An additional quartet of Grade I contests and a Grade I-quality renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile highlight Saturday's Kentucky Derby undercard races at Churchill Downs.
Knightsbridge Rates Top Billing In Churchill Downs S.
A field of 11 comes together for yet another compelling renewal of the $1-million GI Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong contest in which Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Knightsbridge (Nyquist) goes in search of a maiden top-level success while looking to extend his current winning streak to five.
A half-brother to Grade I-winning Darley stallion Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), Knightsbridge has three wins from four tries over this specialist distance, including a 4 3/4-length victor in the GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream last December. His two most recent scores have come at a mile and he earned a lofty 112 Beyer in running away with the Feb. 28 GIII Gulfstream Park Mile when last seen Feb. 28.
'Rising Star' Cornucopian (Into Mischief) couldn't quite make it to the Derby last year and since returning from an April layoff, has posted a pair of easy tallies, most recently taking the seven-furlong GIII San Carlos Stakes by an unextended 2 3/4 lengths on Mar. 29.
The Churchill Downs has attracted three runners that are exiting group-level scores on foreign soil in their most recent trips to the races. Banishing (Ghostzapper) dead-heated with Nysos (Nyquist) for second behind Mindframe (Constitution) in last year's renewal and caused a mild surprise with a 2 1/4-length win in the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Mar. 28. Imagination (Into Mischief), runner-up in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, overcame a sluggish start to win the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 14. T O Elvis (Volatile) is himself on a four-race winning streak capped by an impressive five-length victory in Nakayama's G3 Capella Stakes on Dec. 14. The 4-year-old, to be ridden by Ryusei Sakai, lands here after passing on the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at the 11th hour. —Alan Carasso
Rhetorical Favored in Turf Classic
A race before Not This Time will have Six Speed vying to become his first GI Kentucky Derby winner, the versatile super sire will be represented on the lawn by Rhetorical, who is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the GI Turf Classic.
The 5-year-old gelding will be seeking his second top-level success in the nine-furlong precursor to the Derby following his victory in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland last October. He was on the lead in upper stretch before settling for a close-up fourth behind Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Mile and was never able to reel in pacesetting Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) when third in his 2026 debut in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland last time out Apr. 10.
Amerman Racing Stables' Test Score (Lookin at Lucky), 7-2 on the morning-line, will be looking for his second straight Grade I victory–and third overall–following his gritty score in the Jan. 24 GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational last time out.
Always with a strong hand on the turf, trainer Chad Brown saddles a pair of runners in the Turf Classic. Peter Brant and St. Elias Stable's Asbury Park (GB) (Frankel {GB}), 8-1 on the morning line, makes his first start since winning the GII Jockey Club Derby Invitational last October. Klaravich Stable's Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), whose three Grade I wins include last year's Turf Classic, will be adding blinkers following a third-place effort in the Mar. 21 GII Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds. He is listed at 4-1.
Mamba Brings Lakershow To The American Turf
In the GI American Turf Stakes, a capacity field has assembled to contest eight and half furlongs.
Named after the late Laker superstar Kobe Bryant by C R K owner Lee Searing, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Remember Mamba (Kitten's Joy) is a deserving favorite. The Cherie DeVaux trainee was last seen winning the GIII Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland last month, which was the colt's third victory in as many tries.
The Transylvania runner-up Honey Dutch (Knicks Go), third-place horse Vasy (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}) and fourth-place finisher Street Beast (Street Sense) also make the American Turf barrier.
Stark Contrast (Caravaggio) bypassed the GI Kentucky Derby in favor of this spot. Amerman Racing and trainer Michael McCarthy send out the runner-up from the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks.
Horses who could be peaking at the right time include Greenwich Village (Quality Road). The Bob Baffert trainee has strung together a pair of route stakes wins over the grass at Santa Anita and happens to be the lone American out of 88 entries for June's G1 Epsom Derby.
Also looking to make a top-level splash is the ultra-consistent Alpyland (Vekoma). The winner of the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs is campaigned by D J Stable and trained by Mark Casse.
Coming back to the races after a juvenile season that saw him win the GIII With Anticipation Stakes at the Spa and the GII Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland, Final Score (Not This Time) is set for his 3-year-old unveiling. The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling buy for Mike Repole is trained by Todd Pletcher.
Finally, if you are after a wild card or two, then don't overlook Kenny McPeek trainee Blackout Time (Not This Time). The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', will try the grass for the first time after finishing a well-beaten fifth in the GI Arkansas Derby.
Michael McCarthy has one other member of his shedrow entered in this spot. Graded stakes placed Let's Be Frank (Liam's Map) could play the role of the wise guy. Of note, he's the only American Turf entry to face older company. @campbellparlay
Derby City Distaff Kicks Off Graded Action On Saturday Card
The GI Derby City Distaff, the first of eight graded stakes races on the Kentucky Derby card Saturday, highlights a competitive field of both current and returning stars in the female sprint division.
Trainers Bob Baffert and Saffie Joseph Jr. each hold a two-strong hand with Baffert shipping in MGISW Splendora (Audible). Undefeated in her last five starts, the 5-year-old Breeders' Cup champion comes in off a 5 3/4-length cruise in the GI Beholder Mile at Santa Anita March 7.
Stablemate Usha (Tiz the Law), the “baby” of the field as the lone 4-year-old, drew the rail for her first start since an equally-dominant 5 1/4-length win in the GI La Brea Stakes Dec. 28. Baffert owns the most wins in this race, having previously taken it three times, most recently in 2021 with Gamine (Into Mischief).
Joseph Jr. brings in Arkansas-bred Haulin Ice (Coal Front) who is still looking for her first top-level win despite plenty of success in graded stakes company. She's won her last two starts, both stakes at Oaklawn Park, by a combined 13 lengths. Drawn widest of the six, Joseph, Jr.'s other entry is R Disaster (Awesome Slew), a Florida-bred 5-year-old also on a run of good form including a last-out third in the GI Madison Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 4.
The wild card of the group, Ways and Means (Practical Joke) makes her return to races here off nearly an 11-month layoff. Last seen at Saratoga winning the GII Bed O' Roses by 7 3/4 lengths, the Klaravich Stables runner already has a Grade I to her name, having won the GI Test Stakes on a muddy Saratoga track in August 2024.
Longshot Autumn Evening (Malibu Moon), making her first start Saturday for Jose D'Angelo after running previously for Todd Pletcher, completes the field.
'Rising Stars' Do Battle In Pat Day Mile
A pair of twice-raced 'TDN Rising Stars' presented by Hagyard are set to go toe-to-toe in a cracking renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile, which kicks off the second half of the Derby program at Churchill.
C R K Stable comes to Louisville minus a runner in the main event–they finished third with late call-up Baeza (McKinzie) in 2025–but arrive with several big shots to fire elsewhere over the weekend.
Englishman (Maxfield) kicked off his career in the best possible way for trainer Cherie DeVaux, leading every step of the way and clocking a slick 1:21.35 in a seven-furlong maiden Sept. 19, good for a 97 Beyer and a 'Rising Star'. The bay colt, a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling returned to action exactly six months later at the Fair Grounds and validated 1-10 favoritism with a no-doubt-about-it 7 1/2-length success Mar. 19.
In the opposite corner comes Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), who overcame a slow start and made multiple moves en route to a narrow debut score, also good for 'Rising Star' honors. He was that much more impressive in a first-level allowance on the Santa Anita Derby undercard Apr. 4, sitting out wide before accelerating away from his rivals by 6 3/4 lengths. If a fast pace materializes, as is usually the case in this one-turn mile, Crude Velocity could possess the superior running style of the 'Rising Stars'.
Tim Yakteen sends out a fourth Pat Day Mile runner since 2022, though the previous three occurred while trainer Bob Baffert was banned from running his horses at Churchill. In the form of Virginia-bred Secured Freedom (Practical Joke), he has something of an interesting longshot to run in his own name.
An even fourth on Del Mar debut in November, he launched a rally from midfield to graduate by 4 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita Dec. 28, good for an 88 Beyer. Not disgraced when third in the Feb. 7 GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes going a mile and fourth to Derby runner Potente (Into Mischief) in the GII San Felipe Stakes. John Velazquez has the riding assignment. —Alan Carasso
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