Kentucky Downs takes center stage on Saturday with a spectacular card highlighted by the $2.5 million KTDF Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes. The 1 ½-mile turf event is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series race offering the race winner an automatic spot in the starting gate of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The race drew a competitive group of 11 horses, each looking to stamp their ticket to the Breeders’ Cup. Divin Propos, the lone contender in the field that was not bred in North America, will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, the internationally successful jockey that leads the short Kentucky Downs meet in wins through the first three of its seven racecards. El Rezeen broke his maiden at this 1 ½ mile distance on the turf last July, earning a 100 Equibase Speed Figure at Saratoga, and seeks his first career graded stakes victory. Tawny Port ran at Kentucky Downs last Saturday, finishing second in the Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes going 2 1/16 miles on the turf, and is looking for his first win since August 2023. Vote No has a win over this unique turf course, that coming in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September 2023, and he has two wins this year since being claimed for $$40,000 in March. Mercante is fresh off a earning career-best 113 Equibase Speed Figure, which occurred when he finished fourth by 1 ¾ lengths in the KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes last time out at Ellis Park, a race where the winning horse, Beach Gold, set the track record racing a mile in 1:31.76.
Grand Sonata is back to defend his Turf Cup title; he won last year by a half-length at odds of 12.80-1. The six-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro has finished in the money in both starts at Kentucky Downs and is coming into this race with consecutive second place finishes in the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park in July and the Arlington Million Stakes at Colonial Downs last time out to Fort Washington, a horse he will face again in this race. Utah Beach has four wins from eight starts at this distance and has been breezing well at Keeneland in preparation for the Turf Cup. Ole Crazy Bone finished second by just a head last time out in the KY Downs Preview Turf Cup Stakes in his first start after being claimed by trainer Mike Maker and gets a jockey switch to Flavien Prat, who is winning at a tremendous 26% clip in turf route graded stakes races this year. Anglophile finished a half-length behind Ole Crazy Bone at Ellis Park in the Turf Cup Preview with a 101 Equibase Speed Figure, his ninth consecutive start with a triple-digit figure. Corruption won by three lengths back in late July when he took an allowance optional at Saratoga. He was overcome by heat exhaustion following the victory, which brought together a team effort of guardian angels to ensure the safety of this talented gelding. Fort Washington rounds out the field fresh off a half-length victory in the Arlington Million Stakes and stretches out to 1 ½ miles for the first time in his career.
Analysis and Main Contenders:
Mercante, a 5-year-old gelding by Gun Runner, has blossomed this year following a 16-month layoff (July 2023 to November 2024) and a trainer change from Bill Mott to Brian Knippenberg. In March, he won the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at Turfway Park by a length before running a very game second in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs in early May behind Spirit of St. Louis, who had previously won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Stakes Presented by Qatar Racing. The Old Forester also included Redistricting, who finished sixth but has since rattled off back-to-back stakes wins, most recently taking the United Nations Stakes over Grand Sonata. Three weeks after the Old Forester, Mercante won the Arlington Stakes at Churchill over Brilliant Berti, who went on to win the Wise Dan Stakes, and Lagynos, who recently dominated the Keeneland Sales Tapit Stakes by 5 ¼ lengths on opening day of this Kentucky Downs meet.
Trainer Brian Knippenberg will be making his career debut at Kentucky Downs on Saturday, with the young-and-upcoming Joe Ramos in the irons who has just seven career mounts over the course. The duo might not have an experience edge at Kentucky Downs; however, they are winning at a 46% clip together all-time. Mercante should be a nice price when the gate opens (he’s 5-1 on the morning line) and has the proven ability to beat graded stakes company.
Corruption has a knack for finding the winner’s circle, going 5-for-7 so far this year at age 4. He kicked off 2025 with three consecutive wins at Gulfstream Park before finishing a close second by just a neck to Far Bridge in the Pan American Stakes Presented by Rood & Riddle back in March. Far Bridge has since gone on to win both the Man o’ War Stakes and the Bowling Green Stakes. Corruption comes into Saturday’s test off a win in a turf allowance at Saratoga, which he achieved despite dealing with heat exhaustion. With a trainer like Mark Casse, it’s easy to trust that this horse has been carefully managed and is fully ready to run back at his best. Notably, jockey Jose Ortiz has two wins from two mounts aboard Corruption and will be aboard on Saturday.
Fort Washington stands out for trainer Shug McGaughey, and he’ll also have Junior Alvarado riding for the sixth consecutive time. He comes in off a win in the Arlington Million Stakes at Colonial Downs in early August, and leads this field with an average speed rating of 109 and a late pace rating of 123.5. Fort Washington’s 116 Equibase Speed Figure earned in the Arlington Million is the highest last-race figure of any horse entered. Over the past six months, horses in turf route graded stakes races with the highest late pace and last-race Equibase Speed Figure are winning at a 33% clip from 82 starts. If Fort Washington can replicate his efforts from the Dinner Party Stakes back in May and the Arlington Million, he will be the one to catch.
The rest of the field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures in similar races, is Divin Propos (112), El Rezeen (111), Tawny Port (114), Vote No (108), Grand Sonata (115), Utah Beach (114), Ole Crazy Bone (107), and Anglophile (110).
Win Contenders In Preference Order:
Mercante
Corruption
Fort Washington
