The Lead:
The 26th annual Claiming Crown rolls into Churchill Downs this Saturday and puts the blue-collar horses in the headlines. Eight divisional stakes races run under starter allowance conditions go as Races 4-11 on the card. As expected, enhanced purses for these claiming veterans proved popular at the entry box with 119 names dropped for the 8 races. The featured 1-1/8 miles Jewel is the main event for those who have started at least once for $35,000 claiming or less in 2023-'24. It lured a capacity field of 12 with 2 also-eligibles, topped by defending race champion MONEY SUPPLY.
The 14 Jewel prospects hail from 8 different last-out locations, but note all but 1 has made at least 1 career start on the Churchill Downs main track. Eight of them have won locally.
Field Depth:
Grade 3 winner MONEY SUPPLY has the field's marquee victory in Fair Grounds' Mineshaft Stakes in February (pictured above). The lineup also includes listed stakes winners AUTO GLIDE and LAUGHING BOY.
Pace:
LAUGHING BOY and also-eligible GILDED CRACKEN are the only committed front-runners in the field. SPOILER, WINSTON WOLF, SURFACE TO AIR, BOURBON DAY and BEYOND BEST are candidates to seek some position, but likely not threaten the front. A deep closer could be compromised .
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-SPOILER: Corey Lanerie will save every inch from the rail as he's apt to do, giving this consistent, Keeneland claiming winner every chance as he returns to the Commonwealth from a solid run in Oklahoma. Good running style for the race shape.
#2-GENERAL MATHIS: Have to think shrewd Larry Rivelli barn had this race in mind when putting up $40K to claim this one last out (a winning CD effort), considering 7-year-old has made only 16 career starts. Back class with a Santa Anita allowance win on the ledger in 2023 and 2-for-2 at the 9F trip on dirt.
#3-MONEY SUPPLY: Won the Jewel as 5-2 chalk last year and is 2-1 morning line favorite to repeat. Joe Sharp trainee since added stakes wins at Fair Grounds and Horseshoe Indy before being overmatched on grass in last 2 at Saratoga and Kentucky Downs. Fits back at this dirt level over CD track where he's 2-for-5.
#4-HURRY HURRY: Drops far out of it early and that's led to some inconsistency, following up each of his last 3 wins with 2 consecutive losses. Pace scenario doesn't look beneficial for him, though Jose Ortiz riding very well of late.
#5-AUTO GLIDE: On the sideline since July, previous bids off layoffs have not warranted confidence. Did run off 4 straight wins earlier this year at Oaklawn and Delaware Park, but was not effective in 1 prior Churchill start in 2023.
#6-GUNTOWN: Trainer Mike Maker owns the Claiming Crown record with 22 career wins, including the '22 Jewel in the only other time the race was run at Churchill Downs. He'll look for more with this classy $750K Gun Runner buy that was claimed for $80K in March. Hasn't shown much in 6 starts for the barn, albeit vs. much tougher foes. Winless at the track in 5 starts and the distance in 6, but lures top jockey Luis Saez.
#7-WINSTON WOLF: Churchill local has 4 straight superfecta finishes over the track, including a June win at the distance. The concern will be class as he's been more of a $30K sort in those local starts and appears more 'claimer' than many of these.
#8-BOURBON DAY: With 6 wins in his last 12 races - over 6 different tracks (turf/dirt) - there aren't many holes to poke in this Brad Cox trainee. He's the only horse in the race without a prior start at Churchill Downs, but his ability to perform everywhere else in any scenario lends to his chances. Regular rider Flavien Prat opts to stay in New York; Florent Geroux takes the call.
#9-LAUGHING BOY: David Jacobsen trainee hasn't raced since tiring on the pace of April's Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland. Prior, he won the 9-furlong Excelsior at Aqueduct. He knows only a singular style and will try to wire the field under Samy Camacho and a hefty 126-pound assignment. Keep an eye on scratches as Gilded Craken's status on the AE list makes a huge impact on this one's chance to control the tempo.
#10-WELAKA: Churchill-based 4-year-old has won 2 of his last 3, including a CD claimer and an Ellis starter allowance over this 1-1/8 miles journey. But he's off since August and hasn't fired strongly off prior breaks.
#11-SURFACE TO AIR: Strong Keeneland rally to win an allowance last out with a return to Lasix. Notably has won 4 straight on the medication, running poorly in 2 starts at Monmouth in stakes company without Lasix in-between. Last 3 wins have come at 10-1, 20-1 and 24-1 odds.
#12-BEYOND BEST: Winless over his last 4 starts since trainer Genaro Garcia claimed him for $40K. He's run some good races at Churchill, but distance is the concern, and a far outside post doesn't help stretch that stamina.
(AE) #13-GILDEN CRAKEN: Major pace player has won 2 straight wire-to-wire and is a neck shy of winning his last 4 attempts on dirt. Trainer Joe Sharp has defending Jewel champ Money Supply in the main body and this would be a good early-late pace compliment. Contends even from a wide draw if in.
(AE) #14-BIG DREAMING: 7-year-old has just 1 dirt win while spending the vast part of his career on turf. But longtime followers know Churchill is one of the better turf-to-dirt translations you'll see of any US venue; turf horses often run well here (this one third in his only CD dirt bid). Trainer Mike Maker and his record 22 Claiming Crown wins merit some respect.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
MONEY SUPPLY is proven over the track, the distance and the class level as the defending champ. You can make excuses for his last 2 (Kentucky Downs unique course, Grade 1 at Saratoga).
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
SPOILER could get a great trip inside at 15-1 morning line and his consistency is admirable with 9 of his last 10 in the superfecta.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$25 exacta part-wheel MONEY SUPPLY, BOURBON DAY over SPOILER, GENERAL MATHIS ($100).
.svg){kind=logo}
