In Kentucky Downs' brief association with the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, a winner of either of its Win & You're In races has yet to go on to capture the corresponding race in the World Championships, but one look at the purses being offered at the Franklin, Ky., track suggests that trend won't last long.
And a look at this year's Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) in particular suggests this could be the year. All eyes will turn to Kentucky's European-style track Sept. 7 as it hosts the weekend's only two domestic challenge races: the Turf Sprint, which awards a fees-paid spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T); and the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2T), which awards a fees-paid spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
This year both of these Kentucky Downs races will offer $2 million purses (for Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund horses) with significant money also available for non-Kentucky-breds.
Both races also will welcome back past winners, although these horses are listed at double-digit odds on the morning line. Gear Jockey, who captured the Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs last year and in 2021, is listed at 30-1 as the son of Twirling Candy will be making his 7-year-old debut Saturday. He has not raced since an off-the-board finish in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which followed his narrow victory in the Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs at 23-1 odds.
The Kentucky Turf Cup entries include Get Smokin, who enjoyed a clear advantage at every point of call in this race last year as the son of Get Stormy registered a 1 3/4-length win. Listed at 12-1, Get Smokin will enter off a narrow victory in the United Nations Stakes (G2T) July 20 at Monmouth Park. Get Smokin did not race in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf as his win at Kentucky Downs marked the final start of his 6-year-old season.
The Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs has been a Challenge Series race since 2019 with Gear Jockey finishing 11th in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last year and sixth off his 2021 win. Totally Boss finished 10th in the 2019 Breeders' Cup after his Challenge Series win, and Imprimis followed his 2020 win at Kentucky Downs with a 13th-place finish in the World Championships.
The Kentucky Turf Cup has been a Challenge race since 2021. In that time Red Knight has been the only winner to go on to the Breeders' Cup Turf. He finished 11th in that race in 2022.
There are some hurdles for horses who win, or run well, at Kentucky Downs to then go on to win the corresponding Breeders' Cup race. The Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs is contested at six furlongs around a long turn with a slightly uphill finish through a long stretch. The six-furlong distance is longer than the distance at which the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint typically is contested. For instance, this year at Del Mar it will be run at five furlongs.
While we've noted the differences in the Kentucky Downs course compared with other tracks in the United States, the distance of the Kentucky Turf Cup does match the 1 1/2-mile distance of the Breeders' Cup Turf. The biggest hurdle for winners of this Challenge race is the uptick in competition in the Breeders' Cup Turf where top European-based runners have flocked. In the three years that the Kentucky Turf Cup has been a Challenge race, the Breeders' Cup Turf has been won by European-based runners.
Despite those hurdles, this could be the year a Kentucky Downs Challenge race delivers. With back-to-back graded stakes wins in turf sprints to start the season, including a 3 1/2-length score in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course, Cogburn has pushed to the front of this division in the U.S. He's the 6-5 morning-line favorite Saturday from post 4. As the son of Not This Time already has shown an ability to win at both five furlongs and 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, if he were to add a win Saturday he would likely be favored come November. He finished fifth in this race last year.
The field also includes Nobals, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
The favorite in the Kentucky Turf Cup is Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) runner-up Integration. That field includes one international runner in group 3 winner Chief Little Rock who is 4-1 for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
