Trainer Steve Asmussen has a pair of juveniles to give him a shot at winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs for the fourth time. The Hall of Fame conditioner runs Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Spice Runner and dominant allowance winner Soldier N Diplomat in the $400,000 race Nov. 29 at 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main track.
Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Spice Runner began the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he edged Comport by a head in the Sept. 13 Iroquois at Churchill Downs. That win netted him 10 points.
He returned four weeks later in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland but finished a distant fifth after stumbling badly at the start. He earned one point in that race, and his current total of 11 points ranks fourth on the 2026 Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. The Kentucky Jockey Club offers the opportunity for more points.
He'll be ridden in the Kentucky Jockey Club by Joel Rosario from the rail.
"Drawing the rail is fine," Asmussen said. "He had success here in the Iroquois, so we know he likes the surface. I thought he lost all chance in the Breeders' Futurity when he fell on his head leaving there. But success at a mile doesn't guarantee it at two turns. This is a very fast and talented group, but I think his racing experience will help him out."
The towering Spice Runner, by Gun Runner out of the Cowbal Cal mare Simple Surprise, is a full brother to Gunite , a dual grade 1 winner at seven furlongs.
Breaking three stalls to his outside is St Elias Stable's Soldier N Diplomat, an Army Mule colt who dominated a first-level allowance by nine lengths on the first Stars of Tomorrow card of the fall meet at Churchill Downs. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount Saturday in the colt's first attempt around two turns.
Soldier N Diplomat is the third winner out of unraced Violence mare Diplomatic Miss. Her earlier foals scored maiden wins in sprints.
Discussing stretching horses out in distance, Asmussen said, "You do everything you can to prepare them, but it is still a question you do not know the answer to until they do it. He is extremely talented. I liked how he rated in the allowance going a mile and hopefully he will handle two turns the same way for Tyler. He is a very talented horse and we have high hopes for him."
Asmussen's prior Kentucky Jockey Club wins came with Mike McCarty's Private Vow in 2005, Ron Winchell's Tapiture in 2013 and Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector in 2019.
