Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's graded stakes winner John the Beer Man brings a lot of momentum into the $1.75 million Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T), but a couple of factors will challenge whether he notches his second consecutive graded win.
Foremost, the 5-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready will be making his first start over a Kentucky Downs course that is unique in American flat racing with rolling undulations, one sweeping turn, and one much sharper turn.
"There are a lot of variables at Kentucky Downs. This race almost plays like a 7-furlong race, you go uphill down a sweeping turn, and there's the last sixteenth where there's an uphill left hook," said John the Beer Man's trainer Rob Atras. "I don't think he's distance limited, he's won at a mile and a sixteenth before. I know it looks on paper that it might be too far, but Kendrick has told me that he sort of waits on horses when he gets to the front, so I'm hopeful that he can get it. You don't really know until you do it."
John the Beer Man will be guided by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who has been aboard for the gelding's last three races that include a win in the Troy Stakes (G2T) most recently and a third in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) by three-quarters of a length.
The Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint is 6 furlongs and a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In qualifier for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) that will be contested at 5 1/2 furlongs Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
A second challenge for front-running John the Beer Man is that he is likely to have company in the early running. The gelding has led the field in the first two opening fractions of every start this year and held that lead for a win in three of his four year-to-date starts.
Also contesting for the lead could be Quereme Pass, an Argentina-bred son of Distinctiv Passion who races for Lugamo Racing Stable and Michael Iavarone and is trained by Jose D'Angelo. In his sole start in a graded stakes, the March 14 San Simeon Stakes (G3T), Quereme Pass led in fractions of :21.96, :44.28, and 1:06.65. However, Sumter, who he battled with inside the final furlong, outlasted him by a nose at the wire. Quereme Pass already has a win at Kentucky Downs, having captured a 7-furlong allowance optional claiming race last year. Quereme Pass will be ridden by Luis Saez.
If a fast pace softens the front-runners, then the race could set up for a stalker such as Donamire Farm's homebred Troubleshooting. The 4-year-old son of leading sire Not This Time has not won so far this year, but last fall captured the Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) at Kentucky Downs and followed with a win in the Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, where the progeny of Not This Time completed the superfecta.
Troubleshooting is trained by Greg Foley and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, who has earned four leading rider titles at Kentucky Downs.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 5, 2026, Race 6Entries: Light and Wonder Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Troubleshooting (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 125 Gregory D. Foley 3/1 2 2We're in Trouble (KY) Yedsit Hazlewood 121 Michael W. McCarthy 30/1 3 3Mondogetsbuckets (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Chris M. Block 12/1 4 4Beach Gold (KY) Keith J. Asmussen 121 Patrick L. Biancone 20/1 5 5Quereme Pass (ARG) Luis Saez 121 Jose Francisco D'Angelo 15/1 6 6Possiblemente (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 123 Joe Sharp 10/1 7 7Usually Wrong (KY) Geovanni Franco 121 Robertino Diodoro 12/1 8 8Okiro (KY) Joe Bravo 121 Jose Garoffalo 6/1 9 9Golden Afternoon (KY) Jaime A. Torres 121 Nicholas Vaccarezza 15/1 10 10My Boy Prince (ON) John R. Velazquez 123 Mark E. Casse 9/2 11 11John the Beer Man (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 123 Rob Atras 4/1 12 12Durante (KY) Ben Curtis 123 David Jacobson 30/1 13 13Let My People Go (KY) Antonio Fresu 121 Michael J. Maker 12/1 14 14Anmer Hall (KY) Antonio Fresu 121 Peter Eurton 15/1
