“I got out and thought I was home free (in the Saratoga Special) but (I Spent It) just came and beat us,” said jockey Corey Lanerie. “I think we just hit a freak. Take him out of the race and my horse looks like a superstar. I think Mr. Z is a really, really nice horse and the two turns will help him a whole lot. I think he’s got a big future. I worked him (four furlongs in :47 on Monday at Churchill Downs) and he worked great for Wayne. He looks like he couldn’t be doing any better.”
Hashtag Bourbon, who finished a half-length behind Mr. Z in the pair’s maiden race, returned in the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes last out. That’s where he scored his maiden victory with a 4 ½ length romp and earned a Brisnet speed figure of 92. The son of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver will break from the rail under jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. for trainer Kellyn Gorder as the co-second choice in the field at odds of 4-1.
Bold Conquest is the other half of the 4-1 second choice pair. This son of Curlin broke his maiden last out in an $83,000 race at Saratoga last month. In an impressive battle to the wire, the Steve Asmussen-trainee out finished Todd Pletcher’s Money Changer after squeezing out of four-wide pack around the turn. Bold Conquest may be young and inexperienced, but his performance in that race showed a toughness and grit rarely seen so early. Joel Rosario has the mount as the pair breaks from post eight.
Graham Motion, who won the Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom in 2011, sends out Cleveland Sound, a son of More Than Ready. Cleveland Sound was beaten 7 ¾ lengths last out when finishing fourth to I Spent It in the Saratoga Special. He’ll add Lasix and may improve at the route distance. He’ll break from post four under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.
This type of race is generally wide-open with plenty of possibilities and offers a glimpse at possible Kentucky Derby contenders. The race is the 9th on Churchill’s Saturday card with a scheduled post time of 4:55 EDT. The race can be seen on HRTV and TVG. Free PPs provided by Brisnet.
Photo: Courtesy Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer
