Toast of New York targets Breeders' Cup prep at Churchill
On the precipice of Churchill Downs' three-week boutique September Meet, Director of Racing Ben Huffman is writing some different connections' names into the entries. The Breeders' Cup's return on Nov. 2-3 is partially to thank.
“A big part of the Breeders’ Cup being here at Churchill Downs is that we are going to have a lot of people that are trying to get a run over this track,” Huffman told Churchill's publicity department. “When Breeders’ Cup is here, that always helps your stakes races." 2018 Churchill Downs September Meet Stakes Schedule: Day Date No. Grade Purse Stakes Race Conditions Distance Saturday Sept. 15 50th II $200,000 Pocahontas 2yo F 1 1/16 M Saturday Sept. 15 37th III $150,000 Iroquois 2yo 1 1/16 M Saturday Sept. 15 35th III $100,000 Locust Grove F&M, 3&up 1 1/16 M Saturday Sept. 15 10th $100,000 Open Mind F&M, 3&up 6 F Saturday Sept. 22 43rd $100,000 Dogwood (Listed) 3yo F 7 F Saturday Sept. 29 6th III $200,000 Lukas Classic 3&up 1 1/8 M Saturday Sept. 29 26th III $100,000 Ack Ack 3&up 1 M Saturday Sept. 29 41st $100,000 Jefferson Cup (Listed) 3yo 1 1/8 M (T) Saturday Sept. 29 8th I $100,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup Arabian 4&up 1 1/16 M
Huffman noted that while nominations haven't even closed for the Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic on Sept. 29, Toast of New York is already targeting the 1 1/8-mile race along with Mind Your Biscuits.
Toast of New York, who was second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic, retired and then brought back to the races, is expected to target the Classic again. The versatile Mind Your Biscuits could run in any of the Sprint, Dirt Mile or Classic.
“Keith Desormeaux is going to send five or six horses," Huffman added. "He says he’s going to stay even after the Breeders’ Cup. (Mind Your Biscuits trainer) Chad Summers is coming with one or two horses. He, too, has mentioned running in the Breeders’ Cup and sticking around for the Clark Handicap.
"We were able to squeeze Nick Zito in for the September and Fall Meet with a small division of 12. He normally doesn’t race with us September or the fall. Things like that are indication that things may be changing with guys like that stabling here this year.”
Beginning with Friday's card, Churchill will write 109 races this month at record purse levels of $5.275 million. Last year's September purses totaled $4.692 million.
The September Meet, started in 2013, provides a Kentucky circuit for horsemen to remain in state before Keeneland's October meeting and Churchill's featured Fall Meet.
Along with nine stakes, focus turns to emerging 2-year-olds.
“Opening Saturday with the two 2-year-old stakes races, the Iroquois and Pocahontas, they lead off the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” Huffman said. “I do offer a couple of 2-year-old maiden races on that Saturday and the last two years I’ve split both races. So, it’s kind of like a mini Stars of Tomorrow.”