Churchill Downs Notebook

CHURCHILL DOWNS NOTEBOOK

JUNE 25, 2008

by John Mucciolo

Track Stats

A total of 49 races were held last week at the Louisville, Kentucky, venue,

with favorites winning at a 33 percent rate and the top two betting choices

combining for 57 percent of the wins. From 41 races on the famed main oval,

seven animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (17 percent), while three of the eight

grassy tests were won in front-running style (38 percent).

The turf course, as we've stated throughout the meet, is very helpful to

early leaders or pace pressers (E or E/P types); it's better to be into the race

than it is to make one run over this lawn. Racing on the main oval has been very

consistent to this point, with horses having a slight edge when

The average early Pick 4 payout for the week came in at a healthy $2,218.80.

We're still scratching our heads on why Wednesday's early Pick 4 returned

$8,117, when it was concluded by a slam-dunk, 1-2 winner?

Meet Totals

RACES: 424

DIRT: 344

TURF: 80

FAVORITES: 166 (39 percent)

2ND CHOICES: 90 (21 percent)

TURF WIRE: 21 (28 percent)

DIRT WIRE: 52 (22 percent)

Post Positions (wins):

RAIL: 48 (11 percent)

1-3: 174 (41 percent)

4-6: 181 (43 percent)

7-out: 69 (16 percent)

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (6/18)

6TH -- CREATIVE DESIGN (Stravinsky) rebounded with a nice second-place

showing in here for Tom Proctor. The sophomore miss ran a winning race and

completed her final five-sixteenths in a smart :30 1/5 under Julien Leparoux.

8TH -- MR. NIGHTLINGER (Indian Charlie) is nothing short of a scintillating

turf sprinter for conditioner Bret Calhoun. The superb four-year-old, who has

never been challenged late in three tries on the lawn, is blessed with excellent

gate speed and he rates when he has to, prior to exploding in the stretch. This

one has a Breeders' Cup berth awaiting him in the fall.

Friday (6/20)

8TH -- KNIGHTS CROSS (Thunderello) was a sharp winner in here for Eddie

Kenneally, posting a daylight win under Leparoux. The four-year-old finished

five-eighths on the grass just one second off the course mark and will be very

intriguing in his return.

Saturday (6/21)

9TH -- ITSALLABOUTTHECHASE (Devil His Due) turned in a solid performance in

this contest for Gary Simms, always looking like a winner while traveling on the

best part of the oval. The inconsistent, yet talented, five-year-old is

hopefully beginning to put it all together.

10TH -- The impeccably bred WEST COAST SWING (Gone West) is a dual-surface

threat for Shannon Ritter with a good amount of quality, proven by her romp on

the main oval in this affair. The WinStar homebred will be a black-type winner

in the near future.

11TH -- The sophomore colt CALBO (Zavata) was clearly second best behind a

promising winner in here and looks poised to graduate next out for Dale Romans.

Sunday (6/22)

6TH -- JARDIN (Montbrook) didn't defeat the best field in here but did it

with style, posting a near-effortless, three-length tally for trainer Steve

Asmussen. The debuting filly is a full sister to the precocious Beacon Shine and

could be a nice one. Keep an eye on her reappearing at Saratoga.

7TH -- ONE CAROLINE (Unbridled's Song) put in a thoroughly dominant effort on

this occasion to remain unbeaten in two career tries for Rusty Arnold. The

three-year-old lass put in one of the more impressive performances of the year,

cruising to the lead under her own courage and dazzling the whole way in what

seemed like a paid workout, drilling this decent bunch by 6 3/4 lengths. The

Kentucky-bred is imposing from a physical standpoint and looks like the real

deal. Grade 1 affairs look to be in her immediate future, regardless of her

average finishing time in here.

8TH -- PRETTY PROLIFIC (Lion Heart) finished her heat in the same time as

Jardin did and was confidently handled throughout by Leparoux. Similar to Jardin,

we're not sure what the James Baker trainee topped in this dash, but she did so

with class.