Sunday Juvenile Stakes Plays for Kentucky Downs

A pair of $500,000 stakes races for two-year-olds will highlight the action at Kentucky Downs on Sunday. 

Race 9: Juvenile S.

A dozen males will travel one mile in the first black-type race of the afternoon. Trainer Saffie Joseph has attempted to get #7 Billy the Greek (8-1) on the turf twice, with each event being moved to the main track, but the son of Goldencents will get his race on the lawn in this dash and, I’ll give him the slight nod. A debut winner at Saratoga on July 21, the gelding returned to finish a non-threatening fourth in the Skidmore S. on the main oval, but he will improve on the surface change in this endeavor. Tyler Gaffalione will have the March foal rallying from off the pace in his grassy bow.

#11 Mozlzil (30-1) looked the part in a dominant victory at Ellis Park in his first career outing and cuts back in trip as a major player for conditioner Brad Cox. The Uncle Mo colt was always in range prior to putting his foes away with ease in his 1 1/16-mile run, and the $160,000 two-year-old purchase posted a useful half-mile drill in advance of Sunday to be ready for his initial stakes adventure. Florent Geroux will be in the silks.

#8 Blue Eyed George (10-1), a $200,000 son of Flameaway, rallied into a slow pace to graduate at first asking and rates a chance for Mike McCarthy. The bay colt will be running on in the final furlong under James Graham. And I will also include Steve Asmussen’s #2 Aspenite (3-1), who was a fine runner-up in a local prep for this endeavor.

Wagers

• $12 win and place: #7 Billy the Greek ($24)
• $2 exacta box: 2,7,8,11 ($24)

Race 10: Juvenile Fillies S.

A baker’s dozen of two-year-old lassies will run one mile in an attractive betting affair. Brendan Walsh’s #6 Austere (15-1) was very impressive during her debut win at Ellis Park when overcoming the 11 post and will get the slight nod in a difficult race. The $150,000 daughter of Mendelssohn is from an excellent turf family and will improve on Sunday when rallying into a more ambitious pace under Tyler Gaffalione. She will be fit following a pair of morning moves in advance of this event.

#10 Kodiac Wintergreen (3-1) ran a pair of good ones in the Empire State and will be a contender if she handles the move to a route following a pair of sprints, which I expect. The Rusty Arnold pupil retains the services of Jose Ortiz.

The Joe Sharp-trained #11 Sweetcatherinerose (20-1) beat only maiden claiming runners on the turf in her unveiling, but it was the way in which the Brody’s Cause filly did it that impressed me. I'm taking the chestnut seriously in the dash with Cristian Torres in the silks once again.

#4 Cynane (5-1) waltzed home a fine winner on the Belmont turf at first go, which preceded a good effort in the ultra-tough Queen Mary S. (G2) at Royal Ascot most recently. The Tom Morley trainee has big early speed and looks like the one to catch with Javier Castellano in the controls.

Wagers

• $5 exacta: 6 with 4,10,11 ($15)
• $.50-cent trifecta: 6 with 4,10,11 with all ($15)
  $.50-cent trifecta: 4,10,11 with 6 with all ($15)