Turfway Park Opens Thursday For 16-Day Fall Meeting

Racing in Kentucky shifts from Ellis Park to Turfway Park, with the Florence track opening for a 16-day meeting on Thursday evening, with a first post of 5:30 ET.

Racing on Thursday and Friday will get underway at 5:30, with a Saturday and Sunday post time of 1:10 ET.

The signature event of the fall Turfway Park meeting was the Kentucky Cup, which has been suspended this year due to purse reductions.

The marquee event of the meet instead will be the $100,000 Turfway Park Fall Championship on Sept. 11.

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The race is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race, with the winner earning an automatic starting berth in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov. 5-6.

The festivities at Turfway Park kick off Thursday evening with an outstanding nine race card, and we will focus on the last four races, which make up the late Pick 4:

Race 6 Maiden Special Weight
Granny Ramsey may get the Pick 4 off to a chalky start, as the likely favorite appears to be on the one to beat in this spot. The $230K purchase was outrun early and made a mild late rally to finish fourth in her debut. That effort came at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf at Ellis Park and this gal should appreciate the extra ground here. She is by Empire Maker out of the stakes winner Changing World ($394K). The Mike Maker barn is 29% winners (with a +ROI) with second out maidens.

#4 Hip Hip was a game second in her last outing at Arlington Park over the polytrack surface. She was beaten just ¾ of a length for the top spot and looks like a good fit here. She is a half to four winners including stakes winner Congrats ($998K).

Selections: #5 Granny Ramsey – #4 Hip Hip – #1 Stormonthehorizon

Race 7 Claiming $12,500
Scilly makes her first start off a 2 ½ month break, her last start a win at Lincoln Fair against optional claimers that were non winners of four lifetime. The filly is 0 for 2 on the fake stuff, but she is making just her second start for the high percentage Woodard barn and this gal looks like a good fit here tagged for $12,500.

Satan’s Plume returns off a 3 ½ month break for the Drury barn that is 28% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. The mare won here last December versus $15K non winners of three and then faced tougher in her last two outings. Blinkers go on today, but note there are no published works on the morning tab.

Selections: #6 Scilly – #3 Satan’s Plume – #5 Thunder and Belle – #9 Tosca’s Kiss

Race 8 Optional Claiming $20,000
Maestro Miss tracked the early pace, made a good middle move and did not have enough punch left late, settling for a third place finish against Alw-1 foes at Delaware Park. The filly makes her third start of her current form cycle and he has run well on the fake stuff, landing in the exacta in all four trips, her last go over poly her maiden score at Keeneland back in April for a $50K tag.

Pish Posh came back off a two month break to post back to back wins sprinting over dirt at Ellis Park and River Downs. This mare can handle poly, winning four times including a pair of victories here at Turfway Park. She comes in here sharp for a high percentage outfit.

Selections: #4 Maestro Miss – #8 Pish Posh – #7 Lavenham

Race 9 Maiden Claiming $5,000
Wright Tribute is worth a look here in the nightcap at nice odds, 15/1 on the morning line. The gelding has some early speed, last out pressing the early pace from the outside and weakening to finish fifth. His lone start over a synthetic surface was not pretty, a well beaten sixth over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle, but let’s give him a look over poly here, as we should catch a generous price.

Two to Dance makes his debut for the Heimbrecht barn that is 17% winners (with a +ROI) with first time starters. The colt is out of a Assert mare that has dropped four foals to race, three winners, top earner stakes winner Blinded by Love (7 for 14, $287K). This is not a very tough spot for his first start.

Selections: #11 Wright Tribute – #10 Two to Dance – #12 Knockout King – #6 Rajablou