KD Turf Cup (Grade 2) (BC)- $2,500.000 Purse
KD- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
September 6, 2025
The KD Turf Cup is another one of the massive purses that up for grabs at KD this weekend, but unlike many of the others, there is an additional perk for the winner of this race. This is a “win and you’re in” race for the BC Turf, the last such race for that specific BC event. While the purse alone would have brought many top turf horses here, that benefit ensures that we have a fantastic field for this race. It’s the 13th time that this race has been run, and was won last year by Penal Hockey Party, for Maxmillion Farm. He’s still active but is not entered here. The 2023 winner, Killer Instinct, however, is in the field. Let’s take a look at the fourteen that are entered for this race!
1- Fanatical Empire (Bigchief Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- Ran in the BC Turf last year for Smokey Stover, but struggled in that race. Earlier as a three-year-old, he scored a big win on this track, taking the Nashville Derby. Now in the hands of Bigchief Stables, Fanatical Empire has been hit and miss over his five starts. At CD on KYD day, he would win the Grade 1 Forester Turf Classic but also had a pair of lackluster performances. Fortunately, last time out was not one of them, where he was a respectable fourth in the Grade 2 United Nations at MTH with a 101 SRF along the way.
2- Red Bull (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Has been given ample opportunities by his trainer at the graded level, but his career highlight to this point is a win in the $100.000 King Corrie in May of last year. That’s also the last time that he has won a race. It hasn’t all been bad, and running third in last year’s Nashville Derby helped his career earnings but it didn’t really keep him on the turf. Only one run on the grass since then, and he has not been that impressive on the dirt. Perhaps coming back here can get that Nashville Derby form out of him.
3- Kegger (Ajm Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- Nearly won a “win and you’re in” race last time out, but settled for second in a tight photo at the wire in the Sword Dancer. That wasn’t a fluke, either, as right before that, he won the Grade 2 Bowling Green at SAR against some very tough company. He likes to come from behind late, so everyone should be checking on where he is in the stretch. Overall, the trainer has plenty of reason to party with this $40.000 claim from April.
4- Dangerous Fugitive (Night Rider Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- There are several horses in this field that ran in the Sword Dancer last month, something that should not be a surprise. Like Kegger, Dangerous Fugitive also picked up a check in the race, finishing third and was not too far behind the photo for win. He went into the race off of back-to-back wins, including the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at SA and should continue to remain hot here.
5- Chagrin Falls (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by F Geroux)- Ran in this race last year, and finished as the runner up to Penal Hockey Party. Afterwards, he cut some distance, won the Shadwell Turf Mile, and was on his way to the BC Mile. He’s added that distance back as a seven-year-old and would win the Grade 2 Whittingham Stakes at SA in May. Despite that, Mo Mentum Farm moved him to the dirt after the race and while he did run well in those two races, he’s going to try and do one spot better in the KD Turf Cup this time around.
6- Spankersville (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J R Velazquez)- So, you weren’t expecting to see Spankersville in this field, were you? This will be the first time that this legend of the game runs on the turf since the 2023 AP Million. He’s won two graded races on the turf, also coming in 2023, so he knows how to get it done on the grass. In 2025, Spankersville has one win in six starts, but outside of the Suburban dud, he’s still been running well. An interesting decision to bring him here, and it is always nice to see him run. It’s his 53rd career start.
7- Cochabamba (Riggins Racing, ridden by A Beschizza)- Last month, this colt by Aggravation ran in the KD Preview Turf Cup and aggravated the rest of the field en route to a wire to wire, two length victory. He’s the only one in this field that ran in that race, so it was not much of a preview for this. Now, Cochabamba heads here looking to win his fifth race in seven starts on the year. Another big win for him came in the Grade 2 Pan American in late March. His run in the so-called preview for this was off an approximate three-month layoff, so it was good to see him not lose his good form.
8- Killer Instinct (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- The last two editions of this BC Turf have seen Killer Instinct be a part of it, and he has finished second in each of those races. This is the third year in a row that he has run in the KD Turf Cup, winning the race in 2023, before not having one of his better efforts last year. Lately, he has been running on the main track, and having success with it, winning the Grade 2 Suburban and then running third in the Whitney. He could be pointed at the BC Classic, but Mb Stables has other options for that, so Killer Instinct heads here in hopes of returning to the BC Turf.
9- Great Vault (Winning Link Stables, ridden by G Corrales)- Lived up to his name in his last start, with a great vault into the BC Turf by winning the Sword Dancer. But there is plenty more to do between now and then, and that begins here by trying to get the top portion of the $2,500.000 purse. Great Vault has run well all year, but he seems to have hit his best stride following a third place run in the Grade 2 Whittingham. A win here may cement him as the one to beat in the BC Turf, too.
10- King Z (Mb Stables, ridden by B Curtis)- He’s one of the two runners in this field that ran in the AP Million last month at CNL, and they will start beside one another here. King Z did not have a good showing there, and he is a horse that will, at times, have a dud of an effort. The good news for the trainer is that he doesn’t do that in back-to-back races, and King Z should look more like the horse that finished second in a photo at the United Nations two back. That AP Million result may seem worse in the race line than it really was, too.
11- State Cavier (Diablo Diablo, ridden by F Pennington)- Took on King Z in the AP Million last time out, and did better than him, but neither of them had one of their better races. However, unlike King Z, that State Cavier has been very consistent, and especially when he has been with Diablo Diablo. We can likely blame, at least in part, the short 13-day turnaround he had between that and his win in the Read Stakes. He’s rested now so we should see his better side.
12- American Generals (Riggins Racing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This one has been on a tear as of late, with wins in five of his last seven. That includes a three-race win streak over the Spring that culminated with the Grade 1 Manhattan at SAR, where he went wire to wire. He current has 30 BC Turf points, which puts him on top of the list, so he doesn’t have to win this in order to make that race for the first time, but he could erase any doubt and pocket a nice paycheck if he did so. His last race ended the streak, a rare subpar outing in the United Nations and looks to put that well in the past now.
13- Martinez (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Saez)- Speaking on the United Nations, it was Martinez that defeated American Generals as well as everyone else in the field that day for the victory. It was just his second race for Spankys Barn, after the trainer picked him up for $130.000 in private sales, but he definitely was not an unknown at that point since he did make the BC Turf in 2024. The affordable price for such a horse was probably because he had been disappointing in three of four previously as a five-year-old gelding. With Spankys Barn, Martinez has become resurgent and should not be ruled out here.
14- Sioux Arrival (High Voltage, ridden by F Prat)- High Voltage was the one who sold Martinez to Spankys Barn, but he is not empty handed in terms of BC Turf contenders thanks to Sioux Arrival. The gelding is winless on the year but has put forth two solid third place efforts in both the Man O War and the Bowling Green, where he was only beaten by a length while earning a triple digit SRF. Didn’t cash a check last time out in the Sword Dancer but was again only a length back. If he can find a way to get length here, albeit coming from the far outside, he may get that first win since November.
Prediction: 12-8-9-6
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES