The lion's share of the pre-race attention has fallen to TDN Rising Star Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) following his eye-popping 19 1/4 -front running victory in a seven-furlong Ellis maiden July 27 and his connections hope to take the next step and punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a score in the GIII Iroquois S., a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event.
“I remember calling [trainer] Dale [Romans] a couple days after the race to make sure how he came out of the race and Dale told me 'he was perfect.' I just hope he can now live up to the hype because he could be very special,” said owner Dennis Albaugh.
Well meant in his career debut in a five-furlong test over this surface June 23, the Albaugh Family Stables representative failed to finish after clipping heels and losing his rider early. The colt was purchased for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale.
“It's exciting to be right in this horse's backyard for the Iroquois,” added Albaugh. “It's a big deal to pick up points this early for the Kentucky Derby. That will make things next year a little easier. This horse just amazes me how easy he strides. You look at other horses on the track and then see him, and his stride is just so perfect. He seems to get better every work leading into the race.”
Steve Asmussen saddles L and J Racing LLC's Rowdy Yates (Morning Line), a first-out winner going 5 ½ furlongs over this surface May 31 before coming up 3/4 of a length short in the GIII Bashford Manor S. June 29. Favored in his latest, the Oklahoma bred went wire-to-wire under Tyler Baze in the seven-furlong Elllis Park Juvenile Aug. 18 and the rider gets back aboard this time.
Always tough with 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs in the fall, Ken McPeek offers up Flute Maker (Sky Mesa) a flat fifth after a poor break in his career bow at Ellis June 30, but bounced back to score by open lengths in a seven-furlong, off turf test in the saratoga slop Aug. 21. Jose Ortiz, who strikes with over 30% when teaming up with McPeek, gets the return call.
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