Churchill Downs will race under the lights on Saturday night (photo credit: churchilldowns.com)
A field of 11 juvenile fillies will do battle under the lights in the $100,000 Debutante as Churchill Downs presents another “Downs After Dark” program that gets underway at 6:00 ET.
For fans attending it will be a southern style hoedown called “Boots, Brew and BBQ” with live entertainment and a party atmosphere.
For horseplayers it is an outstanding 11-race card highlighted by a wide-open renewal of the Debutante, which drew fillies from all of the country. Among the tracks these fillies competed at in their last start include Mountaineer Park, Lone Star Park, Arlington Park, Will Rogers Downs, Pimlico, Indiana Downs, Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park.
None of the 11 in the field has any experience facing winners, and none of the field has raced beyond five furlongs.
The co-feature on the card is the $65,000 Roxelana, a six furlong race for fillies and mares that drew a field of nine.
The Al Stall trained Apropos is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The daughter of First Samurai is coming off a win against second level optional claimers as the heavy favorite. Three back she earned a 101 Beyer beating first level allowance company at Oaklawn Park in her first start against winners.
Let’s head out to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s featured raced of the day:
Churchill Downs Race 7 The Debutante (Post time 9:05 ET)
9 Del Mar Holiday 8-1
8 Teardrop 2-1
10 Fiftyshadesofgold 3-1
7 More Than Beauty 7-2
Del Mar Holiday is going to be a decent price in here off a low figure maiden score where she drifted out in the stretch. She made her debut on poly at Keeneland and made a good late rally to finish third. Last out she showed improved speed and took the field gate to wire over a wet fast surface. She loses her jockey Rosie Napravnik to the favorite which should help the price. She may not be quick enough to get to the front here but she showed some ability to come from off the pace in her debut. She should get a good tracking trip and is going to offer value if she goes off near her 8-1 morning line. She is out of the stakes winner Harvest Girl ($278,865) who has dropped three other winners including a couple of talented runners in Harvest Lisa ($192,352) and Winning Image ($435,437).
Teardrop broke slow and spotted the field three lengths at the break in her debut, raced wide throughout, came seven wide into the stretch and just rolled on by the field to win by 3 ¾ lengths in a good looking effort. She took some play, sent off at 6-5 and is going to be a light price again here. The extra ground will suit and she just needs a better break. She has three sibs that are stakes winners, topped by $1.6 million earned Pyro. Her price is likely going to drift south of her 2-1.
Fiftyshadesofgold broke her maiden at Lone Star Park by 10 lengths and earned the top last out speed fig in the outing. She was sent off as the chalk and did not beat a real tough group. The fifth place finisher Great Queen did graduate in her next start, but it was against $25,000 maiden claimers and she earned a 43 Beyer. This gal is a tough read as she faces much tougher here, but she is in a sharp barn with Bret Calhoun that does good work with juveniles and she has a decent pedigree. She has a couple of sibs that are stakes winners, Sword Trick ($210,130) and Tastefullyxcessive ($113,329).
Wagering:
WIN: #9 to win at 5-1 or better.
EXACTA: 8,9 / 7,8,9,10
TRIFECTA: 8,9 / 7,8,9,10 / 2,7,8,9,10
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