Hanshin leads stakes action to close out Churchill's spring meet

Churchill Downs concludes its spring meet Sunday with a stellar quintet of stakes - two juvenile sprints, a 3-year-old sprint, a turf route for older females, and a one-mile contest for older horses. The $300,000 Hanshin drew a field of eight older horses, six of whom are stakes winners, set to go one mile. Racing returns beneath the Twin Spires Sept 11. for the 14-day September meet, followed by the Fall meet which starts Nov. 2.

While Banishing gets some class relief in the Hanshin, he’s still in tough. An accomplished sprinter and miler, Banishing has raced 11 times since June of last year. In that stretch, his best win was the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile. Stretched out in the Grade 3 Blame last out, he finished fifth behind winner Mystik Dan, who returns in Saturday’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster. Banishing breaks from the rail with Jose Ortiz aboard for trainer David Jacobson as the 2-1 morning-line second choice.

Saudi Crown, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, beat Mystik Dan last out in the Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn. A Grade 1 winner, Saudi Crown returns to a one-turn race and is likely to set the pace under Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox. 

The most mysterious horse in the Hanshin is last year’s winner Cagliostro. That win was the lone stakes win for the Cherie DeVaux trainee, who was sent to Dubai during the winter. Back in DeVaux’s barn, he’s put in some decent works and gets Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.

Extra Anejo won the Grade 3 Commonwealth two back at Keeneland but finished 10th of 11 in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, behind Mindframe, who also starts in the Stephen Foster. Needing a rebound, Flavien Prat, also aboard in the Commonwealth, takes the mount for Steve Asmussen. 

Completing the field are graded stakes winners Best Actor and Tumbarumba, Will Take It, and Judge Miller. 

Maxfield Stakes

The seven-furlong, $250,000 Maxfield drew a robust field of 13, topped by Chick Lang winner Retribution for DeVaux and Jose Ortiz, in what seems to be a wide-open race. Normandy Coast, Smoken Wicked, Max Got Excited, and Kale’s Angel are fellow sprint-stakes winners.

Among those cutting back to a sprint is Speed King, winner of the Grade 3 Southwest. With plenty of speed, the cutback makes sense.

Flood Zone, the Grade 3 Gotham winner, returns from a trip to the Middle East where he struggled in the U.A.E. Derby. He will also be cutting back for the first time since the first two starts of his career. The Cox trainee gets Geroux aboard and is a little bit of a peculiar 4-1 morning-line favorite.

Captain Cook also cuts back after winning the Withers at Aqueduct and finishing third in the Grade 3 Peter Pan there.

The most interesting horse in the field is Verifire, who earned two high speed figures for a maiden win at Colonial and an allowance win at Pimlico. He’ll get a class test here and needs to prove he can run without Lasix, an anti-bleeding medication.

Ancient World, Perfect Force, Dreaminblue, and Furio complete the field.

Anchorage Stakes

The $175,000 Anchorage Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for older fillies and mares drew a field of nine with six stakes winners. Pin Up Betty, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, and Charlene’s Dream get a rematch after running one-two in the Grade 3 Mint Julep at Churchill last out. 

Charlene’s Dream led the way through decent fractions in that race, while Pin Up Betty closed quickly to pick up a 1 1/2-length victory. Duvet Day, winner of the Grade 3 Cardinal at Churchill two back, was sixth in the Mint Julep and returns here Sunday.

Sparkle Blue, Everland, and Generous Lover are the other stakes winners in the field, while Faith Understood, Long Ago, and Adrasteia complete the field.

Bashford Manor

Saul Elliott invades from California for the six-furlong, $275,000 Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds. All but one of the seven entered have a maiden win to their names, with Saul Elliott’s coming in a statebred race for which he earned the highest speed figure by far in this group. Antonio Fresu will be aboard for trainer Doug O’Neill. 

Romeo won a maiden at Laurel then ran a decent third in the Tremont at Saratoga, making him the lone entrant with multiple starts.

Comport beat Password when the two met June 1 at Churchill, with Password getting a tough trip and remaining a maiden. Duke of Suggins also broke his maiden that day at Churchill in a different race.

Spice Runner, the modest 5-2 morning-line favorite, drew the rail following a solid debut victory at Churchill. Longstridder was an 18-1 upsetter of his debut at Churchill.

Debutante

The filly counterpart of the Bashford Manor is the Debutante, also at six furlongs and for the same purse. Essential Coffee is still a maiden, despite crossing the finish line 8 1/2 lengths in front of all her rivals on debut at Churchill on May 30. She was disqualified for causing interference at the top of the stretch that day and gets Prat aboard for Asmussen on Sunday as the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

Light Won Up for trainer Phil D’Amato is coming off an impressive debut win at Santa Anita. 

Color Comin’ In bested Americathegreat in their debut at Churchill on May 15 and meet again Sunday.

Vajra, Jaboss, Mine Strike, Percy’s Bar, and Lilies N Paradise complete the field.