Maker has 2 in Clark & big chance in Kentucky Oaks prep

Louisville, Ky.

He has two horses entered for Friday’s Grade 2 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, but trainer Mike Maker was not hiding his enthusiasm for the undefeated 2-year-old filly he has in Saturday’s points prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

“Letmecounttheways. I’ve been high on her from day 1,” Maker said as he looked forward to the 2-for-2 daughter of Yaupon racing in the $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes. “She hasn’t let us down once.”

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Maker has older geldings Cooke Creek and Willy D’s starting in the $600,000 Clark, and Woodstock goes for him a day later in the Fern Creek Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs. Letmecounttheways, though, could be the one who truly fits the Stars of Tomorrow brand that Churchill put on Saturday’s card.

Drawn into post 5 with jockey Joel Rosario, Letmecounttheways is among 13 entrants for the race worth 10-5-3-2-1 Oaks qualifying points for the top five finishers. It is not her first time in a big field. She won her debut two months ago at Aqueduct as the 8-5 favorite in a six-furlong maiden race for 12 New York-bred fillies. Last month she stayed in state-bred company going a one-turn mile on the same track to win at 2-5 in the black-type, $200,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes.

Letmecounttheways has led at every call after each start, winning her first by 5 1/2 lengths and her next by six. Now she gets her first shot at unrestricted competition in her division.

With Steve Asmussen-trained Essential Coffee most likely to set the early pace, Maker said Letmecounttheways will not necessarily have to be on the lead right out of the gate in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile race, which will be his filly’s first around two turns and a route of ground.

“She’s a real kind filly to run,” Maker said Monday at his Churchill Downs barn. “She’s been on the lead but obviously not against this competition. I think (Rosario) can place her wherever he needs her.”

Paradise Farms, JP Racing, David Stadacher and Zilla Racing own Letmecounttheways, who was sold for $190,000 at last summer’s Fasig-Tipton yearling sale at Saratoga. High anticipation for the filly’s upcoming races is understandable. Maker, though, has been down these roads before, knowing full well that late bloomers eventually catch up with precocious 2-year-olds. The question now is how much upside does Letmecounttheways have.

“We’ll run her in logical spots,” Maker said. “She handled New York-bred maidens where she’s supposed to run. She handled that well and came back against New York-bred competition in her second start to try her in stakes company and increased distance. She passed both tests, and now we’ll see where to go from here.”

Cooke Creek and Willy D’s carry 12-1 morning-line odds into the 1 1/8-mile Clark, in which Maker has had four starters since 2010. Headache in 2011 and Cooke Creek last year were his best finishers, coming home sixth.

A 6-year-old Uncle Mo gelding owned by Flying P Stable, Cooke Creek is 26: 6-3-4 with $598,867 in earnings. In his second start after six months on the bench, he won Sept. 28 in the black-type, $200,000 Battery Park Stakes going 1 1/8 miles in the slop at Delaware Park.

“He ran good,” Maker said. “He had everything his own way on the front end. It was nice to get him back.”

Cooke Creek finished second to Hit Show, also in sloppy conditions, in the 2024 Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs. After that came out-of-the-money finishes in the 2024 Clark and a pair of Grade 3 stakes before his long break.

“In the Lukas Classic, there again he had everything his own way,” Maker said. “He was unlucky to lose and run second. Then in the Clark there was a lot of speed. He didn’t get the lead and didn’t run his race.”

Rattle N Roll, who won last year’s Clark for trainer Kenny McPeek, and Hit Show, who took the Dubai World Cup (G1) in April for Brad Cox, will provide stiff competition again for Cooke Creek as well as stablemate Willy D’s.

A 4-year-old by Lookin At Lucky, Willy D’s has won twice in six starts since he was claimed by Maker for Paradise Farms out of a narrow loss in March at Oaklawn. Since he won the listed, $102,000 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July, the Kentucky-bred gelding placed second to Banishing in the Charles Town Classic (G2) and then was last of seven in this year’s Lukas Classic.

“He ran poorly in the Lukas Classic,” Maker said. “I think you draw a line a little bit through it. He’s another one that’s best running close to the pace. I think Willy D’s can settle. He was a little bit off (the pace) at Charles Town and still ran a credible race.”

A master at putting horses in optimum spots based on conditions, Maker also has a pair of graded-stakes victories this year with Pin Up Betty in the Mint Julep (G3) at Churchill and Ole Crazy Bone in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational (G2) at Kentucky Downs.

Maker admitted the field of nine 3-year-olds and up in the Clark will be a tall order for Cooke Creek and Willy D’s to conquer.

“A little tough,” he said. “Both have speed, but I think the race is loaded with speed. It doesn’t look favorable for us. Having said that, we’re up against it competition-wise, but it’s always a tough race. No surprise. That’s just the way I see it.”