The day after the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) July 1, the Churchill Downs spring meet that was shifted to Ellis Park concludes July 2 with five stakes, topped by the $275,000 Hanshin Stakes.
Then after a four-day break, the long-scheduled Ellis Park summer meet follows, beginning July 7 and continuing through Sept. 7, with lesser purses and without such lucrative stakes on a regular basis.
The Hanshin lured a horse that competed in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs—Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos . The now 4-year-old Munnings colt is 2-for-4 since his 10th-place finish in the 2022 Run for the Roses, having won an allowance optional claimer at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in December and the restricted Knicks Go Overnight Stakes most recently in quick time at Churchill Downs on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.
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The Knicks Go, like the Hanshin, is at a mile, though around one turn, beginning at the end of Churchill Downs' long backstretch chute. One-mile races at Ellis Park also are out of a chute, though mile races there begin near the clubhouse turn, leaving its competitors making a half-turn before arriving on the backstretch. The competitors essentially race around a turn and a half.
Florent Geroux is aboard the rail-drawn Zozos for trainer Brad Cox.
Three Technique, third to Zozos in the Knicks Go and that race's winner in 2022 for owners David E. Miller, Eric Grindley, and John Werner, appears the main danger to Zozos in the nine-horse field, having won an allowance optional claimer May 27 at Churchill Downs in his start following the 2023 Knicks Go.
The field also includes Godolphin's class-dropping Santin, a multiple grade 1 winner on the Churchill Downs grass course, who ran fifth in the June 3 Blame Stakes (G3) in his first attempt on dirt.
Churchill Downs last ran June 4, the day after the Blame, after which racing moved to Ellis following a spate of equine fatalities at Churchill Downs for a period of weeks led track and regulatory officials to transfer the meet.
Other stakes on the Sunday card include the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes for older fillies and mares on at a mile on turf; the $175,000 Maxfield Overnight Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on dirt; and the $225,000 Debutante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes for 2-year-olds—both at six furlongs.
The Maxfield drew 11 competitors, some of graded stakes quality, such as Chick Lang Stakes (G3) winner Ryvit. He goes for his fifth consecutive victory against first-time dirt runner New York Thunder, who is 2-for-3 on turf and synthetic tracks.
Also in the field is Damon's Mound, last year's Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) winner whose form has improved in three defeats this year.
White Frost and Sweet Dani Girl, 2-3 in the Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs June 4, lead an eight-horse lineup in the Anchorage that counts Princess Theorem and Contempory Art among its other contenders.
Ellis Park, Sunday, July 2, 2023, Race 7Entries: Anchorage Overnight S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Sweet Dani Girl (FL) Cristian A. Torres 120 Carlo Vaccarezza 3/1 2 2Princess Theorem (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 4/1 3 3Fast as Flight (KY) Luis Saez 118 Brian A. Lynch 9/2 4 4Kate's Kingdom (KY) Jack Gilligan 118 William Walden 12/1 5 5Contemporary Art (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Jonathan Thomas 6/1 6 6White Frost (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 William I. Mott 8/5 7 7Napa Candy (KY) Rafael Bejarano 118 Victoria H. Oliver 30/1 8 8Lady Hideaway (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Ian R. Wilkes 20/1
Ellis Park, Sunday, July 2, 2023, Race 8Entries: Maxfield Overnight S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ryvit (KY) Cristian A. Torres 120 Steven M. Asmussen 6/1 2 2New York Thunder (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 120 Jorge Delgado 9/2 3 3Determinedly (KY) Francisco Arrieta 118 Mark E. Casse 20/1 4 4Navy Man (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Michael W. McCarthy 15/1 5 5Damon's Mound (FL) Gabriel Saez 123 Michelle Lovell 8/1 6 6Mullikin (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Rodolphe Brisset 4/1 7 7Gunflash (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 118 Karl Broberg 20/1 8 8Frosted Departure (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 120 Kenneth G. McPeek 8/1 9 9Top Recruit (KY) Gerardo Corrales 120 Michael J. Maker 20/1 10 10Tumbarumba (LA) Luis Saez 118 Brian A. Lynch 6/1 11 11Squire Creek (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 7/2
Ellis Park, Sunday, July 2, 2023, Race 9Entries: Hanshin S. Presented by JRA
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Zozos (KY) Florent Geroux 120 Brad H. Cox 9/5 2 2Strava (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Dallas Stewart 10/1 3 3Warrior Johny (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Philip A. Bauer 6/1 4 4Tartufo (KY) Gabriel Saez 118 Carlo Vaccarezza 30/1 5 5War Campaign (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 118 Philip A. Sims 6/1 6 6Seize the Night (KY) Cristian A. Torres 118 D. Wayne Lukas 8/1 7 7Collaborate (KY) Luis Saez 118 Michael J. Maker 15/1 8 8Three Technique (KY) Rafael Bejarano 118 Jason G. Cook 9/2 9 9Santin (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 5/1
