Formidable Man tunes up for Breeders' Cup in Mint Millions

Labor Day doesn’t figure to be too relaxing for bettors tackling the card at Kentucky Downs. Not with 14 races to sift through.

From a sporting perspective, five stakes are on the card, highlighted by the $2 million Mint Millions (G3) at one mile and the $1.5 million Franklin-Simpson (G2), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for three-year-olds that enjoyed a brief stay at the top level in recent years.

Formidable Man, the California-based veteran who outran all but Notable Speech in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), turns in his final prep for Oct. 31 Mile at Keeneland in the Mint Millions. The son of City of Light has raced sparingly this term, winning the Shoemaker Mile (G1) in May prior to finishing a neck short of Gold Phoenix in his title defense of the Eddie Read (G2) in late July.

Wheeling back on short rest is Chasing the Crown, who landed the Tight Spot overnight handicap for the second straight year on Aug. 29. Up the track was odds-on favorite Lagynos, whose fifth-place run was one of his dullest in five tries over the undulating Kentucky Downs course.

Gran Orientate shortens up after finishing only a half-length behind Burnham Square in the Arlington Million (G1), while the speedy Quatrocento is unbeaten in two previous tries here but will have to contend with Mi Bago for early supremacy.

Two European imports have shipped over. Facteur Cheval last won on the 2024 Dubai World Cup program and was most recently placed in a pair of Group 3s in Italy. Haatem also peaked in Group company two seasons and has been unplaced in his last four starts.

The Franklin-Simpson appears wide open, with Alpyland, Throckmorton, Learntodiscover, Oscar’s Hope, and Immortalised also bringing plausible credentials.

Take Charge Star is an intriguing shipper from Ireland. Two starts back, he finished with a neck of Thesecretadversary in the Jersey (G3) at Royal Ascot as a 50-1 chance. Thesecretadversary subsequently won the Prix Jean Prat (G1).

Returning to the turf for the first time since last fall is Grade 3 veteran Obliteration, who was outrun by the likes of Englishman and Local Knowledge in recent dirt sprints at Saratoga.

Logical contenders in the $1.75 million Gun Runner S., for three-year-olds at one mile, are multiple Grade 2 winner Bottas and recent Secretariat (G2) runner-up Infiltrate.