Honorable Duty sitting on go in Lukas Classic
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Following a 105-day layoff, Honorable Duty could be sitting on go as the 6-5 morning line favorite in Saturday’s fifth running of the $200,000 Lukas Classic (GIII) at Churchill Downs.
“He’s ready like a cowboy’s rifle is ready to fire,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “He’s really been doing well so we’re all excited for Saturday.”
Owned by David Ross’ DARRS Inc., Honorable Duty was last seen in a runner-up effort behind current Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Gun Runner in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by GE Appliances (GI).
“I really think he’s doing better than the spring.” Walsh said. “He had a really solid campaign to start the year at Fair Grounds and ran two solid efforts in the Alysheba and Stephen Foster.
“This is a horse who I really can’t work in company so he’s been training solo throughout the summer. He worked six furlongs (in 1:12.60) the other morning [Sept. 23] with Corey (Lanerie) aboard and he just did it so effortlessly. He loves this surface and I think he’ll fit this race well coming back off the layoff.”
The 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic for 3-year-olds and up honors the iconic 82-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and conditioner of 26 Eclipse Award-winning champions has been based at Churchill Downs’ Barn 44 since 1989.
The Lukas Classic, which earned Grade III status for the first time and received a $25,000 purse increase to $200,000, is the centerpiece of a Churchill Downs stakes tripleheader that shares the spotlight with top milers in the $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII) and 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (Listed) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course – the only stakes race on grass during the September Meet.
The complete Lukas Classic field from the rail out (with jockeys, assigned weights, and morning line odds): Seeking the Soul (Florent Geroux, 121 pounds, 8-1); Albano (Channing Hill, 121, 30-1); Fear the Cowboy (Jesus Rios, 123, 4-1); Flashy Jewel (Chris Landeros, 121, 12-1); Money Flows (Miguel Mena, 121, 5-1); Eagle (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121, 3-1); and Honorable Duty (Lanerie, 123, 6-5).
‘ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY’ HEADS TO SANTA ANITA FOR GRADE I, $300,000 FRONTRUNNER – Ruis Racing LLC’s Bolt d’Oro is the 2-1 morning line favorite in a field of nine for Saturday’s $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (Grade I) at Santa Anita Park, the second race on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.”
The 1 1/16-mile contest for 2-year-olds has a scheduled post time of 7:03 p.m. (all times Eastern) and will award the Top 4 finishers points on a 10-4-2-1 scale. The Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of 35 races, will ultimately determine the field for the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on Saturday, May 5, 2018. The FrontRunner is part of the 19-race “Prep Season” that showcases foundation-building races in advance of the “Kentucky Derby Championship Series,” which begins in late February.
Bolt d’Oro is unblemished in two career starts with a 2 ¼-length maiden special weight victory on Aug. 5 at Del Mar and a three-quarter-length triumph in the Sept. 4 Del Mar Futurity (GI).
Chief among Bolt d’Oro’s challengers is Del Mar Futurity runner-up Zatter. The Zayat Stables owned, Bob Baffert trained colt by Midnight Lute is listed as the 5-2 second choice on the morning line with jockey Rafael Bejarano aboard.
The FrontRunner field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line odds): Zatter (Bejarano, Baffert, 5-2); Take the One O One (Joe Talamo, Brian Koriner, 15-1); Ayacara (Gb) (Kent Desormeaux, Keith Desormeaux, 10-1); Bolt d’Oro (Corey Nakatani, Mick Ruis, 2-1); City Plan (Drayden Van Dyke, Eoin Harty, 20-1); Texas Wedge (Evin Roman, Peter Miller, 6-1); Encumbered (Mario Gutierrez, Simon Callaghan, 8-1); Solomini (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert, 4-1); Continental Divide (Victor Espinoza, James Cassidy, 15-1).
The Road to the Kentucky Derby kicked off Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs with a victory by The Tabulator in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes (GIII).
ROMANS VS. MOTT – With four days of racing remaining in the September Meet, trainer Dale Romans has four opportunities to overtake Bill Mott for the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs, trailing 701-700 wins.
Romans Entries: Bandito (Friday, Race 7); Miss Stalwart (Friday, Race 8); Dance Rhythms (Saturday, Race 7); and Tizpure (Sunday, Race 10).
Mott does not have any horses entered this week at Churchill Downs.
MILESTONE WATCH – Along with the heated-battle between Dale Romans and Bill Mott for the all-time leading trainer honors at Churchill Downs (701-700 wins), trainer Greg Foley (398) is two wins away from 400 career-victories beneath the historic Twin Spires while trainer Ian Wilkes is targeting 200 career victories at Churchill Downs (194 wins). … Trainer Mike Tomlinson is just one win away from 500-career victories. The Oklahoma native has 499 victories so far in his 28-year career.
MEET LEADERS – With three days of racing remaining, Corey Lanerie, a 13-time leading rider at Churchill Downs, holds a 15-8 win lead over Florent Geroux. … With two victories on Thursday’s card, Brad Cox jumped ahead (6-5 wins) of Kenny McPeek in the trainer standings. … Paul Fireman’s Fern City Stables and Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables are tied in the owner standings with three victories each.
FAMILY ADVENTURE DAY – Family Adventure Day Presented by Kroger, scheduled for Sunday’s closing day card at Churchill Downs, is a fun and affordable day at the track with more than 20 activities for kids under 12, access to a family viewing area to see the horses up close, family discounts on tickets and meals and 10 live races.
Kids can enter a drawing for a chance to win a spot in the day’s stick horse race on the famous turf track. Other activities include bounce houses, petting zoo, miniature pony rides, and live science experiments on the Plaza Stage with the Kentucky Science Center.
DOWN THE STRETCH – Friday’s card at Churchill Downs features a 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot carryover of $42,853. The sequence begins in Race 5 at 2:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). … This week’s “Inside Churchill Downs” will not air Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680 / 105.7 as the station continues its extended coverage of the events surrounding the University of Louisville’s college basketball program. Several media outlets have reported that an interim head coach is expected to be announced later in the day. … The “Who’s the Champ? Handicapping Contest” will be held Sunday. Interested participants can enter for $35 ($30 for TSC Elite members) for a chance to win the $1,000 cash voucher first prize by placing mythical $2 win and place bets on Races 3-8. Second place receives a $500 voucher and third place is worth a $200 voucher. Registration takes place those days between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Clubhouse second floor at the top of the Gate 17 escalators. … The 50/50 charitable gaming raffle closes Sunday, the final day of racing for the September Meet. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards charitable organizations that benefit from the Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that helps support the critical work of nonprofits in our industry, make a difference in important public health programs and provide meaningful opportunities in art and education.
Source: Churchill Downs
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