Kentucky Derby alums set for turf tango in Nashville Derby
A turf race named for a city not in the same state as the track and run over a European-style track certainly seems like a peculiar spot for a quartet of Kentucky Derby alumni to gather again. That’s just what will happen in Saturday’s Grade 3, $3.5 million Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs.
Kentucky Downs, which is about an hour north of Nashville, is in Franklin, Ky. and boasts a rich seven-day meet of all turf racing. The undulating, kidney-bean shaped track is 1 5/16 miles once around, the distance of the Nashville Derby. In recent years, the track’s robust purses have attracted horses for all over, regardless of past form and preferred surface. Despite historic races taking place in both New York and California on Saturday, many top jockeys have decided to come to Kentucky Downs for their share of the inflated purses.
The Nashville Derby also attracted NBC, who will broadcast the event, along with Saturday’s three other graded stakes. Saturdays on NBC at this time of year are typically reserved for Notre Dame football but the Irish open their season Sunday.
Two of the Kentucky Derby runners will be trying turf for the first time. Arkansas Derby winner Sandman, who is coming off a last-place finish in the Jim Dandy. Trained by Mark Casse, who has Jose Ortiz to ride, Sandman’s pedigree doesn’t scream turf but his sire, Tapit, has been successful on all surfaces, and his dam, Distorted Music, produced one turf-stakes winner.
Burnham Square finished one spot ahead of Sandman in the Derby, checking in sixth after some trouble. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square was second in the Matt Winn and fifth last out in the Haskell. He has a really solid turf pedigree, being by Liam’s Map, who’s produced Deterministic, a two time Grade 1 winner on turf, Colonel Liam, a three-time Grade 1 winner on turf, and Roses for Debra, a solid turf sprinter. His dame, Linda, was a Grade 2 winner going 1 1/16 miles. Brian Hernandez Jr. rides and the pair should be somewhat forward.
Final Gambit and Tiztastic, fourth and 10th in the Derby, respectively, both have run twice on turf, including last out in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby. Final Gambit was fifth in that race, while Tiztastic was ninth. Final Gambit, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, has a really nice turf pedigree, while Tiztastic’s sire, Tiz the Law, has done well on turf in a limited sample. Tiztastic is trained by Steve Asmussen and gets Joel Rosario back aboard. All four Derby runners will appreciate some solid pace up front to close into.
Top turf 3-year-old Test Score will likely vie for favoritism, coming off a narrow third-place finish in the Saratoga Derby. One start prior, Test Score won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and three starts back, was second in the Grade 1 American Turf. Test Score is trained by Graham Motion and gets regular rider Manny Franco aboard, who will likely place Test Score forwardly but just off the pace.
Vying for favoritism with Test Score will be Wimbledon Hawkeye, who invades from Europe and brings in solid form, despite having two career wins. Two starts back against older horses in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket, Wimbledon Hawkeye ran second to El Cordobes, who came stateside to win the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. In May, Wimbledon Hawkeye ran second to Pride of Arras, who recently upset a top Group 2 stakes at York. In his career, Wimbledon Hawkeye has gone up against the best in his age group, including Field of Gold, Ruling Court, Delacroix, and Hotazhell. James Owens, who has Frankie Dettori to ride, has had plenty of training success in his young career, training jump winners and even winners with Arabian horses.
Hill Road, who made his first two career starts on turf in Ireland, returned to the turf for trainer Chad Brown, after some decent dirt tries. Hill Road ran third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and even won the Grade 3 Peter Pan before running a decent fifth in the Belmont and third in the Jim Dandy. Tyler Gaffalione is booked to ride.
Tomasello is coming off a victory in the traditional prep for this race at Ellis Park but finished behind King of Ashes, also in Saturday’s field, two starts ago.
Simulate has an upset chance off his second-place finish in the Grade 2 Secretariat last out as the favorite. Maximum Promise ran in some Derby preps and has had some disappointing tries on turf, while Noble Confessor is coming off a maiden win at Saratoga. Iron Hand and Native Runner are listed as also-eligible.
- In the Grade 2, $2 Million Ladies Turf Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs, Ag Bullet is back against females and looking to repeat in the race.
- The Grade 2, $2 million Turf Sprint at six furlongs features the return of Howard Walowitz, who won the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs last year. He’s coming off a 10th-place finish in a Grade 2 turf sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard.
- The Grade 3, $2 million Ladies Turf drew an eclectic field with Sacred Wish and Pin Up Betty likely to vie for favoritism in the one-mile race.
- Limited Liability will look to repeat in the $1 million Gold Cup run over 2 1/16 miles.
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An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.