Lagynos, Formidable Man Vie for Mint Millions Crown

A loaded field of 10 is set to battle for bragging rights in the $2 million Mint Millions Invitational Stakes (G3T) Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs, the headline race of the track's Labor Day card.

Eight of the 10 runners have graded or group stakes wins on their resumes. 

Lagynos will seek to avenge a 2-length defeat in last year's edition of this race. He hit the board in his next seven races, including five consecutive wins, four of which were graded. But he's hit a bit of a rough patch of late with consecutive fifth-place efforts, including the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T). The 5-year-old son of Kantharos  is trained by Steve Asmussen, who just sent him out at this meet: a fifth-place finish in an Aug. 29 handicap.

One of the talented runners awaiting Lagynos is grade 1 winner and last year's Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) runner-up Formidable Man. The West Coast-based son of City of Light  enters off a third in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), a race he won last year. Before that, he won the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T). The Mint Millions will be his third start of 2026 and first career start at Kentucky Downs.

"He had an unlucky trip last time in the Eddie Read," said trainer Michael McCarthy. "In the Shoemaker Mile, we expected exactly what he delivered that day. He had been training very, very well." 

Making his North American debut is Facteur Cheval, whose 26-race career, spanning numerous jurisdictions, has earned more than $5.6 million. He most recently placed in a pair of group 3 contests in Italy. 

Kelso Stakes (G3T) winner and Fourstardave runner-up Mi Bago comes in looking to push his career earnings over the $1 million mark. He finished fifth in the West Point Stakes, but his 115 Equibase Speed Figure in the Fourstardave was his career best, and if he can revert to that form, he will be tough to beat. The field also includes the winner of the aforementioned Aug. 29 handicap at Kentucky Downs in Chasing the Crown, one of the few winners to make a sustained rally on that day.

Running Down A Dream

Also Monday, a field of 14 (and one also-eligible) horses have been entered in the $1.75 million Gun Runner Stakes. 

The race will be a rematch for many of the horses that competed in the Aug. 1 Secretariat Stakes (G2T) at Colonial Downs. Five of that race's eight contenders return, headlined by runner-up Infiltrate.  

Among those expected to challenge for the win Monday are Santa Anita Derby (G1) placer and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner Vitruvian Man. Making his fourth start on turf, he began his career on the surface before moving to dirt. He ran his most recent start, an allowance optional claimer, on turf at Del Mar and finished second. 

Bottas, the Miguel Clement trainee, is entered off a winning effort in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T).

Feeling Lucky?

A dozen 3-year-olds who have yet to win a stakes will try to end that distinction in the Lucky Lantern Stakes. Racing over 6 1/2 furlongs, the field also has four also-eligible candidates. 

The morning-line favorite at 7-2 is Pillar of Beauty, trained by Bill Mott. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and William Sandbrook, the filly finished second in the Wild Applause Stakes last out.

The Rusty Arnold-trained Sapphire Beach has been a bridesmaid twice, finishing second in the Limestone (G3T) and Coronation Cup (G3T) stakes. However, the No Nay Never filly did run Sept. 5, finishing a close fourth in the Music City Stakes (G2T).

Youth Movement

Also on the card is the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes. Four of the 11 2-year-olds are trying to stay undefeated coming off debut victories. Duty Bound, a daughter of Jack Christopher , boasts a pair of wins in as many starts. 

Entries: Mint Millions Invitational S. (G3T)

Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 10

• Grade IIIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $2,000,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Quatrocento (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	124	Fausto Gutierrez	20/1
2	2Brilliant Berti (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	124	Cherie DeVaux	8/1
3	3Facteur Cheval (IRE)	Joel Rosario	122	Jerome Reynier	8/1
4	4Haatem (IRE)	Jamie P. Spencer	122	Richard Hannon Jr.	4/1
5	5Mi Bago (NY)	Luis Saez	124	Mark E. Casse	15/1
6	6Giocoso (KY)	Jaime A. Torres	124	J. Keith Desormeaux	20/1
7	7Chasing the Crown (KY)	Ben Curtis	122	Michael J. Maker	9/2
8	8Gran Oriente (CHI)	Tyler Gaffalione	126	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	10/1
9	9Formidable Man (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Michael W. McCarthy	5/2
10	10Lagynos (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1

Entries: KTDF Gun Runner S.

Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 9

• STK
• 1m
• Turf
• $1,750,000
• 3 yo
• 4:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Vitruvian Man (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
2	2Touch of Fire (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Brad H. Cox	3/1
3	3Khozalite (FL)	Leonel Reyes	118	Jose Francisco D'Angelo	50/1
4	4Turf Star (KY)	Ben Curtis	120	H. Graham Motion	15/1
5	5Conducted (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Jose Francisco D'Angelo	20/1
6	6Bottas (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Miguel Clement	4/1
7	7Fuzzbuster (KY)	Jaime A. Torres	118	Victoria H. Oliver	15/1
8	8Brave Force (KY)	Jamie P. Spencer	118	Jack Sisterson	12/1
9	9Infiltrate (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Brendan P. Walsh	6/1
10	10Mr. A. P. (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Vladimir Cerin	8/1
11	11Go for Rocket (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	118	Armando Hernandez	30/1
12	12Street Beast (KY)	Luan Machado	120	Ben Colebrook	12/1
13	13Proton (KY)	Umberto Rispoli	120	H. Graham Motion	30/1
14	14Blackmail (KY)	Javier Castellano	120	Mark E. Casse	8/1
15	15Baytown Dreamer (KY)	Yedsit Hazlewood	118	Paul McEntee	50/1

Entries: Lucky Lantern S.

Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 8

• STK
• 6 1/2f
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 3:36 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Faye's Gold (KY)	Adam Beschizza	122	Grant T. Forster	20/1
2	2Snappy Comeback (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Jose Francisco D'Angelo	15/1
3	3Epic Lady Luck (KY)	Javier Castellano	120	George Weaver	8/1
4	4Laigina (FL)	Keith J. Asmussen	122	Patrick L. Biancone	12/1
5	5Sapphire Beach (IRE)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	122	George R. Arnold II	9/2
6	6Lit Ship (KY)	Umberto Rispoli	120	Joe Sharp	15/1
7	7Scratch It (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Brad H. Cox	8/1
8	8Just a Minute (KY)	Jaime A. Torres	122	Victoria H. Oliver	10/1
9	9Oscar's Encore (ON)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Joe Sharp	6/1
10	10Carolyncaroline (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	120	Lindsay Schultz	15/1
11	11Pillar of Beauty (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	William I. Mott	7/2
12	12Spa Prospector (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Mark E. Casse	10/1
13	13Mon Reve (MD)	Yedsit Hazlewood	120	Victoria H. Oliver	20/1
14	14Rocket Rania (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Pavel Matejka	15/1
15	15Life's Dynamic (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Arnaud Delacour	10/1
16	16Paris Carver (KY)	Micah J. Husbands	122	Jorge Delgado	8/1

Entries: Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S.

Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 7

• STK
• 1m
• Turf
• $750,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 3:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Conflict (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Brad H. Cox	7/5
2	2Mightily (KY)	Adam Beschizza	120	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	20/1
3	3Up Before the Dawn (KY)	Yedsit Hazlewood	120	Kelsey Danner	15/1
4	4Smoke (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Brendan P. Walsh	12/1
5	5Cardio Cat (KY)	Erik Asmussen	118	Steven M. Asmussen	20/1
6	6Duty Bound (KY)	Jamie P. Spencer	118	Jack Sisterson	5/1
7	7Elegante Miz (KY)	Keith J. Asmussen	118	Patrick L. Biancone	10/1
8	8Dazzling (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	120	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
9	9Citrus Springs (KY)	Ben Curtis	118	Joseph Patrick O'Brien	6/1
10	10Casablanca Queen (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Jose Francisco D'Angelo	20/1
11	11Early Autumn (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	John C. Servis	8/1