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Kentucky Downs in Franklin near the Tennessee border is not the most famous racetrack in Kentucky. However, this Saturday it could be the best betting option on the board with five different major graded events on the race card.
This card’s highlight is the Calumet Turf Cup with a seven-figure prize purse. All together, close to $3 million combined is up for grabs in the other four graded events. The general theme of the day is racing on the turf at Kentucky Downs with all five events staged on the grass track at that horse racing venue.
The field has been set for all five races this Saturday at Kentucky Downs. Below is my top choice to win each race.
Kentucky Downs Predictions for Saturday, September 11th
Grade 3 $600,000 Ladies Sprint (6½ Furlongs) – 3 and Older Fillies & Mares
A crowded field of 14 fillies and mares are entered into this sprint on the turf at Kentucky Downs. My top choice to win this race is Venetian Harbor breaking from the No. 10 post.
Trained by Richard Baltas, this four-year old filly is coming off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Clement L Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1. Sired by Munnings, she has now finished first or second in nine of 10 events. Jockey Florent Geroux will get the ride in Saturday’s race.
Grade 2 $600,000 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (6½ Furlongs) – 3 Year Old Thoroughbreds
This year’s Franklin-Simpson Stakes has 14 three-year old’s listed as entered. At the top of the board in my book is trainer William Mott’s Annex. The three-year old Kentucky-bred colt will break from the favorable No. 7 post with Junior Alvarado as his jockey.
The son of Constitution placed second in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes on Aug. 6 at Saratoga. He started his 2021 racing season with three-straight victories at Gulfstream Park.
Grade 3 $750,000 Ladies Turf (1 Mile) – 3 and Older Fillies & Mares
A field of nine is set for this year’s Ladies Turf. Moving to the top of my list to win is Princess Grace as the No. 2 horse in this race. Trained by Michael Stidham, Geroux gets the call as jockey in this race as well.
This four-year old filly has won her last three events, including the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 7. She covered the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:40.84. She also posted victories in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial at Parx and the Grade 3 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs during this current winning streak.
Grade 3 $1,000,000 Turf Sprint (6 Furlongs) – 3 and Older Thoroughbreds
The first seven-figure race at Kentucky Downs this Saturday will feature 13 contenders on the turf. I am going with trainer Mark Casse’s Got Stormy as my top choice to win. Breaking from the No. 9 gate, jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be on the mount.
Sired by Get Stormy, the six-year old mare placed first in this year’s Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga by covering the one mile on turf in 1:33.09. She has done quite well racing against the boys over the course of her highly successful career.
Grade 2 $1,000,000 Calumet Turf Cup (1½ Mile) – 3 and Older Thoroughbreds
The main event of the day offers a full field of 16 contenders marked as entered. In a crowded field, I am going with trainer Mike Maker’s Zulu Alpha as my top choice. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will lead the son of Street Cry out of the No. 11 post.
A poor showing his last time out led to a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Mister D Stakes on Aug. 14 at Arlington Park. However, this veteran eight-year old gelding has shown the ability to quickly bounce back. Prior to that race, he had finished in the money five times in his previous six events.
