Kitten's Cat favored to defeat eleven rivals in Spiral Stakes

Photo: Liz Lamont / Eclipse Sportswire

Oddsmaker and national racing commentator Mike Battaglia has made Kitten’s Cat the 4-1 morning line favorite in the Grade 3 $500,000 JACK Cincinnati Casino Spiral Stakes Saturday at Turfway Park. The draw was held at the casino Wednesday as the featured event of the annual Call to the Post luncheon.
 
Trained by Joe Sharp for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Kitten’s Cat will break from post eight in the 12-horse field.
 
“His best races have been when he’s been outside,” Sharp said. “He’s gotten more mature and more confident with every race, so I think he would run well from anywhere, but we think he’s a little better drawing outside. If I had been able to pick a post I’d have picked the eight, so we’re very happy with it. And being the favorite in a $500,000 race never feels bad.”
 
Co-second choice at 5-1 are Parlor, who breaks from post nine for trainer Eddie Kenneally, and King and His Court, who breaks from post 11 for trainer Mark Casse.
 
Parlor has two wins and was second, beaten a neck after traffic trouble, in his only three races to date, all coming from far back.
 
“We like where we’re at,” said Brad Anderson, who owns Parlor. The nine [post] is fine. We thought we’d be second to Kitten’s Cat [on the morning line]. All three of [Parlor’s] races have had very slow paces, and I don’t think he’s ever really gotten to run. What we’ve been so impressed with is, you’d think with the slow pace the frontrunners would have beaten him, but he just goes. I’d like to see some real pace [Saturday]. I think for him, the longer the better. I think he’s sitting on a big race.”
 
The field for the Spiral Stakes, with trainers, riders, morning line odds and posts:
Post    Horse                                Trainer                             Jockey                                     Odds
1          Blueridge Traveler            Kenneth McPeek                Channing Hill                            12-1
2          Soglio                                Graham Motion                 Trevor McCarthy                        6-1
3          Fast and Accurate            Michael Maker                  Tyler Gaffalione                          15-1
4          Convict Pike                     George Arnold                  Angel Cruz                                  8-1
5          Colonel Samsen               Eoin Harty                         Jose Lezcano                           15-1
6          Giant Payday                    Ian Wilkes                         Chris Landeros                           8-1
7          Shiraz                                Michael Maker                  Rafael Hernandez                    20-1
8          Kitten’s Cat                        Joe Sharp                         Luis Saez                                 4-1
9          Parlor                                Eddie Kenneally                Jesus Castanon                         5-1
10        Bronson                             Todd Pletcher                   Manuel Franco                         10-1
11        King and His Court            Mark Casse                      Gary Boulanger                          5-1
12        En Hanse                          Michael Maker                  Robby Albarado                        15-1

 

A Road to the Kentucky Derby points race, the Spiral Stakes is the 10th of 12 races on Saturday’s card and is set to run at 5:55 p.m. ET. First post is 1:10 p.m.
Source: Turfway Park
 

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