Kentucky Cup Turf J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Saturday's $150,000 Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3) at Kentucky Downs will feature

the return of defending champion CLOUDY'S KNIGHT (Lord Avie) off a more than

eight-month break. The Jonathan Sheppard trainee was preparing for the Elkhorn

S. (G2) at Keeneland in April when he suffered an injury that almost proved to

be career ending. The gelding was given plenty of time to recuperate and will

make his 10-year-old bow in this 1 1/2-mile turf test.

Cloudy's Knight was honored as Canada's champion turf horse in 2007, and

suffered just one loss from five starts last season. In addition to last year's

Kentucky Cup Turf, he also captured the W. L. McKnight H. (G2), Sycamore S. (G3)

and Valedictory S., while just missing by a nose in the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

The chestnut racked up stellar numbers in those wins, but his best came in his

runner-up effort, when he garnered a 108 BRIS Speed rating. Cloudy's Knight will

be reunited with Rosemary Homeister Jr. in his return and, if he can retain his form, should find no real threat in this field.

FREE FIGHTER (Out of Place) could spoil the welcome back

party for Cloudy's Knight. The chestnut gelding owns just one win this year,

with that coming in the Louisville H. (G3) going the distance over yielding

ground at Churchill Downs, but has run well in his other five starts. Most

recently the five-year-old was seen finishing third as the defending champion of

the Stars and Stripes Turf S. (G3). He could be first under the wire for trainer

Chris Block and jockey Eduardo Perez.

COOLCULLEN TIMES (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) is cross-entered to

Saturday's Turfway Park Fall Championship S. (G3) but is a contender if trainer

Graham Motion decides to send him here instead. The four-year-old gelding

shipped stateside in the spring and just fell back to third on the wire after

leading throughout in the John's Call S. at Saratoga last out. A useful

allowance winner in Ireland prior to coming to the United States, the bay will

be tough to run down if he utilizes the same tactics. Alex Solis will be holding

the reins.

REZIF (Distant View) is still seeking his first win of the year, and while we

don't think that will come here, the bay gelding could find himself a spot in

the exotics. Conditioned by Matthew Jacobson, the five-year-old finished second

to Cloudy's Knight in last year's Kentucky Cup Turf and any duplication of that

effort will seem him close at the end. Greta Kuntzweiler has the call.

GUADALCANAL (Graeme Hall) is also winless on the year but has a shot in the

bottom of the gimmicks. The five-year-old bay didn't do so well in last year's

running of this race, but his recent second going the distance at Ellis Park

gives some hope for redemption. Brice Blanc will be aboard for the first time.

IMPONENTE PURSE (Brz) (Public Purse) is Group 1-placed in his native country

going 12 furlongs and has posted a 3-0-1-1 record since coming to the United

States. In the most recent of those starts the bay colt was a nose behind

Guadalcanal at Ellis Park. He could turn the tables on that rival while getting

blinkers back on here. CLASS BOPPER (Bop) is a jumper who won a Grade 3 test

last out over the hurdles by 10 lengths. His current form could see him pick up

a check. NEGRO DA GAITA (Brz) (Know Heights [Ire]) doesn't look fast enough to

keep up with these in his second U.S. start. CELTIC NEW YEAR (North Light [Ire])

appears to prefer much shorter distances.