Joint Effort tops Chilukki

JOINT EFFORT (Runaway Groom), winner of the Dogwood Breeders' Cup S. (G3) and

La Troienne S. (G3) at Churchill Downs last spring, highlights a field of 12

entered to Thursday's $150,000 Chilukki S. (G2). The sophomore filly has been

installed as a slight 4-1 favorite in the one-mile event for distaffers, but

trainer Dale Romans is considering scratching her in favor of the six-furlong

Very Subtle S. on Saturday's Breeders' Cup undercard.

"It'll be one of those two races, but she is doing good and we look forward

to running her back at Churchill," Romans said. "I know she likes it here, and

I've been waiting to run her on her track."

Churchill has definitely been Joint Effort's favorite so far. Following

back-to-back scores in the La Troienne and Dogwood, the chestnut lass finished

seventh in the Mother Goose S. (G1) and 10th in the Test S. (G1). She's been

freshened nearly three months since the Test, and Mark Guidry has the mount in

the Chilukki.

Grade 3 winner PROSPECTIVE SAINT (Saint Ballado), the 5-1 second choice on

the morning line, is a top contender, and Grade 1 queen WILD FIT (Wild Wonder)

is a threat to keep showing more. Runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup

Juvenile Fillies (G1), Wild Fit exits a fourth in the Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks

(G2) for conditioner Patrick Biancone. SANGRITA (Mr. Greeley) has shipped into

Churchill off a sharp allowance win at Delaware Park, and VAGUE (Elusive

Quality) will be cutting back in ground and switching surfaces following a

seventh in Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1). Now trained by

Doug O'Neill, Vague captured the UAE One Thousand Guineas on the dirt earlier

this year.

The complete field, from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds, is Wild

Fit, Julien Leparaoux, 12-1; HUMOROUS GAL (Distorted Humor), Calvin Borel, 12-1;

Vague, Garrett Gomez, 8-1; GOLDEN LOCKET (Storm Creek), Shaun Bridgmohan, 20-1;

INDIAN FLARE (Cherokee Run), Rafael Bejarano, 6-1; MARY DELANEY (Hennessy),

Corey Lanerie, 30-1; Joint Effort; LADY PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus), Javier

Castellano, 12-1; Prospective Saint, Eddie Castro; CARMANDIA (Wild Rush), John

Velazquez, 8-1; Sangrita, Edgar Prado, 6-1; and TRIPPI STREET (Trippi), Robby

Albarado, 6-1.

The Chilukki serves as a good afternoon prelude to the highly anticipated

meeting between unbeaten college football powers West Virginia and Louisville,

who will meet next door to Churchill Downs at Papa John's Stadium on Thursday

evening.