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, three 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 (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 (G3) placer and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner Vitruvian Man. He is 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 race, 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 stake 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 Rusty Arnold-trained Sapphire Beach has been a bridesmaid twice, finishing second in the Limestone (G3T) and the Coronation Cup (G3T) stakes.
Youth Movement
Also on the card is the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies. Four of the 11 2-year-olds are trying to stay undefeated after winning on debut. Duty Bound, a daughter of Jack Christopher , boasts a pair of wins in as many starts.
Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 10Entries: Mint Millions Invitational S. (G3T)
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
Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 9Entries: KTDF Gun Runner S.
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
Kentucky Downs, Monday, September 7, 2026, Race 7Entries: Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S.
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
