Asmussen Has All Five Ellis Park Stakes Covered Aug. 14

Steve Asmussen isn't just North America's all-time winningest trainer (9,864 wins through Aug. 12) but he's run more horses than anyone in history with 48,228 starts. He'll add six more Aug. 14 at Ellis Park with a horse in each of the track's five stakes and two in the Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante. MyRacehorse's Chasing Time is 8-1 in the Ellis Park Derby's morning-line odds after finishing second to Sunday rival Friar Laurence in a seven-furlong allowance race. "We're pretty excited about him," said Marissa Short, who oversees Asmussen's Ellis Park operation. "He's coming into this race feeling really good, so we're hoping he'll show up and do what he needs to do to get it done. He likes the track here. He seems to like the quiet and the surface. He's getting spunky and enjoying himself, so it's been fun to see." Roman Giant, a Churchill Downs maiden winner who is 4-1 in the Runhappy Ellis Park Juvenile, was seventh in the Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course after stumbling at the start. Asmussen sends out both Empire of My Own, fourth in Churchill Downs' Debutante, and Lone Star Park eight-length debut winner Mor Lively in the Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante. Runhappy Audubon Oaks contender Optionality is a two-time stakes-winner who seems to appreciate returning to one-turn racing. Jilted Bride is 4-1 in the $125,000 Groupie Doll Stakes, coming in off victory in the Iowa Distaff. The 5-2 favorite in the Ellis Park Derby is BBN Racing's Trademark, who comes off of a fourth-place finish in the Indiana Derby (G3). Trademark drew post 9 in the field of nine 3-year-olds. He started from the rail in the Indiana Derby and found himself on the lead until getting run down late. "I thought he ran a big race," Oliver said. "I thought I ran him back quick in the Derby Day race (Pat Day Mile) after running in the Blue Grass (a fifth at Keeneland). I think he was tired. He got real light after that race. I gave him a couple of weeks on the farm to let him down a little bit. He might have been a touch short in Indiana, and we had to use him from the 1 hole to get out there and set the pace. I thought he looked really good out there and then he flattened out the last sixteenth, whether we got a little tired or we weren't quite as good as the others. "I think this could be anyone's race. I don't think there's one horse that's going to take all the money." Oliver also has Ellis allowance winner Take a Stand in the $100,000 Audubon Oaks.