Lukas enters Natchez in Lukas Classic

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won almost every prestigious race in North America on numerous occasions, but will attempt to land his first win in a race named in his honor when he sends out the Calumet Farm-owned Natchez in Saturday’s $175,000 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/8-mile event run for 3-year-olds and up on the main track.

“That’d be fun,” said Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer.

“I’m kind of wanting to be a part of it so I put (Natchez) in there. I think he’s going to run well, but I hope that race grows in stature and get to be a graded stakes someday and it’s humbling and nice thing to know that there’s one out there with my name on it.”

The 4-year-old son of Quality Road last ran in the Bernard Baruch (GII) at Saratoga on Labor Day, where he was a well-beaten ninth and last. He’ll be looking for his first trip to the winner’s circle since an allowance victory at Oaklawn Park on April 16.

“He’s an in-and-out horse,” Lukas said. “When he brings his A-game and when he really lays it down, he runs well. He had a couple of races at Hot Springs – one of them especially – that were really strong, but his consistency isn’t that much. He likes this racetrack here really well though. I thought he may have struggled a little bit up at Saratoga but I think he’ll like this a lot better so we’ll see what happens. It won’t be an easy spot for him.”

Formerly known as the Homecoming Classic, Churchill Downs renamed the now 4-year-old race in honor of “The Coach” last year, which Lukas admits he was surprised with.

“It was very surprising … I thought that they only did that after you’re gone,” Lukas said with a laugh. “I was surprised and it was a humbling honor and it’s very gratifying to know that we’re going to have a race, at least for a while, with my name on it.”

Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel, who will be looking for his first Thoroughbred stakes victory since coming out of a brief retirement, has the mount. Last Saturday he scored a victory in the President of the United Arab Emirates Cup (GI) for Arabians aboard Paddys Day.

The Lukas Classic field (with jockey and morning line odds): Natchez (Calvin Borel; 20-1), Honorable Duty (Robby Albarado; 12-1), Breaking Lucky (Luis Contreras; 5-2), Hawaakom (Miguel Mena; 15-1), Rocket Time (Edgar Prado; 12-1), Noble Bird (Julien Leparoux; 2-1), Bradester (Corey Lanerie; 5-2), Fear the Cowboy (Dusty Shepherd; 20-1), Bullards Alley (Marcelino Pedroza; 12-1).

BARAHONA STEPS UP IN JEFFERSON CUP – An impressive six-length maiden victory over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Sept. 16 gives trainer William “Buff” Bradley confidence that Barahona can successfully step up in class in Saturday’s $100,000 Jefferson Cup (listed) at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-olds.

“We obviously know that he likes this turf course,” Bradley said. “(The turf) has been a little bit on the soft side this meet but it’s good to know that he likes it. I’ve had some horses who haven’t liked it, but least we know that he does.”

The son of More Than Ready broke his maiden on the fourth attempt last time out, which was his second start for Bradley after switching barns from New York-based Leah Gyarmati

“He’s doing well and ready to come in,” Bradley said. “The owners (Tom Keithley’s Gunpowder Farms LLC) are coming in for it since they have two others in that day (Nawlins Kitty in Race 3 and Breaking Lucky in the $175,000 Lukas Classic, which goes as Race 9) so they’re ready. It’s 3-year-olds so we know he likes the turf course. That’s the main reason we’re here.”

Shaun Bridgmohan, who was aboard for Barahona’s maiden win, returns to the saddle Saturday.

The field for the Jefferson Cup (with jockey and morning line odds): Torrontes (Channing Hill, 10-1), Seeking the Soul (Miguel Mena,12-1), Surgical Strike (James Graham, 3-1), One Mean Man (Robby Albarado, 4-1), Bondurant (Brian Hernandez Jr., 10-1), Barahona (Shaun Bridgmohan, 5-1), Madtap (Ricardo Santana Jr., 8-1), Zapperini (Corey Lanerie,10-1), Conquest Daddyo (Luis Contreras, 6-1) and Keystoneforvictory (Julien Leparoux, 6-1).

VENUS VALENTINE MAKES COMEBACK IN FRIDAY ALLOWANCE – Rosemont Farm LLC’s Venus Valentine is scheduled to make her first start since a 12th-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 4 in Friday’s ninth race at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming event on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The 3-year-old daughter of Congrats is most well-known for lighting up the Fair Grounds tote board at odds of 74-1 in the Feb. 20 Rachel Alexandra (GII). Prior to her upset stakes win, she made her lone start on the grass, where she was a close fourth beaten 2 ¾ lengths in an allowance race at Fair Grounds.

“Venus Valentine never had anything wrong with her physically. We just gave her time off after a hard campaign,” trainer Tom Amoss said.

“She’s been on the grass once in New Orleans and sat behind a very slow pace and actually finished up well so we’re encouraged by her performance on the grass so we’re trying it again. I think she’s pace dependent. I think the more pace in the race the better off it will be for us.”

Jockey Corey Lanerie has the mount on Friday.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Thursday’s Single 6 Jackpot carryover is $55,573 for the sequence that covers Races 3-8 starting at 5:58 p.m. … Today is the final “Twilight Thursday” of the year at Churchill Downs with a first race post time of 5 p.m. … Post time for Friday, Saturday and closing day Sunday is 12:45 p.m. … Heading into the final four days of the September Meet, Robby Albarado had a 10-7 lead over Brian Hernandez Jr. and Corey Lanerie in the jockey standings for most wins. Albarado hopes to land his second Churchill Downs riding crown. His lone local title came during the 2008 Spring Meet. … Kenny McPeek and Dale Romans are tied atop the trainer standings with four wins, while Steve Asmussen, Keith Bourgeois, “Buff” Bradley and Chris Hartman have three wins apiece. … Clifford J. Grum, Tom Keithley’s Gunpowder Farms LLC and Terry Finley’s West Point Thoroughbreds LLC have two wins each to lead the owner standings.

Source: Churchill Downs