Mott Trainees South Bend, Penalty in Divisions of TVG

A $400,000 purse alone often makes a stakes race popular—apparently, even more so when a favorable condition is in the mix. Evidence in point: The Sept. 8, $400,000 TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs, which was split into two divisions. The stakes events, limited to 3-year-olds and upward that have not won a sweepstakes in 2021, collectively drew 21 runners. Ten are in the first division, called the TVG2, 11 in the second division, the TVG. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has horses in both heats, which will be contested at a mile and 70 yards on turf, the only surface at Kentucky Downs. South Bend is an 8-1 shot on the morning line in the first division, where Three Diamonds Farm's Forty Under, trained by Mike Maker, is the 5-2 favorite. A 4-year-old Algorithms colt, South Bend will make his second-straight start on turf for the partnership of Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch, and Pantofel Stable. He was sixth in the Lure Stakes Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course and has since turned in a pair of bullet works. "The group voted that they wanted to try that," Mott said. "He's run well on the turf, but he's never won a race on the turf." Joel Rosario will ride South Bend, while Jose Ortiz has the mount on Adele Dilschneider's Penalty in the second division for Mott. Penalty is at 4-1 odds as one of the favorites behind Bloom Racing Stable's Kentucky Downs-loving Snapper Sinclair, who is 5-2. A 6-year-old son of Dilschneider's 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner and champion older male Blame, Penalty starts from post 10. In his most recent start, he was sixth in the one-mile Poker Stakes (G3T) June 20 at Belmont Park. "He's run good at seven-eighths and a mile and this is restricted to horses that haven't won a stakes this year. So he's eligible," Mott said. "The conditions, the distance, and the purse money all come into play."