Churchill's Matt Winn Stakes Caps Blockbuster Graded Weekend

There might be a touch of malaise come Sunday, but the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs for 3-year-olds is the way to revive any Belmont Stakes reveler with the proper racing tonic. Add in a pair of competitive graded grass races at the Spa for good measure and Sunday's higher level slate should make things right as rain.

In the Matt Winn, a trio of GI Kentucky Derby entrants will get another crack at the surface that was less than kind to them on the first Saturday in May.

The highly regarded 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Further Ado (Gun Runner) leads the way as the 1-1 morning-line favorite. Spendthrift's runner boasts a resume that is chock full of form and if he can return to his best, then he is going to get his picture taken.

The chestnut ran off the page in the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland two months back, but as the top choice in the Derby he finished a disappointing 11th. Trainer Brad Cox has Irad Ortiz Jr. back aboard.

“Spendthrift has been great to work with in managing this horse,” Cox said. “One of our major goals before the Derby was the Blue Grass and our team did a good job getting him there. I felt like after the Derby it was a good opportunity to reset with him a bit.

Brad Cox | Sarah Andrew

“He's trained well coming out of the Derby and I thought keeping him at home for the Matt Winn would be a good spot,” he said. “We've had success in this race in the past as a steppingstone to the Haskell with Cyberknife, who is another son of Gun Runner. I thought those two races made a lot of sense for him as his next goals.”

The two other Derby alums are Potente (Into Mischief), who was 12th, and Pavlovian (Pavel), who finished 18th in the big race. The former, a $2.4-million Fasig-Tipton grad, won the GII San Felipe Stakes and was the runner-up in the GI Santa Anita Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. The latter took home the Sunland Derby, then missed by a head in the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Also making it into the Matt Winn field is GI Preakness Stakes participant Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro). The Dallas Stewart trainee finished 11th at Laurel Park, but was third in his prior race–the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 11.

Taptastic (Tapit) might appear to lack experience, but the gray did run third in the GI Arkansas Derby, which was the second race of his career. The Steve Asmussen trainee finished off the board against optional claimers at Churchill Downs May 2.

The rest of the Matt Winn field includes, GSP Stop the Car (Maximum Security), MSW Our Moneyman (Mr. Money) and SP Steel Imperium (Essential Quality).

Over On The Spa Turf

Weather watchers will be keeping a close eye on the radar because it could be a wet day at the Spa on Sunday.

Zulu Kingdom wins the Maker's Mark Mile | Coady Media

In the GIII Poker Stakes for older males going a mile on the turf look for trainer Chad Brown to hold a pair of aces in MGISW Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and GISW Salamis (Speightstown). Zulu Kingdom won the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 10, which was the ridgling's fifth win in a row. As for Salamis, the Juddmonte homebred was last seen taking home the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar last November. Of note, Brown has only won the Poker once.

Trainer Bill Mott has two entrants who are looking to earn their first stakes win. Capitol Hill (Into Mischief) cleared an allowance condition at Keeneland Apr. 12, and Pass the Hat (Collected) vaulted over an optional claimer at Aqueduct Apr. 18.

Ridari (Fr) (Churchill {Ire} won two group races at ParisLongchamp last year, then came into the care of Miguel Clement. In his lone start, the 4-year-old ran third behind stablemate Deterministic (Liam's Map) in the GIII Fort Marcy Stakes at the Big A May 2.

In the GIII Soaring Softly Stakes, a field of seven plus a 'main track only' runner are on tap for the grass sprint. Slay the Day (Into Mischief) and Cadenza (Charlatan) could both be tough, but Hen Party (Into Mischief) warrants consideration.