Lord Nelson will get another opportunity to demonstrate his two-turn prowess as one of 12 juveniles in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/16-mile event anchors the Louisville track's "Stars of Tomorrow II" program and is the final stakes of the fall meet, which concludes Sunday.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Lord Nelson has won two of three starts, his lone setback being his only prior two-turn try in the September 27 FrontRunner at Santa Anita. In what was arguably the deepest race of the season in the division, the Pulpit colt was a fading fourth behind star stablemate American Pharoh with eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red snagging the third slot. Lord Nelson rebounded to win the $101,000 Speakeasy, a six-furlong stakes, by 6 3/4 lengths on October 13.
Lucky Player, who turned in an 11-1 upset of the course-and-distance Iroquois on September 6, showed little when eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last time. The son of Lookin at Lucky also broke his maiden under the Twin Spires back in May.
Imperia and International Star move to the dirt after they both ran up the track in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last time. Imperia, who missed by less than a four lengths after a rough trip in the stretch, previously took the Pilgrim at Belmont on the grass and makes his dirt debut Saturday. International Star, who finished one position ahead of Imperia in the Juvenile Turf, previously landed the Grey over Woodbine's Polytrack and was second in his only prior attempt on dirt.
El Kabeir, one of the more noteworthy maiden winners during the Saratoga meet when he waltzed home by 10 3/4 lengths, enters the Kentucky Jockey Club off a distant second-place finish in the Nashua at Aqueduct, a race contested over a one-turn mile in the mud.
Others of note are Sky Hero and Eagle, who landed first-level allowances at Churchill and Keeneland, respectively, in the most recent outings; Flashaway, runner-up to Sky Hero in his dirt debut; and Jumpin Jac Flash, a five-length maiden winner last out for trainer Kenny McPeek.
A dozen two-year-old fillies will also travel 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2, $200,000 Golden Rod. The likely favorites include the undefeated West Coast Belle, a 6 3/4-length winner of the $62,000 Rags to Riches at Churchill last month, and wire-to-wire Pocahontas winner Cristina's Journey, who finished 11th of 12 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last out.
Another intriguing entry is No Fault of Mine, who romped by 4 1/2 lengths in her Arlington debut on Polytrack in late September. The Chris Block trainee is by Blame, who famously landed the Breeders' Cup Classic and Clark Handicap over Churchill's main track.
McPeek saddles two stakes newcomers in the Golden Rod. Keeneland graduate I'm a Chatterbox adds Lasix after showing speed and fading to third behind returning rival Simply Confection in a course-and-distance allowance. Previously, Simply Confection was a distant second to West Coast Belle in the one-mile Rags to Riches.
Kathballu, the other McPeek entry, is one of several recent graduates who might factor with rapid progression. Also in that category are Martz and Jojo's Melody.