Kodiak Kowboy headlines Lafayette

Kodiak Kowboy headlines Lafayette

Canadian champion KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse) tops a field of eight in Sunday's $100,000 Lafayette S. at

Keeneland, and the three-year-old will be making just his second start of the

year in the seven-furlong event. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the bay broke his

maiden at Churchill Downs in his second career try before adding the Victoria

S., Bashford Manor S. (G3) and Saratoga Special S. (G2) to his line. He suffered

his first setback since running fourth in his maiden debut when second in the

Futurity S. (G2) at Belmont Park, and rounded out his juvenile campaign with a

third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Kodiak Kowboy returned nearly five months later to score by six lengths in an

Oaklawn Park allowance/optional claimer on March 14. He was successful on

Woodbine's Polytrack in the Victoria, and will get Shaun Bridgmohan, who was

aboard for the Saratoga Special and Futurity runs, back in the irons Sunday.

Also making just his second try of the year is EATON'S GIFT (Johannesburg).

The bay colt tried Churchill in his career bow, but it wasn't until traveling to

Keeneland that he managed to break his maiden. The Dale Romans charge trekked

west two races later to make his stakes debut in the CashCall Futurity (G1), but

could do no better than seventh. He returned to the East Coast to begin his

sophomore campaign last out and was a 3 1/2-length, front-running winner of the

Swale S. (G2). Kent Desormeaux was holding the reins that day and will be in the

pilot's seat once again for this one.

Other contenders include Group 2 hero HATTA FORT

(GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]), who will be making his U.S. debut in this spot; LING

LING QI (Yonaguska), who got lost in the mist when running fifth in the foggy

Gotham S. (G3); and CUSH (Arch), an 8 3/4-length, wire-to-wire winner of a

state-bred

allowance/optional claimer at Fair Grounds most recently.

Cush will lead the post parade to the gate under Corey Lanerie while toting

117 pounds. Next in line will be BONANZA (Jump Start), Jamie Theriot, 117; Hatta

Fort, Garrett Gomez, 119; Kodiak Kowboy, 123; Eaton's Gift, 119; CAPE OF STORMS

(Cape Town), John McKee, 117; Ling Ling Qi, Robby Albarado, 117; and KEEP

LAUGHING (Distorted Humor), John Velazquez, 117.