Churchill Downs news: On a roll, Hough's 'blood back pumping'

Veteran trainer Stanley Hough had more than 2,000 career victories when he took a hiatus from the industry in 2012. Now, the multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner is on pace to have his best year in the last two decades by riding a three-race win streak at the 2019 Churchill Downs Spring Meet as the private trainer for Maryland-based Sagamore Farm.

“Winning like that really gets your blood back pumping in the game,” Hough said. “It was a good reminder of why we do this every day as trainers.”

Hough, 71, began training horses in 1969 and won several leading trainer titles in South Florida. Throughout his career, Hough has trained 44 graded stakes winners including, most recently, Global Campaign who stormed to victory in this year’s Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park.

Sagamore Farm and Hough’s relationship started in 2015 when Hunter Rankin, Sagamore Farm’s president, called Hough to join the team as a racing manager. Hough switched to Sagamore’s trainer in 2018.

“I called Stan about five years ago and he was just doing bloodstock at the time and not quite ready to get back in the training game,” said Rankin, who is the son of Churchill Downs Incorporated’s chairman of the board, Alex Rankin. “Things are really starting to click, and it’s been great for everyone involved with our team.”

Hough’s three wins last week with Grit and Glory (Sunday, Race 2), The Rock Says (Sunday, Race 6) and I Can Do Anything (Monday, Race 9) earned the team with Churchill Downs “Barn of the Week” honors. The crew will receive a pizza party and winner’s circle recognition Friday.

“If I would’ve known winning three races won me Barn of the Week, I would’ve done it a lot sooner,” Hough joked.

While Hough’s retirement is out of the way, for now, his partnership with Rankin and Kevin Plank’s Sagamore Farm remain a strong force in the industry.

COLEBROOK KEEPING FUTURE OPTIONS OPEN WITH MR. CROW

One of the likely top contenders in Saturday night’s $125,000 Aristides at Churchill Downs is KRA Stud Farm’s multiple graded stakes-placed Mr. Crow, who could end up switching surfaces.

“We had a slight issue come up after running at Belmont (in the Sept. 29 Vosburgh) but he came back earlier this month in good shape,” said trainer Ben Colebrook. “We’ll see how things go Saturday but may eventually send him to the turf at some point in his career.”

Mr. Crow, a 5-year-old son of Tapizar, breezed over Keeneland’s turf surface April 16 with a half-mile move in :51.20. The three-time winner is listed as 3-1 on the morning line for the six-furlong Aristides.

The Aristides field from the rail out (with jockeys, trainers and morning line odds): Mr. Crow (Tyler Gaffalione, Colebrook, 3-1); Control Stake (Miguel Mena, Greg Foley, 6-1); Share the Upside (Ricardo Santana Jr., SteveAsmussen, 9-5); Zipp On By (Edgar Morales, Rey Hernandez, 20-1); Petrov (Jack Gilligan, Ron Moquett, 10-1); Wilbo (Corey Lanerie, Chris Hartman, 3-1); and Kowboy Karma (Gabriel Saez, Larry Jones, 6-1). All horses will tote 120 pounds with the exception of Kowboy Karma who will carry 122 pounds.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Nominations close Saturday for the six stakes races that will be staged on Saturday, June 15: the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles; $250,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles; $250,000 Wise Dan (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf; $150,000 Matt Winn (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles; and the $150,000 Regret (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Pat Day Mile (G3) winner Mr. Money continued his preparation for the Matt Winn with a bullet five-furlong move in :59.80 Friday morning at Churchill Downs.