One year ago Grand Sonata took home the winning prize in the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T), and on Sept. 6 he's back in the $2.5 million event aiming to add to his more than $2.4 million earnings for Whisper Hill Farm.
The homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro has shown an affinity for the Kentucky Downs course with a runner-up effort in the 2022 Dueling Grounds Derby (G3T) preceding the Turf Cup win. Although he has not won since he rallied from seventh to post a half-length victory in last year's addition, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher appears to have him back in top form after a pair of runner-up finishes in the United Nations Stakes (G2T) and Arlington Million Stakes (G1T).
Likely to be a main challenger for the win is the 6-year-old son of War Front who beat him by a half-length in the shorter 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million, Fort Washington. Trained by Shug McGaughey for Magic Cap Stables, Fort Washington has improved with age while tallying three graded wins in his past four starts.
Even in his defeats, late-running Fort Washington has not finished three or more lengths back from the winner since July 2024. The question mark for him will be the 1 1/2-mile distance, which he's yet to travel in his 28 starts. Junior Alvarado will be aboard from the far outside gate in the expected field of 11 to help him see out the distance.
Success at the distance Saturday will be an important accomplishment for Fort Washington or any of his rivals as it will be the same distance contested in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar Nov. 1, for which the Kentucky Turf Cup awards an automatic, fees-paid berth through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
Several horses have been successful at that distance before, including Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn's Corruption, who sports an allowance victory and grade 3 placing at 1 1/2 miles. The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding was last seen winning in allowance company at 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course July 30 for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
Other runners who have been successful at the distance are Shadwell Stable's dual graded stakes-placed El Rezeen, who broke his maiden over 12 furlongs, Crown's Way Racing, NBS Stable, Kevin Marko, and Eli Diamant's Vote No, who won Delaware Park's Cape Henlopen Stakes at the distance, and Jeffry Amling and Merriebelle Stable's Utah Beach, who is 4-for-8 at the distance with two graded triumphs.
Wheeling back quickly and cutting back in distance is Peachtree Stable's Tawny Port, who on Aug. 30 was second in the 2 1/16-mile Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs. Trained by Miguel Clement, the son of Pioneerof the Nile finished third in this race last year.
Carl Pollard's Mercante will be one of the interesting first-timers at the distance. He's proven to be a top competitor this season for trainer Brian Knippenberg with a pair of grade 3 wins and runner-up finish in the 1 1/8-mile Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs in May.
Rounding out the field is grade 3-placed Divin Propos, making his first start for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., and Ole Crazy Bone and Anglophile, the second and third-place finishers in the Aug. 3 preview stakes for this race at Ellis Park.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 6, 2025, Race 11Entries: KTDF Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Divin Propos (FR) Lanfranco Dettori 122 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 20/1 2 El Rezeen (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Todd A. Pletcher 8/1 3 Tawny Port (KY) Manuel Franco 122 Miguel Clement 10/1 4 Vote No (KY) Luis Saez 122 Kelsey Danner 30/1 5 Mercante (KY) Joseph D. Ramos 122 Brian Knippenberg 5/1 6 Grand Sonata (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 124 Todd A. Pletcher 4/1 7 Utah Beach (KY) Joel Rosario 124 Ignacio Correas IV 6/1 8 Ole Crazy Bone (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Michael J. Maker 15/1 9 Anglophile (KY) Declan Cannon 122 Brian A. Lynch 8/1 10 Corruption (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Mark E. Casse 6/1 11 Fort Washington (KY) Junior Alvarado 124 Claude R. McGaughey III 9/2
