Quip looks to bounce back in deep Lukas Classic renewal

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and SF Racing’s multiple graded stakes winner Quip will take on Winchell Thoroughbreds’ four-time winner Tenfold and eight other rivals under the lights in Saturday’s seventh running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Lukas Classic – one of three stakes events on an 11-race evening card at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic, named in honor of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, is the featured event of the night in Race 9 with a post time of 10:11 p.m. The first post is 6 p.m. The evening also features the AckAck (G3) and the Jefferson Cup (Listed).

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Quip (10: 4-2-1—$1,054,451) was the narrow runner-up finisher behind Seeking the Soul in the Stephen Foster (G2) during the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs prior to his nonplused ninth in the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar. Quip began his 4-year-old campaign with a third-place effort in the Hal’s Hope (G3) at Gulfstream Park prior to the biggest win in his career in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in mid-April.

The son of Distorted Humor was on the Triple Crown trail in 2018 after winning the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Following his defeat to Justify in the Preakness Stakes, Brisset gave the Kentucky-bred colt more than nine months on the sidelines before he returned in 2019.

Regular rider Florent Geroux has the mount on Quip, who drew post position No. 4.

Joining Quip in the starting gate is multiple graded stakes-winning Tenfold (12: 4-0-1—$961,890) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old son of Curlin most recently finished fourth in the Pacific Classic and hopes to secure his first victory since winning the Pimlico Special (G3) in May. 

Like Quip, Tenfold ran in some of the top 3-year-old races in 2019. The colt did not qualify for the Kentucky Derby but instead rerouted to a third-place effort in the Preakness prior to winning the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga.

Regular pilot Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the irons from post 6.

Also entered in the Lukas Classic is Steve Landers Racing’s Schaefer Memorial winner Pioneer Spirit, who is slated to return from a two-month layoff in search of his first graded stakes score. Trained by Brad Cox, Pioneer Spirit (25: 9-4-7—$587,450) was a former $35,000 claim in 2017 and has since won six races including back-to-back editions of the Schaefer Memorial at Indiana Grand.

Shaun Bridgmohan has the return call and will break from post 7.

Another top challenger in the Lukas Classic is West Virginia Governors Stakes (G3) winner Silver Dust (23: 5-6-2—$594,777), who will attempt to turn the tables on Pioneer Spirit after finishing a head back of him in the Schaefer Memorial.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Silver Dust will be piloted by regular rider Jack Gilligan out of post 9.

Another entrant in the race who has been facing the likes of Pioneer Spirit and Silver Dust is Mexican-bred Kukulkan. A multiple Grade 1 winner in his native country, Kukulkan (18: 15-1-1—$613,200) finished a length behind Pioneer Spirit and Silver Dust in the Schaefer Memorial and was a half-length behind Silver Dust in the West Virginia Governors Stakes.

Corey Laneire has the call on the Fausto Gutierrez trainee from post 8.

The complete 10-horse Lukas Classic field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and weight): Hawaakom (Miguel Mena, Wes Hawley, 121 pounds); Blueridge Traveler (Julien Leparoux, Kenny McPeek, 121); Big Dollar Bill (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes, 121); Quip (Geroux, Brisset, 125); Sir Anthony (James Graham, Anthony Mitchell, 123); Tenfold (Santana, Asmussen, 123); Pioneer Spirit (Bridgmohan, Cox, 121); Kukulkan (Lanerie, Gutierrez, 121); and Silver Dust (Gilligan, Calhoun, 123)