First look at Churchill Downs' 11-race opening day card

Entries for opening Saturday of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet are set for a card comprising of 11 races with an average field size of 11.3 runners per race.

Saturday’s main attraction is fourth race marking the return of champion Monomoy Girl, the 2018 Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner. She will be making her sixth career start under the Twin Spires for trainer Brad Cox after missing all of 2019 due to multiple setbacks.

The main body of the races drew a total of 124 horses, with 38 runners being named also-eligible to the oversubscribed races. First post time is 1 p.m.. Churchill will continue with another program Sunday, then continue running Thursday through Sunday until June 27.

Race 1: Maiden Claiming (1 p.m.)

The opener is a six-furlong sprint on the main track for horses 3 years old and up. The claiming tag for these non-winners is $30,000 and the purse is $29,000. Trainer Ron Moquett sends out first-time starter Skyburst with Joel Rosario in the irons. Baudette Blizzard, for trainer Dallas Stewart and owners West Point Thoroughbreds, finished second in his latest effort, in January at Fair Grounds. Jockey Joe Talamo gets the mount.

Race 2: Claiming (1:30 p.m.)

Recovered from a 2019 shoulder surgery, 65-year-old jockey Perry Ouzts is scheduled for his first mount since July as he rides Tempestuous Amy in a 1 1/16-mile route on the main track for fillies and mares 4 and up in a $25,000 claiming event. Ouzts is listed on an also-eligible in the opener as well. Another in here, Lady Cleopatra, won her last time out and was claimed by new connections of trainer David Vance and owner Ribble Farms.

Race 3: Claiming (2 p.m.)

Going six furlongs on the main track, a full field of 12 races for a purse of $25,000 in a $10,000 claiming race for horses 3 and up. Unbridled Ruler is the top earner of the bunch with $122,024 banked lifetime but has won just once in 29 starts. One to watch is Superwon, who for trainer Greg Foley has hit the board in four of his last five starts.

Race 4: Allowance Optional Claiming (2:32 p.m.)

The big story of the day is Monomoy Girl, who will face six fillies and mares in an allowance optional claiming affair going one mile on the main track. Racing for a purse of $85,000, should Monomoy Girl win off the layoff, it would put her over $3 million in career earnings. Graded stakes winner Talk Veuve to Me is also coming off the bench here and should be the second choice in the win pool come post time after selling to new connections last winter for $1.3 million.

Race 5 Maiden Special Weight (3:04 p.m.)

The first race slated for the turf for the meet, the fifth race is a maiden special weight affair for horses 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles. Running for their share of the $79,000 purse, the oversubscribed field of 12 has four also-eligibles and two main track only runners. Trainer Michael Stidham’s Fortuity finished second in his only start back in March at Fair Grounds. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sends Mr. Jaggers to the gate with Rosario up.

Race 6: Starter Optional Claiming (3:36 p.m.)

A starter optional claiming race for horses 4 and up at 3/4 of a mile, this race gathers a field of 12 competing for their share of the $26,000 purse. Irritator, a 6-year-old gelding for trainer Tom Amoss and owner Maggi Moss, has won three of his five starts this year. Mark My Way, the 9-year-old elder statesman of the field, looks to win for the 14th time in his career.

Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (4:08 p.m.)

The seventh race (and start of the 15% takeout late Pick 5 sequence) is a maiden special weight sprint of six furlongs on the main track for fillies and mares 3 and up. Trainer Steve Asmussen sends out Say Moi, who just missed in her debut at Gulfstream Park in March. American Pharoah filly Bernadette the Jet gets her 3-year-old campaign started for trainer Graham Motion.

Race 8: Allowance (4:04 p.m.)

Back to the turf for a one mile route, horses 3 and up run in an allowance race for a purse of $81,000. Chad Brown’s Motagally tries the grass for the first time, while Bama Breeze draws the rail and looks to replicate the result of his only career start when he won on debut at Churchill Downs 245 days prior.

Race 9: Claiming (5:12 p.m.)

Race 10: Allowance Optional Claiming (5:44 p.m.)

The penultimate race of the opening day card at Churchill Downs, for fillies and mares 3 and up, is an allowance optional claiming affair with the claiming price $75,000. Stidham sends out Uncle Mo filly Mo City. Gone Glimmering has hit the board in all but one of five career starts and drew the outside post in a field of 12. Portrait, trained by Brad Cox, sports the same record of 4-for-5 on the board and came off the bench to be second toward the end of the Oaklawn Park meet.

Race 11: Allowance (6:16 p.m.)

The finale, at 5 1/2 furlongs on the lawn, features two Wesley Ward charges that made the trip to Royal Ascot last year. Karak and Chili Petin did not fare well overseas but have been much better stateside, with Karak winning a stakes last out over Turfway Park's synthetic. Will either prove good enough Saturday to earn a return trip to England? Among others in the field, Ilchester Cheetah has won twice in three starts this year. Fly So Pretty is coming off the bench but won a stakes race last out at Aqueduct last November.