IN LOUISVILLE VIA NEW KENT

(By Nick Hahn)

There are a few recognizable equine faces in Louisville this weekend that had at least a cup of coffee at Colonial Downs on their journey to the Breeder's Cup.  

Putthebabiesdown is entered in the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies which will go off at 6:10 Friday evening (8th race) .  A longshot making her first start on the dirt, Putthebabiesdown was the runner up in the $50,000 Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs to Softly Lit.  Alan Garcia who was aboard at Colonial Downs returns on the mount for Ken McPeek and owner J C M Racing, LLC.  The filly sired by Closing Argument out of Turtle Beach recently finished third in the Grade I Alcibiades on Keeneland synthetic surface.

All Along winner Shared Account (right) won last year's Filly and Mare Turf

The Emirates Airlines Filly and Mare Turf starting gate is loaded with Colonial Downs alumni with 2011 All Along winner Aruna, 2010 All Along winner Shared Account (who was also second in the 2009 Virginia Oaks) and 2010 All Along runner up Dynaslew with reservations.  Shared Account hopes to defend her title in the Breeder Cup test as last year's narrow winner by a neck.  Trainer Graham Motion saddles both Aruna and Shared Account with Julien Leparoux and Edgar Prado aboard respectively.  Seth Benzel will give a leg up to Corey Nakatani. 

Dean's Kitten at Colonial Downs (Photo: Nick Hahn)

In Saturday's Emirates Airline Turf, Dean's Kitten, a Colonial Turf Cup starter, Stately Victor a Virginia Derby starter are side by side in the starting gate.  Both finished 5th in their 2010 starts at Colonial Downs.  Stately Victor is trained by Michael Maker and owned by Thomas and Jack Conway.  Mike Smith gets a legup on the Bluegrass Stakes winner sired by Ghostzapper out of Collect the Cash.  Stately Victor has only seen the winner's circle three times, but has a knack for making the board.  Dean's Kitten's is sired by 2004 Virginia Derby winner Kitten's Joy out of Summer Theatre is similar with only four wins in 23 starts, but has made the board is over half his starts.  Ramon Dominquez gets the assignment for Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred.  You may not want to put them on top but use them in your exotics.   

Gio Ponti (right front) and Court Vision (left front)
square off in the Virginia Derby stretch. (Photo: Coady)

The TVG Mile features two horses linked by the 2008 Virginia Derby.  Its winner Gio Ponti and runner up Court Vision who hooked up in the stretch on the Secretariat Turf Course at 3 year olds now make their last starts of their racing careers at 6 year olds. Gio Ponti is trained by Christophe Clement, owned by Lyons Castleton and will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez.  Court Vision, who returned to Colonial this past summer for the first running of the Colonial Turf Cup for older horses, is now trained by Dale Romans for Spendthrift Farm LLC.  Robby Albarado gets the mount on the journeyhorse making his 31st start looking for his ninth win.  Court Vision has earned over $2.6 million in his career.  Gio Ponti, sired by Tale of the Cat out of Chipeta Springs has collected over $6 million in purses and would have collected more if not for racing against the best in the world such as Cape Blanco, Goldikova and many others his annual pilgrimmages to Dubai.  In their 2008 matchup in New Kent, Garrett Gomez got the jump on Gio Ponti in the stretch while Robby Albarado aboard Court Vision rode evenly with the victor through the lane.  Gio Ponti prevailed by a nose.

Gio Ponti at Colonial Downs in 2008.  His margin of victory?
....a shiny nose over Court Vision in the Virginia Derby.