Kentucky Cup Turf J

AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $150,000 Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3) at Kentucky Downs will feature
the return of defending champion CLOUDY’S KNIGHT (Lord Avie) off a more than
eight-month break. The Jonathan Sheppard trainee was preparing for the Elkhorn
S. (G2) at Keeneland in April when he suffered an injury that almost proved to
be career ending. The gelding was given plenty of time to recuperate and will
make his 10-year-old bow in this 1 1/2-mile turf test.

Cloudy’s Knight was honored as Canada’s champion turf horse in 2007, and
suffered just one loss from five starts last season. In addition to last year’s
Kentucky Cup Turf, he also captured the W. L. McKnight H. (G2), Sycamore S. (G3)
and Valedictory S., while just missing by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon.
The chestnut racked up stellar numbers in those wins, but his best came in his
runner-up effort, when he garnered a 108 BRIS Speed rating. Cloudy’s Knight will
be reunited with Rosemary Homeister Jr. in his return and, if he can retain his form, should find no real threat in this field.

FREE FIGHTER (Out of Place) could spoil the welcome back
party for Cloudy’s Knight. The chestnut gelding owns just one win this year,
with that coming in the Louisville H. (G3) going the distance over yielding
ground at Churchill Downs, but has run well in his other five starts. Most
recently the five-year-old was seen finishing third as the defending champion of
the Stars and Stripes Turf S. (G3). He could be first under the wire for trainer
Chris Block and jockey Eduardo Perez.

COOLCULLEN TIMES (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) is cross-entered to
Saturday’s Turfway Park Fall Championship S. (G3) but is a contender if trainer
Graham Motion decides to send him here instead. The four-year-old gelding
shipped stateside in the spring and just fell back to third on the wire after
leading throughout in the John’s Call S. at Saratoga last out. A useful
allowance winner in Ireland prior to coming to the United States, the bay will
be tough to run down if he utilizes the same tactics. Alex Solis will be holding
the reins.

REZIF (Distant View) is still seeking his first win of the year, and while we
don’t think that will come here, the bay gelding could find himself a spot in
the exotics. Conditioned by Matthew Jacobson, the five-year-old finished second
to Cloudy’s Knight in last year’s Kentucky Cup Turf and any duplication of that
effort will seem him close at the end. Greta Kuntzweiler has the call.
GUADALCANAL (Graeme Hall) is also winless on the year but has a shot in the
bottom of the gimmicks. The five-year-old bay didn’t do so well in last year’s
running of this race, but his recent second going the distance at Ellis Park
gives some hope for redemption. Brice Blanc will be aboard for the first time.

IMPONENTE PURSE (Brz) (Public Purse) is Group 1-placed in his native country
going 12 furlongs and has posted a 3-0-1-1 record since coming to the United
States. In the most recent of those starts the bay colt was a nose behind
Guadalcanal at Ellis Park. He could turn the tables on that rival while getting
blinkers back on here. CLASS BOPPER (Bop) is a jumper who won a Grade 3 test
last out over the hurdles by 10 lengths. His current form could see him pick up
a check. NEGRO DA GAITA (Brz) (Know Heights [Ire]) doesn’t look fast enough to
keep up with these in his second U.S. start. CELTIC NEW YEAR (North Light [Ire])
appears to prefer much shorter distances.