West Saratoga, Society Man return in Matt Winn

Popular 3-year-old colt West Saratoga, the 12th-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, is set to tackle 10 rivals entered in next Sunday’s 27th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, West Saratoga will take on several improving 3-year-olds in the Matt Winn, including Pat Day Mile (G2) runner-up Nash and Wood Memorial (G2) runner-up Society Man.

Carded as race 8, the Matt Winn field will go to post at 4:22 p.m. EDT.

West Saratoga, trained by Larry Demeritte, kicked off the road to the Kentucky Derby 150 with a victory in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. The gray son of Exaggerator began his 3-year-old campaign at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing second in the Pasco and third in the Sam F. Davis (G3). After those races, Demeritte shipped West Saratoga back to Kentucky, where he finished second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, narrowly winning the place photo over eventual Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey. Veteran rider Jesus Castanon, who rode West Saratoga in the Kentucky Derby, will have the call in the Matt Winn from post No. 4.

One of West Saratoga’s rivals in the Matt Winn is Godolphin’s Nash, who will stretch back out to two turns following his runner-up effort to Seize the Grey in the Pat Day Mile. Trained by Brad Cox, Nash has never finished outside the top three in seven career starts. The son of Medaglia d’Oro returned to the winner’s circle two starts ago when he dominated six rivals in the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn. Before that start, Cox briefly pointed Nash on the road to the Kentucky Derby but opted to bypass Kentucky Derby 150. Jockey Florent Geroux will be in the saddle for the Matt Winn and break out of post 6.

Another 3-year-old with back class who entered the Matt Winn is Wood Memorial runner-up Society Man. Trained by Danny Gargan, Society Man finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby after breaking from the far outside post and encountering a wide journey. Corey Lanerie will have the mount in the Matt Winn out of post 7.