Seaspeak seeks first stakes score in Commonwealth Turf

SEASPEAK (Mizzen Mast) will be the horse to beat in Sunday's $100,000

Commonwealth Turf S. (G3), which has attracted a field of 11 three-year-olds

for 8 1/2 furlongs over the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs. Owned and

bred by Dr. John Chandler, the Alex Clarkson-trained colt finished first in his

graded stakes debut in the Bryan Station S. (G3) last time out at Keeneland,

but was disqualified and placed second after exchanging bumps through the

stretch with Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway). Kent Desormeaux will return to the

saddle aboard Seaspeak, who worked four furlongs Tuesday in a bullet :47 in

preparation for the Commonwealth Turf.

Jersey Derby winner MR MACCOOL (Giant's Causeway), Hawthorne Derby (G3)

runner-up CHEROKEE TRIANGLE (Cherokee Run) and Grade 3 winner BOSS LAFITTE

(Dynaformer) are among the top challengers. Mr Maccool faded to 10th in the

Bryan Station last out, but the chestnut colt will return to friendly confines

at Churchill, where he is two-for-two over the turf course. Multiple stakes

winner Cherokee Triangle will enter in good form for leading trainer Michael

Maker, winning the Come Summer S. and Cliff Guilliams Memorial S. prior to his

runner-up finish, beaten only a neck, in the Hawthorne Derby last out. Boss

Lafitte is a two-time stakes winner this season for Tom Amoss.

Other contenders include AMAZING RESULTS (Grand Slam), winner of a pair of

turf stakes earlier this year at Fair Grounds and second by a neck in the

Perryville S. (G3) over Polytrack last out; Hawthorne Derby third-placer SNOOSE

GOOSE (Aptitude), winner of the Honor Glide S. two starts back at Arlington

Park; SILVER MOUNTAIN (Victory Gallop), who will make his graded stakes bow for Tom

Proctor off allowance and maiden special weight victories; and multiple Grade

3-placed NISTLE'S CRUNCH (Van Nistelrooy), who finished third in the Crown Royal

American Turf S. (G3) at Churchill earlier this year.