Lord Bullingdon will seek to improve his closing game as he takes on the $300,000 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) March 22 on Turfway Park's all-weather track.
The Michael McCarthy trainee heads east after two on-the-board finishes at Santa Anita Park. This will be just his third start out of 13 away from California. Lord Bullingdon has improved his finishing position in each of his last three races since coming in 13th in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) last year. He caped 2024 with a fourth in the Mathis Mile Stakes (G2T) and then opened his 4-year-old campaign with a third in the San Marcos Stakes (G3T). Lord Nelson's gray or roan son has been working in Southern California in the lead-up to Saturday's 1 1/8-mile contest. If he crosses the wire first Saturday, it will be his first win since the 2023 Eddie Logan Stakes.
Another contender who wants to get back in the winners' circle is Godolphin homebred Encino. His four-race winning streak was snapped last time out in the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2). In that mile-long dirt race, he led for the opening half-mile before fading to seventh.
Cairo Prince gelding Paros, who has finished just off the board his last two times out—Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) and Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T)—will look to regain the form that saw him close out 2024 with five straight victories.
An also-eligible to watch out for is Todd Pletcher trainee Tucson, who would be looking to keep his momentum going.
After training at Palm Beach Downs and running his first three races at Gulfstream Park, the Constitution colt would be trying to string together his third consecutive victory. Bred by CHC and owned by WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing, Tucson hit triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures in his two triumphs, both on Gulfstream's all-weather track. In both wins, the chestnut 4-year-old found another gear late to pass the leaders down the stretch.
Turfway Park, Saturday, March 22, 2025, Race 10Entries: TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Highestdistinction (KY) Adam Beschizza 120 Lindsay Schultz 15/1 2 2Paros (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Michael J. Maker 8/1 3 3Verstappen (KY) Declan Cannon 120 Brendan P. Walsh 7/2 4 4Mercante (KY) Joseph D. Ramos 120 Brian Knippenberg 20/1 5 5Gamer (KY) Javier Padron-Barcenas 120 Hugo Andrade 20/1 6 6Encino (KY) Luan Machado 120 Brad H. Cox 4/1 7 7Tapit Shoes (KY) Evin A. Roman 120 Ed Moger, Jr. 10/1 8 8Hush of a Storm (NY) Vincent Cheminaud 120 Brad H. Cox 9/2 9 9Tall Boy (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 120 Doug F. O'Neill 20/1 10 10Utah Beach (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 120 Ignacio Correas IV 8/1 11 11Lord Bullingdon (KY) Umberto Rispoli 120 Michael W. McCarthy 15/1 12 12Chiron (KY) Sophie Doyle 124 Richard Estvanko 8/1 13 13Tucson (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1
Also at Turfway Park...
- Turfway Prevue Stakes victor Coming in Hot reunites with Killjoy, fourth in that Jan. 4 contest, in the six-furlong $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes. They shouldn't get comfortable on the all-weather track as Big Vince, perfect in two starts on the track at Turfway, looks to stay unbeaten as a 3-year-old. Also challenging from the field of eight colts and geldings is Kale's Angel. He won the Renaissance Stakes last time out, and before that, finished third in the Smarty Jones Stakes.
- The big mystery in the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes is what does trainer Graham Motion have in import End of Romance. Making his first start in the United States after three strong efforts in three lower-level tests in the United Kingdom, the chestnut gelding now has to tackle 1 1/16 miles after winning at six and seven furlongs overseas.
- A big field of 12 fillies and mares will battle it out in the $250,000 Latonia Stakes. Among them are 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) competitor Austere and 2024 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Cotillion Stakes (G1) runner Everland.
Entries: Animal Kingdom S.
Turfway Park, Saturday, March 22, 2025, Race 9
- STK
- 6f
- All Weather Track
- $250,000
- 3 yo
- 4:43 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Piquant (KY) | Gabriel Saez | 118 | David Jacobson | 6/1 |
| 2 | 2Killjoy (KY) | Julio E. Felix | 118 | Eric N. Foster | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3Mo Hair Sam (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 118 | John A. Hancock | 20/1 |
| 4 | 4Coming in Hot (KY) | Luan Machado | 122 | John Ennis | 5/2 |
| 5 | 5Shan (KY) | Evin A. Roman | 118 | Ed Moger, Jr. | 8/1 |
| 6 | 6Big Vince (KY) | Gerardo Corrales | 118 | Larry Rivelli | 5/1 |
| 7 | 7Kale's Angel (KY) | Ramon A. Vazquez | 122 | Peter Miller | 2/1 |
| 8 | 8Global Steve (FL) | John R. Velazquez | 122 | Robert E. Reid, Jr. | 10/1 |
Turfway Park, Saturday, March 22, 2025, Race 8Entries: Rushaway S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1End of Romance (IRE) John R. Velazquez 118 H. Graham Motion 4/1 2 2Urban Planner (KY) Irving Moncada 120 Eoin G. Harty 5/2 3 3Game Warrior (KY) Umberto Rispoli 118 Peter Miller 7/2 4 4Banks (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 118 Joe Sharp 3/1 5 5Coalmoon (KY) Adam Beschizza 118 Paulo H. Lobo 5/1 6 6Mister Rosso (KY) Santo Sanjur 118 Michael Evans II 20/1 7 7Megalodon (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 118 Josie Carroll 15/1 8 8Baker Hayfield (KY) Gabriel Saez 118 Destin G. Heath 30/1
Turfway Park, Saturday, March 22, 2025, Race 7Entries: Latonia S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Takemetothebeach (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 120 William D. Cowans 10/1 2 2Breezing Along (KY) Angel Serpa 120 Anna M. Meah 30/1 3 3Everland (KY) Abel Cedillo 124 Eric N. Foster 8/1 4 4Sand and Sea (IN) John R. Velazquez 120 Riley Mott 8/1 5 5Dana's Beauty (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Michael J. Maker 3/1 6 6Long Ago (GB) Umberto Rispoli 120 Brendan P. Walsh 5/1 7 7Austere (KY) Gerardo Corrales 120 Brendan P. Walsh 6/1 8 8Dazzlin' Dictator (KY) Luan Machado 120 Rodolphe Brisset 8/1 9 9Peak Popularity (KY) Christopher A. Emigh 120 Brittany A. Vanden Berg 30/1 10 10Distorted d'Oro (KY) Jaime A. Torres 120 Michael Stidham 30/1 11 11Lady Firefoot (KY) Declan Cannon 120 Melanie Giddings 30/1 12 12Dreaming of Mo (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 120 Dale L. Romans 4/1
