The Louisville (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
May 18, 2024

On Saturday at CD, we will have the 22nd running of the Louisville, which is a Grade 3 for older turf horses that like to run for a long time. The race began with a $100.000 purse and was at that point or similar until 2022 when it would reach $200.000. Its present level of $250.000 will be the highest that has ever been at stake for the race. Otherwise, we have seen some slight variations in the distance run, and up until 2020, three-year-olds were allowed in the race as well. In 2023, First Flight Stables took home the Louisville trophy thanks to the efforts of The Natural, but that seems to have been the last hurrah for the gelding. He is still active and runs for Miata Farm, though is a far cry from where he was a year ago. Other past winners include Stealth Fighter and Billy Joel. That’s who our field of seven will be hoping to emulate here. Let’s meet them now:

1- One Last Punch Line (Alydar Stables, ridden by F Geroux)- Sure, you can go back a bit in this one’s past performances and find some quality stake races, but he has mostly been appearing in open allowances at tracks like TUP and LAD. He ran well there, but also did not have the type of results that will cause anyone’s jaw to drop. In his last race, he got a chance to run in the $60.000 Wildcat Stakes at TUP and was third in the eleven-furlong race. There are some great works with this one, and now he faces a stern challenge.

2- King Z (Mb Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- This one has passed through a lot of barns with claims, but each trainer seems to have mostly done what the prior trainer was doing. Mb Stables did not fall into that trap and moved him to the grass. In that, he went wire to wire in a starter allowance, and then proved much more with a win at GP in the Grade 3 McKnight Stakes. Struggled in his last race, but the trainer is obviously not concerned by that as he brings back out there a month later in mostly the same conditions.

3- Down Royal (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by E J Wilson)- When Down Royal has run in stakes, he has done well, but has not had a chance to after running second in the $400.000 Breeders Stakes for Canadians at WO in October. He was okay in the races that followed, but like One Last Punch Line, there’s nothing overly impressive about those performances that suggest that he still should get chances in stake races. Three weeks ago, at WO, he won a claimer at this distance on yielding turf by three lengths which obviously excited the trainer. Rain is possible here on Saturday, with a 48% chance as of Wednesday.

4- Raging River (Martyparty, ridden by F Pennington)- A lightly raced horse in comparison to his rivals, and this will his stake debut of any sort. Ever since he was gelded, Raging River has been getting consistent results, hitting the board in each of those five races and never placing lower than fourth. Why not give a horse like this a chance to move up to this level, as he has certainly earned it. It’s a good field for him as well, since half of these are either making their debut as well or have made limited recent such starts.

5- Life Is Beautiful (Riggins Racing, ridden by L Dettori)- This is the juggernaut of the field, as the five-year-old Con Artist gelding has eight wins over his 21 career starts. In his last three races, he has two wins, which came in the Grade 3 Connally BC Turf and the Grade 2 Diarmida, which are no shorter than eleven furlongs. That was almost a perfect three for three, as well, but he had to settle for second last month at the Grade 2 Elkhorn to a rival that is not running here. He’s got the most experience, and he is hot right now. What’s not to like? Still have to go out there and execute. He’s not worried about a wet track, either.

6- Ace King Suited (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by F T Alvarado)- Made his debut with D J C Racing Stables last month after he was purchased for $50.000 and was second in an N1X allowance that finished in an impressive ending time. That was at a mile, so if he can hold his speed longer, then there is no reason to think that he cannot make Life Is Beautiful a little nervous. He’s run in some stakes early in his career and has mostly been a dirt horse. Hoping to find a new life here in his new barn.

7- Prince Ferro (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- He began his career on the grass, but after a long stretch of running on the main track, he ultimately returned to the turf in late November. There, he made an impression, running second in the Grade 2 HOL Turf Cup. It should not be a surprise that he has stuck on the surface, though while his performances have been good, he’s only one once over these six races. Seems due for another one and comes here off a third-place effort in the Grade 2 Elkhorn, one spot behind Life Is Beautiful. He’s definitely the biggest threat to that one here.

Prediction: 5-7-2-6

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES