Ag Bullet goes for Kentucky Downs three-peat

Ag Bullet’s presence in the last two editions of the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint has helped elevate the 6 1/2-furlong event to Grade 1 status for the first time. On Saturday, the six-year-old mare goes for a three-peat in what is expected to serve as a final prep before her third appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

While Ag Bullet has fallen a little short in the last two Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprints at Del Mar – finishing third and second – the daughter of Twirling Candy has been a queen at Kentucky Downs. A 5 1/4-length tour de force in 2024 foretold a strong Breeders’ Cup effort, a neck third to longshot Starlust. While not as dominant last year, winning by three-parts of a length, she was easily second-best at the Breeders’ Cup to younger filly rival Shisospicy.

Ag Bullet enters off a single race so far this season, a second to the sidelined Reef Runner in her title defense of the Jaipur (G1) at Saratoga.

Most of the winners of other graded stakes in the division are here. In Our Time, a prior winner at Kentucky Downs, landed the Giant’s Causeway (G2) in April, though she was the beaten favorite in the Caress (G2) at Saratoga to Movin’ On Up. The latter, and recent Smart N Fancy S. heroine Zeitlos, are 0-for-2 over the Kentucky Downs strip.

Spirited Boss had good form in California during the spring, including a success in the Monrovia (G3). Vina Arana recently dominated the one-mile Nassau (G2) at Woodbine, while Cloe steps up off a fast win in the Hummingbird S. at Ellis Park. The lone foreign entry, Group 3 winner Sayidah Dariyan, recently missed by a neck in the Oak Tree (G3) at Goodwood.

The published purse for the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint is $1.75 million, though non-Kentucky-breds will race for only half that amount.

The supporting features on the first of seven racing days at Kentucky Downs are the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint over 6 1/2 furlongs and a $500,000 handicap over one mile, which has attracted multiple graded stakes winner Lagynos.