Curly Jack (Good Magic) looks to return to winning ways at a venue at which he is already two-for-two in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs. A debut winner at this oval in June, he was off the board in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. in July, but missed by just a head in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. in August. Rallying to victory in this oval's GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 17, the bay was fifth at odds of 55-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4.
Steve Asmussen seeks his fourth win in this event and has two chances to do it. Red Route One (Gun Runner) looks to add his sire's long list of accomplishments with just two crops. After two tries on turf, including a maiden win, the Winchell homebred rallied to be third when switched to dirt in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 8 and was fifth three weeks later in a sloppy renewal fo the GIII Street Sense S.
His stablemate Gigante (Not This Time) won his only start on dirt and has made his other three runs on grass, including a dominant win in the Kitten's Joy S.
Ken McPeek also saddles two, the Street Sense runner-up Hayes Strike (Connect) and maiden winner of four starts Denington (Gun Runner).
One race prior the juvenile fillies get their time to shine in the GII Golden Rod S., headlined by a pair of undefeated debutantes, both of whom have scored all their victories beneath the Twin Spires. Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) won on debut here Sept. 25 and romped by 7 1/2 lengths over T Max (Connect) in the Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30.
Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) opened her account here with a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy effort Sept. 18 and took a sloppy optional claimer Oct. 30. She will attempt two turns for the first time here.
Bill Mott ships in with a live one in American Rockette (American Pharoah). Rallying to victory in an off-the-turf sprint at Saratoga July 21, the bay closed well to be fourth in that venue's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 4 and filled the same spot in Belmont's GI Frizette S. Oct. 2.
Woodbine also hosts a pair of graded events for 2-year-olds in the GIII Grey S. and GIII Mazarine S. Colts are up first in the Grey, which is headlined by Hal (Accelerate). A debut winner at this venue Oct. 2, he followed suit with a win in the Display S. Nov. 5.
Mark Casse saddles three members of this seven-horse field, all of which are fillies taking on the boys, topped by Forever Dixie (Quality Road). Graduating at fourth asking when switched to the local synthetic Oct. 1, she rallied to be a close second in the Glorious Song S. Nov. 5 and, like Hal, attempts two turns for the first time here.
Casse also sends out debut winner Ryder Ryder Ryder (Quality Road) and Renegade Rebel (Nyquist), who earned diploma over track and trip in her fourth attempt Oct. 29.
All three fillies are cross-entered in the Mazarine and will likely be split between the two tests. Also worth a look in the Mazarine is Honor D Lady (Honor Code), who graduated at second asking going this distance on the Gulfstream synthetic Oct. 7 and gets Lasix for the first time here.
Saturday's action also offers four graded events for older horses: the GIII Fall Highweight S. and GII Red Smith S. at Aqueduct, the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar and the GIII Berkeley H. at Golden Gate.
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