CD capped a terrific first season of night racing under the permanent lights when 32,481 turned out under ideal weather Friday night. Kiddari ($17), with S.Bridgmohan up for B.Mott, won the featured $63,560 Roxelana for fillies and mares.
There was one winner in the $2 pick 6 last night, with the payoff being $43,550. No such luck for anybody in the $1 super high five, leading to a carryover of $74,458 for today (race 11).
Meanwhile, D.Wayne Lukas has confirmed that '09 Derby winner Mine That Bird will indeed start tomorrow in the G2 Firecracker, saying that, win or lose, he just really wants to get a race into the gelding leading into the Aug. 7 Whitney at Sar. . . . sounds like a pretty good bet-against opportunity, seeing that MTB is the 3-1 ML fave in a wide-open field of 14.
Today we've got a pair of G3 stakes in the Locust Grove (race 9) and the Bashford Manor (race 10), with the Firecracker helping to close out the 42-day meet tomorrow. Ellis Park starts next Saturday.
Fast track and a firm turf with the hedge serving as the inner rail. First post 12:45 ET. Here are the early changes on the Sat. program. . . . good luck.
Race 1 - SCR #4 Holy Roman Empire
Race 2 - SCR #4 Incredibly Gifted; SCR #13 (ae) Plan Ahead; SCR #14 (ae) Hour Ten; SCR #15 (ae) Dead Serious; note that #16 Super Van will run
Race 3 - SCR #2 Panthere Tigre
Race 5 - SCR #11 Ten Lil Indians
Race 6 - SCR #2 Igotitigotitigotit
Race 7 - SCR #13 (ae) Storm in the Lake; SCR #14 (ae) Ratitat; SCR #15 (ae) Keen Case; SCR #16 (ae) Jenna's Lemon
Race 8 - SCR #9 Toy Indian
Race 9 - SCR #12 Go Ask Alex
