This Week at Churchill Downs
Thursday, June 27
• 9 races from 12:45-4:59 p.m. EDT (Gates: 11:30 a.m.)
• Feature (Race 7 at 3:57 p.m.): $57,000 alw opt clm, f &
m, 1 M (T)
STAKES ADVANCE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013
HORSE OF THE YEAR WISE DAN HEADLINES
23RD FIRECRACKER HANDICAP
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, June 26, 2013) – Reigning Horse of the
Year Wise Dan, a winner of five straight Grade I races, will carry the high
weight of 128 pounds when he faces seven rivals in the 23rd running of
$150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) on Saturday night at Churchill
Downs.
The Firecracker Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the
Matt Winn Turf Course is one of three stakes events on the “Downs After
Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka” nighttime racing
program. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the
Firecracker will go as Race 9 of 11 at 10:11 p.m.
Mort Fink’s homebred Wise Dan enters the Firecracker off a 4 ¾length victory in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby
Day. In his only other start of 2013, he won the Maker’s 46 Mile (GI) on the
turf at Keeneland by a length. He was ridden in both of those starts by Jose
Lezcano, but Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the call Saturday.
“He’s doing as well as I could ask,” trainer Charlie LoPresti said.
Wise Dan won the Firecracker in 2011 in his turf debut and has
since won six of his seven turf starts, including last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile
(GI). No horse has won the Firecracker twice.
Kitten’s Joy holds the record for most weight carried by a winner of
the Firecracker. He carried 124 pounds when he won the race by a length in
2005. Five years ago, Curlin won the 2008 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) at
Churchill Downs while toting 128 pounds.
The main rival for Wise Dan could be Claiborne Farm and Adele
Dilschneider’s Lea, who is weighted at 117 pounds. A 4-year-old chestnut
son of First Samurai, Lea ended his 2012 campaign with a victory in the
Commonwealth Turf (GIII) at Churchill Downs in November.
Friday, June 28
• 11 races from 2:45-7:54 p.m. (Gates 1:30 p.m.)
• Feature: $57,000 alw opt clm, 3 & up, 1 1/8 M (T)
• City’s Best Happy Hour! Drink specials ($2
Budweiser/Bud Light; $3 Stella Artois; $4 14 Hands
Blackberry Sangria), food trucks & live music (The
Rumors) in The Plaza from 4-7 p.m.
• Flags4Vets will place 3,000 U.S. flags in the Jockey’s
Garden & Louisville Fire Department to display giant
U.S. flag near paddock.
• Annual visit to Kosair Children’s Hospital (231 East
Chestnut) by Churchill Downs’ jockeys and track
officials at 11 a.m.
Saturday, June 29 – Downs After Dark
• 11 races from 6-11:10 p.m. (Gates: 4 p.m.)
• Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and
Finlandia Vodka
• Theme: Star-Spangled Night. Guests are encouraged to
“dress to impress” for a flashy, fun and patriotic preFourth of July celebration of red, white and blue.
There’ll be a contest for best dressed female, male,
couple and group.
• Feature (Race 9 at 10:11 p.m.): $150,000-added
Firecracker Handicap (GII), 3 & up, 1 M (T)
• Co-Feature (Race 7 at 9:05 p.m.): $100,000-added
Bashford Manor (GIII), 2yo, 6 F
• Co-Feature (Race 3 at 6:56 p.m.): $65,000-added Kelly’s
Landing, 3 & up, 7 F
• Celebration of 500,000 Downs After Dark guests with
prize drawings to win a Millionaires Row table, $250
betting voucher and trophy presentation for the Sept. 7
Dark After Dark event during the inaugural
Homecoming Meet (Sept. 6-29). Five sets of reserved
box seats for six in the 3rd floor Clubhouse will be given
away as well.
• Entertainment on The Plaza Stage includes 64 West
from (4-7:30 p.m.) and the Jordan English Band from
(8-11:30 p.m.).
• Popular text-to-win sweepstakes “Bet or No Bet,”
sponsored by Thorntons, on Races 6-9.
• Winner’s circle ceremony to honor six Congressional
Medal of Honor Montford Point Marines.
Sunday, June 30 – Closing Day
• 10 races from 12:45-5:29 p.m. (Gates: 11:30 a.m.)
• Feature: $61,000 alw opt clm, f & m, 1 1/16 M (T)
• Family Fun Days Presented by Kroger on The Plaza
Balcony from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Games, crafts,
entertainment & Churchill Charlie appearance. Special
activities include Cookies & Canvas, a patriotic craft
and a snow cone truck.
Churchill Downs Communications
In his lone start of the year, Lea cruised to a 3 ¼-length win in an
off-the-turf allowance/optional-claiming race on a sloppy track at Churchill
Downs on June 1 in his dirt debut. Trained by Al Stall Jr., Lea has a record
of four wins, one second and one third from six starts.
Also weighted at 117 pounds as the co-second high weight is Gary
and Mary West’s Corporate Jungle, who most recently finished second in
the Swoon’s Son at Arlington Park in his first start for trainer Tom Proctor.
While in the barn of trainer Chad Brown, Corporate Jungle won the 2012
Appleton (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and finished second behind Wise Dan in
the 2012 Fourstardave Handicap (GII) at Saratoga.
- more -
John Asher
Vice President, Racing Communications
(502) 636-4586 (Office) * (502) 494-3626 (Mobile)
[email protected]
@johnasher
Darren Rogers
Senior Director, Communications & Media Services
(502) 636-4461 (Office) * (502) 345-1030 (Mobile)
[email protected]
@DerbyMedia
Travers Manley
Staff Writer & Communications Coordinator
(502) 636-4462 (Office) * (502) 751-5716 (Mobile)
[email protected]
@TraversMan
Horse of the Year Wise Dan Headlines 23rd Firecracker Handicap
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Page 2 of 2
The other graded-stakes winner in the field is Bob and Cathy Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best, who won the El Camino Real
Derby (GIII) and Sunland Derby (GIII) in 2012 for trainer Steve Asmussen. He was most recently second behind Silver Max in
the Opening Verse at Churchill Downs on June 1.
The field for the Firecracker Handicap from the rail out (with jockey and weight): Corporate Jungle (Alan Garcia, 117),
Wise Dan (Velazquez, 128), Dimension-GB (Victor Lebron, 113), Lea (Brian Hernandez Jr., 117), Finnegans Wake (Jesus
Castanon, 116), Daddy Nose Best (Rosie Napravnik, 116), Seruni (Corey Lanerie, 115) and Ol Army (Jon Court, 114).
The other stakes on Saturday’s card are the 112th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds at
six furlongs and the $65,000-added Kelly’s Landing for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs. The Bashford Manor will go as Race 7
at 9:05 p.m. and the Kelly’s Landing is scheduled as Race 3 at 6:56 p.m.
The field for the Bashford Manor, from the rail out (with trainer): Gun Roar (Steve Asmussen), My Corinthian (Dane
Kobiskie), Hollywood Talent (Wesley Ward), Debt Ceiling (John Robb), Runkle (Kellyn Gorder), D’cajun Cat (Asmussen) and
Sandbar (Neil Howard).
The field for the Kelly’s Landing, from the rail out (with trainer): Right to Vote (Ron Moquett), Flashpoint (Asmussen),
Ghost Is Clear (Mike Maker), Laurie’s Rocket (D. Wayne Lukas), He’s So Proud (Jack Frost) and Good Lord (Forrest Kaelin).
The theme for Saturday night’s event is “Star-Spangled Night” and fans are encouraged to “dress to impress” for a preFourth of July holiday celebration with lots of red, white and blue. Gates open at 4 p.m. and general admission is $10.
FIRECRACKER HANDICAP (GRADE III)
Saturday, June 29, $150,000-added, 3yo & up, 1 M (T), Churchill Downs (R9), 10:11 p.m. EDT.
Television: HRTV.
# Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Weight
1. Corporate Jungle
Alan Garcia
Tom Proctor
117
2. Wise Dan
John Velazquez
Charlie LoPresti
128
3. Dimension-GB
Victor Lebron
Conor Murphy
113
4. Lea
Brian Hernandez Jr.
Al Stall Jr.
117
5. Finnegans Wake
Jesus Castanon
Dale Romans
116
6. Daddy Nose Best
Rosie Napravnik
Steve Asmussen
116
7. Seruni
Corey Lanerie
Phil Oliver
115
8. Ol Army
Jon Court
Chuck Peery
114
BASHFORD MANOR (GRADE III)
Saturday, June 29, $100,000-added, 2yo, 6 F, Churchill Downs (R7), 9:05 p.m. EDT.
Television: HRTV.
# Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Weight
1. Gun Roar
Corey Lanerie
Steve Asmussen
120
2. My Corinthian
Luis Garcia
Dane Kobiskie
120
3. Hollywood Talent
Wesley Ward
John Velazquez
120
4. Debt Ceiling
Eric Camacho
John Robb
122
5. Runkle
Joe Rocco Jr.
Kellyn Gorder
118
6. D’cajun Cat
Rosie Napravnik
Steve Asmussen
120
7. Sandbar
Shaun Bridgmohan
Neil Howard
120
KELLY’S LANDING
Saturday, June 29, $65,000-added, 3yo & up, 7 F, Churchill Downs (R3), 6:56 p.m. EDT.
Television: HRTV.
# Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Weight
1. Right to Vote
Shaun Bridgmohan
Ron Moquett
122
2. Flashpoint
Rosie Napravnik
Steve Asmussen
122
3. Ghost Is Clear
Alan Garcia
Mike Maker
122
4. Laurie’s Rocket
Jon Court
D. Wayne Lukas
122
5. He’s So Proud
Victor Lebron
Jack Frost
122
6. Good Lord
Corey Lanerie
Forrest Kaelin
122
Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s
greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs
Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the
historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2014 and its 2013 Spring Meet is
scheduled continues through Sunday, June 30. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times.
Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.