Turf Sprint, Nashville Derby highlight Kentucky Downs card

Whether a six-furlong race over a wide, undulating course is an adequate prep for a five-furlong dash on a tighter, flatter oval is beside the point. Not for the kind of money on offer in Saturday's Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) at Kentucky Downs.

The winner of the Turf Sprint will receive an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1, which carries a $1 million purse. That's the base purse for the Kentucky Downs race, too, though Kentucky-breds -- all but two of the entrants in the main body of the field -- will run for $2 million.

Prior positive experience over the unique Kentucky Downs layout is not essential, but it never hurts. That would seem to help the likes of Howard Wolowitz, who captured the first Grade 1 in track history last season in the Franklin-Simpson (G1). Despite his razor-sharp works at Gulfstream and Saratoga in recent months, though, Howard Wolowitz enters the Turf Sprint with just one dull run, in Saudi Arabia back in February, to his credit since mid-December.

Khaadem, the English import who ran second to the magnificent Cogburn in this race 12 months ago, might factor again, though how many good ones the nine-year-old still has left is open to question. The same goes for six-year-old One Timer, a head second as the favorite in the 2023 Turf Sprint but a non-factor last term when finishing in midpack.

Implementation, recent winner of the Smile Sprint at Gulfstream on dirt, is 2-for-2 at Kentucky Downs and winless on every other grass course he's run over. Nobals, the 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner, can still fire a good one on his best day, but has not placed in two prior runs over this strip. Arrest Me Red's form has been steady the past 12 months, but he would probably have been more formidable in his younger days.

An intriguing contender is the filly Pipsy. Although she threw a dud at Saratoga last out, she won the Intercontinental (G2) over the same course two back and finished a close second in the Music City (G2) at Kentucky Downs last year.

The $3.5 million Nashville Derby (G3) over 1 5/16 miles has attracted a quality European shipper named Wimbledon Hawkeye. Although winless in six starts this year, he hasn't been embarrassed this season by the likes of Field of Gold, Pride of Arras, El Cordobes, and Merchant.

The Nashville Derby has a strong Kentucky Derby (G1) influence, with some Run for the Roses participants testing their turf prowess for the first time. That list includes Blue Grass (G1) hero Burnham Square and Arkansas Derby (G1) scorer Sandman. Final Gambit, meanwhile, has fallen short in a pair of interim turf starts, including a loss in the Belmont Derby (G1) to Test Score.

Beefing up the quality quotient is Peter Pan (G3) victor Hill Road, who is sure to get the trip, and Simulate, runner-up in the Secretariat (G2) at Colonial Downs in his stakes debut.

Ag Bullet will defend her title in the $2 million Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) over 6 1/2 furlongs, a race she won last year by more than five lengths. She was a last-out winner of the Jaipur (G1) against the boys in early June.

Longer-priced possibilities include Simply in Front, Kehoe Beach, Time to Dazzle, Oujda, Danse Macabre, Lunar Impact, and Zeitlos.

The $2 million Ladies Turf (G3) over one mile has come up highly competitive. Charlene's Dream stretched her speed 1 3/16 miles to take the Beverly D. (G2) earlier this month, though this distance is far more suitable. Segesta and Sacred Wish were separated by a neck at the finish of the Matchmaker (G3) last month. Special Wan is Grade 1-placed and a winner over the Kentucky Downs strip, while Pin Up Betty enters on a two-stakes win streak.

The European contingent includes Cheshire Dancer, a Group 3 winner at Ascot last out, and the German 1000 Guineas (G2) heroine Lady Ilze.

The $1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup, over 2 1/16 miles, looks like a showdown on paper between defending titlist Limited Liability and the stamina-laden German raider Flatten the Curve.