keeneland. Vanden Berg’s husband, Chris Emigh, will be in the saddle from post No. 2.

Seven Scents will clash again with Bad Beat Brian. He was claimed Aug. 31 at Saratoga for $32,000 for Jason Provenzano’s Flying P Stable and trainer Tom Morley. Since his victory in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint at Sam Houston, Seven Scents finished third in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico and fourth in the $100,000 Dark Star Turf Sprint at Canterbury. Luis Saez will have the mount from post 9.

Tiara

Bourbonette Oaks winner Candy Raid tops an overfilled field of 14 fillies and mares that were entered in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Tiara.

Carded for 1 1/16 miles on turf, the Tiara will go as race 7 of 11 with a post time of 4:01 p.m.

Trained by co-owner Keith Desormeaux, Candy Raid became eligible for the Tiara by running in a $25,000 claiming event on Oct. 27, 2021, at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where she finished fourth. Earlier this year, the daughter of Candy Ride qualified for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks with her 4 1/2-length victory in the Bourbonette Oaks at odds of 52-1. In the Kentucky Oaks, Candy Raid finished a troubled ninth when she lost position at the 5/16-pole and had to check repeatedly. The Tiara will be her first start since the $225,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) on July 9, where she finished fourth. Jockey Corey Lanerie will have the call from post No. 10.

Rapid Transit

Family Man, a four-time winner beneath the Twin Spires, leads a field of 12 colts and geldings who were entered in the $125,000 Rapid Transit.

The seven-furlong Rapid Transit will go as race 9 of 11 with a post time of 5:05 p.m.

Trained by Robert Medina, Family Man won his career debut in a maiden $10,000 claiming event on May 14, 2021, at Churchill Downs. Since that start, the 5-year-old son of First Defence has won three other races in Louisville, all against starter allowance foes. Family Man has not finished worse than second in his last four starts. In his last start, Family Man returned from a 10-week layoff to finish second at even money to All West on Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs. Tyler Gaffalione, who’s been aboard Family Man for seven of his lifetime starts, will have the call from post No. 6.

Glass Slipper

Longleggedlaverne will seek her fifth consecutive victory as she tops a field of nine fillies and mares who are entered for the $100,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper.

Run at one mile, the Glass Slipper will go as Race 5 of 11 with a post time of 3:01 p.m.

Trained by Tianna Richardville, Longleggedlaverne was victorious in her last four races at Horseshoe Indianapolis against starter allowance company. Overall, the 5-year-old mare by American Lion has won 12 of 36 lifetime starts and banked earnings of $168,543. Longleggedlaverne will be ridden by her regular rider Joe Ramos, who was aboard in her last four starts, from post No. 4.

Ready's Rocket Express

Beverly Park has been the picture of consistency since trainer Lynn Cash claimed him for $12,500 on Aug. 5, 2021, recording 17 wins from 33 starts. Now, the 5-year-old son of Munnings will attempt his biggest victory to date in the $100,000 Ready’s Rocket Express.

The Ready’s Rocket Express was carded as Race 8 on the 11-race program. Post time for the six-furlong dash is 4:33 p.m.

Since entering Cash’s stable, Beverly Park has won at nine tracks across five states: Belterra Park, Charles Town, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Laurel, Mahoning Valley, Oaklawn, Thistledown and Timonium (Maryland). Overall, Beverly Park has won 22 of 42 lifetime starts with earnings of $490,930. Also, Beverly Park has won a national-best 12 races so far in 2022 (four more wins than Ernie Banker, Exit Right, Fortunate Friends and Rosefinch, who each have eight victories). Rafael Bejarano will have the mount from post No. 7.

Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial

Blue Steel is set to return from an 11-month layoff and defend his title in Saturday’s $100,000 Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial.

The 1 1/16-mile Iron Horse will go as Race 6 of 11 with a post time of 3:31 p.m.

Blue Steel, previously campaigned by trainer Jeff Hiles, was transferred to George Leonard III for his return to the races. In last year’s Iron Horse at Gulfstream Park, Blue Steel was the half-length victor over Zanesville. The nine-time winner will be ridden by Mitchell Murrill from post No. 3.