Ellis Park: Destino d’Oro leads field of 9 for Pucker Up Stakes

Emerging 3-year-old Destino d’Oro will face nine fellow 3-year-old fillies entered in Sunday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes, a feature of Kentucky Downs preview weekend at Ellis Park.

Run as race 9 at 1 1/8 miles on turf, the Pucker Up field will go to post at 4:42 p.m. EDT. The first post is at 12:50 p.m.

Click here for Ellis Park entries and results.

Owned by Steve Landers Racing and trained by Brad Cox, Destino d’Oro made an eye-catching return to action last month at Churchill Downs with a last-to-first score in a first-level allowance contest. The daughter of Bolt d’Oro began her career with a 2 1/4-length debut win last fall at Kentucky Downs and then finished a close third as the 8-5 favorite in the Jessamine Stakes (G2) at Keeneland behind May Day Ready and Totally Justified. Luan Machado will have the mount in the Pucker Up from post 3.

Claiborne Farm’s homebred Admit, who won a mid-June allowance at Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Drury Jr., is among the challengers. The consistent filly made noise during the winter at Turfway Park, winning back-to-back starts before finishing second in the Cincinnati Trophy and third in the Bourbonette Oaks. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call from post 8.

Flying Dutchmen’s Hereforagoodtime, trained by Brendan Walsh, seeks her first graded-stakes win following a third-place effort in the Regret Stakes (G3) in late May at Churchill Downs. A two-time winner, Hereforagoodtime will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 10.

The winner of the Pucker Up will receive an automatic berth in the Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) on Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.