Brittlyn Stable's extremely talented Louisiana-bred mare Ova Charged is set to make her Ellis Park debut when she faces seven rivals in the Aug. 3 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes, one of three stakes races on the first day of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend.
Run at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf and carrying a purse of up to $250,000 with incentives for Kentucky-breds, the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint is one of seven stakes races taking place this weekend at the Henderson, Ky., track. Along with the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint, Saturday's program includes the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby and $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes. All purses include supplements from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.
The Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint will go as the seventh race with a post time of 2:50 p.m. CT. The first post on the 10-race card is at 11:50 a.m.
Good morning from Ova Charged 🤩🌅 pic.twitter.com/fFzIkLFHFQ
— Ellis Park Racing & Gaming (@EllisParkRacing) July 31, 2024
Ova Charged has dominated her 18-start career with 15 victories and earnings of $918,575. Among her 15 wins are 12 stakes victories, most notably the Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G3T) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.
She is 7-for-7 since she began racing for trainer Shane Wilson in December of last year. She is 5-for-5 over her career on grass, including a victory on turf when trained by Jose Camejo.
"She ran on it one time and it was her highest speed figure and the largest margin of victory she ever had," Wilson said of her form before he began training her. "So it was always the mindset to get her back on the turf, with her mother being a stakes-winning turf mare. But I didn't think it would be this big a difference once she got on it. It was a pleasant surprise. We'll try to keep her on the turf as much as we can, that's for sure, for now."
Jockey Corey Lanerie will ride Ova Charged from post 8.
Watch: Wilson Brings Louisiana-Bred Speedster Ova Charged to Ellis Park
Another accomplished filly entered in the race is Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing's Red Carpet Ready, who's set for her turf debut following three graded stakes victories on dirt. Trained by Rusty Arnold II, Red Carpet Ready sports a solid record of five wins from nine starts including victories in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3), 2023 Eight Belles Stakes (G3), 2023 Forward Gal Stakes(G3), and 2022 Fern Creek Stakes. Red Carpet Ready will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post 5.
Also entered in the race is Rittdiculous Gazmanian Stable's Pea Patch Stakes winner Niki Nine Doors. Trained by Chris Davis, Niki Nine Doors scored an 8-1 upset victory four weeks ago in the Pea Patch Stakes under jockey Gerardo Corrales. The daughter of Cairo Prince will break from post 6.
The winner of the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint will receive an automatic berth to the $1.5 million Ladies Turf Sprint (G2T) Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs. (Purse money for the Ladies Turf Sprint is pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. Recently, Kentucky Downs announced the purse of the race would be increased from $1 million to $1.5 million. All purses count KTDF funds.)
Following the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint is the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile and the Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby. Those races also provide their winners an automatic berth in upcoming lucrative stakes at Kentucky Downs.
Ellis Park, Saturday, August 3, 2024, Race 7Entries: KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Current Climate (KY) Alex Achard 122 Eric N. Foster 30/1 2 2Bling (KY) Luan Machado 122 Victoria H. Oliver 8/1 3 3Awesome Treat (KY) Sophie Doyle 122 Justin Wojczynski 15/1 4 4L J's Emma (KY) Jareth Loveberry 122 Eddie Kenneally 10/1 5 5Red Carpet Ready (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 122 George R. Arnold, II 2/1 6 6Niki Nine Doors (KY) Gerardo Corrales 120 Christopher Davis 6/1 7 7B G Warrior (KY) Fernando De La Cruz 122 Hugo Andrade 20/1 8 8Ova Charged (LA) Corey J. Lanerie 126 Shane Wilson 6/5
Ellis Park, Saturday, August 3, 2024, Race 8Entries: KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Oscar's World (KY) Martin Garcia 118 Brian A. Lynch 8/1 2 2Abrumar (KY) Gerardo Corrales 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 9/2 3 3Beyond Stoked (KY) Walter A. Rodriguez 118 Brian A. Lynch 6/1 4 4El Matador (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Michael J. Maker 8/1 5 5Domingo (KY) Declan Cannon 118 Brendan P. Walsh 8/1 6 6Copper Missile (KY) Adam Beschizza 118 Kelsey Danner 20/1 7 7Green Light (KY) Alex Achard 118 Rodolphe Brisset 2/1 8 8Cameo Performance (KY) Luan Machado 118 Brendan P. Walsh 7/2
Ellis Park, Saturday, August 3, 2024, Race 9Entries: KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Big Dreaming (KY) Jareth Loveberry 122 Michael J. Maker 10/1 2 2Double Clutch (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 122 George R. Arnold, II 12/1 3 3Miranda Rights (KY) Luan Machado 122 Mark E. Casse 6/1 4 4Highway Robber (KY) Declan Cannon 122 Brian A. Lynch 7/2 5 5Good Governance (GB) Santo Sanjur 122 Anna Navarrete 20/1 6 6Win for the Money (KY) Cristian A. Torres 124 Mark E. Casse 7/5 7 7Fuerteventura (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 124 Randy L. Morse 10/1 8 8W W Candy (FL) Jaime A. Torres 122 Michael J. Maker 15/1 9 9Tut's Revenge (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 Michael J. Maker 8/1
