Carl R. Moore Management LLC's Finley'sluckycharm (Twirling Candy) posted a hard-fought score in last month's GI Madison S. at Keeneland and returns home to Churchill Downs to put her unblemished six-for-six record on the line in the GI Humana Distaff S. Saturday. Drawn on the rail, the fleet-footed Bret Calhoun trainee will likely make use of her speed to establish position in the early stages. Her primary early pressure should come once again from Kaleem Shah's American Gal (Concord Point), who disputed the pace in the Madison before grudgingly relenting late to finish a close fourth. The Madison was her first start in eight months, and the GI Test S. winner should be primed to move forward in her second start off the bench.
Lewis Bay (Bernardini) and Salty (Quality Road), third and fifth, respectively, in the Madison's five-horse blanket finish, return to Churchill after having competed in last year's GI Kentucky Oaks. Lewis Bay was third that day, while Salty was a troubled fifth.
China Horse Club and Madaket Stables's Ivy Bell (Archarcharch) has emerged as a new player in the female sprint division on the heels of a rallying victory in the GII Inside Information S. at Gulfstream Mar. 17 in her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher and new connections. The dark bay has finished in the exacta in six of her eight starts at Churchill Downs. Allen Racing and Bloom Racing's Skye Diamonds (First Dude) owns no prior experience in Louisville and ships in from Southern California to make her first appearance outside the Golden State. Campaigned by the same connections of Kentucky Oaks second choice Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), the 5-year-old was fourth in last autumn's GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and has finished third in the wake of 'TDN Rising Star' Selcourt (Tiz Wonderful) in both of her two starts in 2018.
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