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Claiming Crown contenders line-up at the Pea Patch The ninth annual Claiming Crown, dubbed the blue-collar runner's Breeders' Cup, will take place on Saturday, featuring seven stakes worth a total $600,000 in purses. The event, which is open to horses who have started at least once for a claiming price ranging from $7,500 to $35,000 since August 1, 2006, will be held for the first time at Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky. Highlighting the Claiming Crown is the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel S., which drew a field of 10, and MIAMI SUNRISE (Wheaton) will bring a two-race win streak into the 1 1/16-mile test. Claimed by Michael Maker in April, the five-year-old ran third in an allowance in his first start for his new connections, before putting it all together in his past two, a pair of starter allowance wins at Churchill Downs. The chestnut gelding will have jockey Miguel Mena aboard while toting co-highweight duties of 124 pounds. DEMAGOGUERY (Demaloot Demashoot) is the other highweight in the Jewel, and will be making his first start for the barn of trainer C.T. Taylor Jr. The dark bay five-year-old was transferred to his new conditioner after a nice third in the Michigan Breeders' Cup H. most recently. He also finished second by just three parts of a length in the Wolverine S. at Great Lakes Downs three starts back. Thomas Pompell has the call on the gelding. A full field of 14 will line-up in the $100,000 Claiming Crown Emerald S. at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. GENERAL CHARLEY (Truluck) has scored two stakes wins so far this year, taking the Tomball S. in late February before leading all the way home in the Brooks Fields S. last out. The Michael Stidham charge will share 122-pound highweight duties with three other rivals, including COVINGTON (Glitterman). The Eric Reed-trained seven-year-old had a four-race winning skein broken when third most recently in a two-other than allowance test. Ten fillies will get their turn in the spotlight in the $100,000 Claiming Crown Tiara S. going 8 1/2 furlongs on the turf, and once again four will tote the top-weight of 124 pounds. BALLAD OF BERTIE (Saint Ballado) captured the Golden Sylvia H. two back over a sloppy track and is one of only three runners in this field with experience racing on Ellis' green. The Claiming Crown will get started in the 4TH race on Ellis' Saturday card, with the $50,000 Claiming Crown Iron Horse S. sending eight rivals a mile on the main track. The $50,000 Claiming Crown Express S. will feature nine competitors at six furlongs; the $75,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper S. will send 11 distaffers three-quarters of a mile; and the $75,000 Claiming Crown Rapid Transit S. drew a field of 10 for six furlongs.
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