River City Tests Lambeth Over Shorter Trip

Lambeth demonstrated his class and staying power with a determined rally to win the 1 1/2-mile Sycamore Stakes (G2T) Oct. 9 at Keeneland. Returning Nov. 7 against graded/group stakes winners Mercante, Teao (CHI), Ole Crazy Bone and four other rivals in the shorter 1 1/8-mile River City Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs, he'll need to call upon his versatility. Lambeth appears well-equipped for the cutback in trip, having shown he can compete over a variety of distances and surfaces during his 21-race career. Four of his six victories have come at distances between a mile and 1 1/16 miles, while the other two have come at 1 1/2 miles. In addition to the Sycamore, he won the Temperance Hill Stakes at that distance on dirt at Oaklawn Park in March 2025. He has yet to win at 1 1/8 miles, but he has raced that distance just once, finishing 11th in the Fayette Stakes (G2) on dirt at Keeneland in the fall of last year. Jose Ortiz, aboard in the Sycamore, returns in the irons for trainer Joe Sharp and owner Carl R. Moore Management. Flying P Stable's Ole Crazy Bone also has established credentials. The 6-year-old gelding captured the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course this summer, holding off Fort George by a nose. He also won the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs in 2025. Trainer Mike Maker gave charge two months off following a pair of rear-half finishes in graded company that followed the Bowling Green. Ole Crazy Bone finished a close sixth in the Christophe Clement Turf Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course before checking in eighth when pursuing a repeat win in the Kentucky Turf Cup. Similarly, Carl Pollard's Mercante, trained by Brian Knippenberg, appears capable of better than his eighth-place finish in the Turf Mile (G1T) last month at Keeneland. The millionaire broke slowly and never established his customary forward racing position. He competed in this River City last year, finishing in a dead heat for third. Blinkers, removed for the Turf Mile, return to his equipment Saturday. The wild card in the River City is Chilean Horse of the Year Teao, who makes his United States debut for Don Alberto Stable and trainer John Sadler. He has notable South American credentials and most recently captured the Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) April 26 at Monterrico Racecourse in Peru for former trainer Orellana Rodriguez. He is 6-3-1 in 12 lifetime starts. The River City is one of two $300,000 stakes races at Churchill Downs on Saturday, the other being the Bet On Sunshine Stakes for sprinters going 6 furlongs. Millionaire graded-winning 3-year-old Obliteration battles other sophomores and older horses in the 13-horse lineup. Viking, Echo Again and comebacking Greenwich Village head the opposition.