Churchill Downs news: Opening weekend chock full of maiden races

There are nine 2-year-old maiden races carded over the opening three days of the September Meet at Churchill Downs with many horses making their first-career starts.

One of those horses will attempt to win on debut as his dam Gran Lioness did in 2010, is Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Grandgran for trainer Bret Calhoun. 

“We trained Grandgran’s mom and she was very precocious for us,” Calhoun said. “I sure hope this colt can follow in her footsteps because she could really run.”

Gran Lioness, who trained three years under Calhoun’s care, won two stakes races and was Grade 3 placed in the Rachel Alexandra.

“Gran Lioness was a really nice horse throughout her career but eventually had a couple of setbacks and we were forced to retire her,” Calhoun said. “I was sort of torn whether to run Grandgran going six furlongs or one mile for his debut. I was hoping to get a two-turn, one-mile race for him to start at but this will do just fine.”

Grandgran is entered in Race 6 Saturday, a one-turn, one-mile, maiden special weight contest with jockey Gabriel Saez aboard. 

“It was actually around this time last year when I saw this horse go through the ring at the (Keeneland September Yearling) sale and we decided to buy him,” Calhoun said. 

The son of Super Saver was purchased for $125,000 and has been training at Churchill Downs since late June.

Saturday’s 11-race program has a first post of 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and Race 6 has a post time of 3:16 p.m.

OPEN MIND, LOCUST GROVE KICK OFF OF SATURDAY’S ALL-STAKES PICK 4 – Saturday’s 11-race program at Churchill Downs features an all-stakes 50-cent Pick 4 that will begin in Race 8 with the $100,000 Open Mind.

The six-furlong Open Mind field is led by 7-5 morning-line favorite Vertical Oak for owners Kirk and Judy Robison and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The filly was most recently second in the Honorable Miss (GII) at Saratoga.

The Open Mind field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, assigned weight and morning line odds):Thirteen Songs (Robby Albarado, Dallas Stewart, 120, 30-1); P Boo (Jack Gilligan, Kirk Harris, 120, 20-1); Vertical Oak (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen, 120, 7-5); Courtmewithcarats (Sammy Camacho Jr., Clarke Vesty, 120, 50-1); Our Majesty (Corey Lanerie, Ron Moquett, 120, 8-1); Miss Kentucky (Brian Hernandez Jr., Rusty Arnold II, 122, 2-1); Astrollinthepark (Gabriel Saez, Larry Jones, 120, 2-1).

In Race 9, Merriebelle Stables’ Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) winner Blue Prize (ARG) tops the 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove (G3) as the 2-1 morning line favorite for trainer Ignacio Correas IV.

The field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, assigned weight and morning line odds): Streamline (Chris Landeros, Brian Williamson, 123 pounds, 15-1); Champagne Problems (Calvin Borel, Ian Wilkes, 121, 4-1); Blue Prize (ARG) (Julien Leparoux, Correas, 123, 2-1); Dutch Parrot (Joe Rocco Jr., Will VanMeter, 121, 20-1); Pinch Hit (Shaun Bridgmohan, Brad Cox, 121, 4-1); Mannerly (Corey Lanerie, Brendan Walsh, 121, 5-1); Tiger Moth(Florent Geroux, Cox, 123, 10-1); Sailor’s Valentine (Brian Hernandez Jr., Eddie Kenneally, 121, 10-1); and Pacific Pink (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 121, 12-1).

The all-stakes Pick 4 will close with the $150,000 Iroquois (G3, Race 10) and $200,000 Pocahontas (G2, Race 11).

 The complete Iroquois field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, assigned weight and morning line odds):Mr Wrench It (Euclyn Prentice Jr., Coty Davidson, 120 pounds, 30-1); Royal Urn (Reyes, Nihei, 118, 12-1); Drunk as a Skunk (Joe Rocco Jr., Doug Anderson, 118, 30-1); Tight Ten (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 118, 2-1);My Sixth Sense (Shaun Bridgmohan, Mark Casse, 118, 10-1); Tobacco Road (Julien Leparoux, Asmussen, 120, 6-1); Pole Setter (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 118, 6-1); Cairo Cat (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 118, 8-1);Manny Wah (Channing Hill, Wayne Catalano, 118, 8-1); Hog Creek Hustle (Corey Lanerie, Vickie Foley, 118, 10-1); Synthesis (Drayden Van Dyke, Keith Desormeaux, 118, 12-1); and Everfast (Robby Albarado, Dale Romans, 118, 12-1).

The field for the Pocahontas, in order of post position (with jockey, trainer, assigned weight and morning line odds): Serengeti Empress (Corey Lanerie, Tom Amoss, 120 pounds, 5-2); Love My Honey (Julien Leparoux, Mike Maker, 118, 6-1); My Wynter Rose (Cory Orm, Tommy Short, 118, 50-1); Profound Legacy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes, 118, 20-1); Splashy Kisses (Drayden Van Dyke, Doug O’Neill, 118, 4-1); Lightscameraaction (Robby Albarado, Kenny McPeek, 118, 20-1); Include Edition (James Graham, Vickie Foley, 118, 30-1); Two Dozen Roses (Ricardo Santana, Todd Pletcher, 118, 6-1); It Justhitthe Wire (Joe Rocco, Kiaran McLaughlin, 118, 6-1); Taylor’s Spirit (Shaun Bridgmohan, Gelner, 120, 8-1); Saved At Dawn (Fernando De La Cruz, Brad Cox, 118, 15-1); and Tapping Pearl (Florent Geroux, Mark Casse, 118, 10-1).

DOWN THE STRETCH – Jockey Adam Beschizza will serve a three-day suspension beginning Sunday after he was disqualified in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes on Saturday due to interference in the stretch, according to trainer Liz Morris. … Top sprinter Mind Your Biscuits trained for the first time at Churchill Downs on Friday morning for trainer Chad Summers as he began preparation for the Sept. 29 Lukas Classic (G3) and Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 3. The colt is expected to gallop Saturday at 5:30 a.m., according to Summers. … An In Memoriam video tribute to John Asher will be shown on the Big Board immediately after the Locust Grove and prior to the Iroquois.