Coffee Clique Seeks Repeat in Distaff Turf Mile

Amerman Racing Stables’ Coffee Clique will attempt to become the second mare to score a repeat victory in $300,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Presented by Longines (GII) when she takes on 12 rivals.

The Churchill Distaff Turf Mile will go as the eighth race with a 2:59 p.m. post time.

Trained by Brian Lynch, Coffee Clique will try to join Foresta (1990-91) as the race’s only repeat winner.

Following her victory here last year, Coffee Clique won the Just A Game (GI) but then was off for more than nine months before running third in the Honey Fox (GII) at Gulfstream Park on March 28.

John Velazquez has the mount on Coffee Clique and will exit post position five.

The two horses that finished in front of Coffee Clique in the Honey Fox, Lady Lara (IRE) and Sandiva (IRE), will be in the gate Saturday.

Trained by four-time race winner Bill Mott, Swettenham Stud’s Lady Lara has won two of three starts in the U.S. with her lone setback coming in the Mrs. Revere (GII) here last fall.

Junior Alvarado has the mount on Lady Lara and will break from post position four.

Prior to her runner-up finish in the Honey Fox, the Todd Pletcher-trained Sandiva won the Tropical Park Oaks and the Suwanee River (GIII). Javier Castellano will have the mount and break from post position eight.

The field for the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile with jockeys and weights from the hedge out is: Personal Diary (Joel Rosario, 118), Grand Elmendorf (James Graham, 118), Tepin (Julien Leparoux, 118), Lady Lara (IRE) (Alvarado, 120), Coffee Clique (Velazquez, 118), I’m Already Sexy (Florent Geroux, 118), Solid Appeal (Rafael Hernandez, 118), Sandiva (IRE) (Castellano, 118), Strike Charmer (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Maid On a Mission (Didiel Osorio, 118), Water Hole (IRE) (Gary Stevens, 118), Kitty Wine (Jose Oritz, 118) and Kiss Moon (Corey Lanerie, 118).

Source: Churchill Downs