2017 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com – Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Kentucky will be the scene of the G3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes on Saturday, September 9. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Kentucky Downs turf track and race 1 1/2 miles for the winner’s share of the $600,000 purse.

A full field of 12 plus two Alternate Entries will line up in the Kentucky Turf Cup – race 10 on Kentucky Downs Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:26 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 14 possible entries for this lucrative G3 stakes.

2017 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes Entries at Kentucky Downs

Enterprising 3-1

Michael Maker trained gelding has 32 career starts with nine wins, four seconds and five third-place finishes. He won the 2014 G3 La Jolla Handicap and started 2017 with two terrific graded stakes scores over many of his Kentucky Turf Cup foes – the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap February 25 and the G2 Muniz Memorial Handicap April 1 – both at Fair Grounds. He has struggled a tad in three starts since however – a close fourth in the G1 Arlington Millions August 12 followed a sixth in the minor Soldier’s Dancer Stakes at Gulfstream Park June 17 and another sixth in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in May. Enterprising has shown some serious form in the past and will be out to snap an three-race losing streak from post 7. Corey Lanerie gets the call on the tepid morning line favorite.

Oscar Nominated 7-2

Michael Maker trained Ringling has four wins, six seconds and two third place finishes in 20 career starts. He finished seventeenth as a longshot in last year’s Kentucky Derby and went on to a fifth in the G3 Penn Mile in June, a second in the G3 American Derby in July and a fifth in the G1 Secretariat Stakes in August. He’s been inconsistent since – an eighth last time out in the G1 Arlington Millions August 12 followed a seventh in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 1 and consecutive thirds – the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 6 and the G2 Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds in April. Before that were three straight seconds including the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap February 25 the G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup January 29 and the minor Tropical Park Derby. He also had wins in the minor Dueling Grounds Derby by 6 1/2 lengths here last September 11, the 2016 G3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park and also won the minor Black Gold Overnight Stakes at Fair Grounds February 27, 2016. Oscar Nominated has been a tad tough to figure out and looks for his first win in a year (eight races) when he departs from gate 4 with Julien Leparoux guiding the second betting choice.

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Postulation 9-2

Edward Graham trained gelding has placed in 10 of 16 career starts – five wins, four seconds and a third-place finish. He enters on a very nice two-race win streak – the G3 American St. Leger Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths at Arlington last time out August 12 and the minor Cape Henlopen Stakes by six lengths at Delaware Park July 8. He failed to place in his previous four starts including an eleventh in the minor Henry S. Clark Stakes at Laurel Park in April and a sixth in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland in October. Postulation has been seriously trending upward ahead of this weekend and hopes for a third straight stakes win from the rail. Jorge Vargas Jr. has been tabbed to ride the intriguing third choice.

Taghleeb 5-1

Michael Maker trainee has six wins, six seconds and four third place finishes in 30 career starts. He made his graded stakes debut in October and finished seventh in the G1 Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine and followed that with a fourth in the G3 River City Stakes at Churchill Downs November 24. He posted a nice win in the minor $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on at Gulfstream December 31 and followed that with another terrific win on that track – in record time for two miles in the G3 WL McKnight Handicap January 28. He has been up and down since – a second last time out behind Postulation in the G3 American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington August 12 followed a fifth in the G3 Arlington Handicap in July, a ninth in the G3 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational June 9, an OK second in the G1 Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park May 13 and fourth in the G2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream April 1. Taghleeb attempts to rediscover his early/2017 form and to snap a five-race losing streak from post 11. Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride.

Muqtaser 6-1

Kiaran McLaughlin trained gelding has 14 career starts with five wins, a second and three third-place finishes. He started his career in Britain where he was OK and has been decent eight North American races. He enters on a two-race win streak – both Allowance races at Saratoga with the last coming August 16. He started 2017 with a pair of fifths and a second-place finish in a trio of Allowance Optional Claiming races. Mugtaser makes his stakes debut in career-best form and will leave from post 3 with Joe Bravo aboard.

Bullards Alley 12-1

Won the G3 Louisville Handicap in May, 2016 for trainer Tim Glyshaw but has placed in just three of 12 starts since. He enters off a fifth in the G3 American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington April 12 which followed an OK third in the G3 Louisville Handicap at Fair Grounds May 20 (he won that race in 2016), a sixth in the G2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland April 22 and consecutive fourth place finishes – the G3 Muniz Memorial Handicap April 1 and the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap February 25. Before that was an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Fair Grounds February 4, a seventh in the G3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs in November and an OK third in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland in October. Bullards Alley now has five wins, four seconds and six third place finishes in 33 career starts and will be out to snap a 14-race losing streak from gate 8. Marcelino Pedroza has the mount.

Crescent Drive 20-1

Has three wins, three seconds and three third-place finishes in 14 career starts for trainer Thomas Amoss. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Indiana Grand June 9 after a second in a similar race at Churchill Downs May 6 and off-the-board finishes in his previous two Allowance Optional Claiming races. His only graded stakes result was a ninth in the 2016 G1 Blue Grass Stakes. Crescent Drive has been OK against lesser company and will chase a second straight win from post 5 Saturday. Miguel Mena rides.

One Go All Go 20-1

Won the 2015 G2 Commonwealth Derby at Laurel Park – his best career result and has been OK since. Last time out was a third in the minor Cliff Guilliams Handicap at Ellis Park August 13 after a fourth in the G3 Stars and Stripes Stales at Arlington July 8, over eight months away, an ugly thirteenth in the G3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs in November, a fifth in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland in October and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track at this time last year. One Go All Go now has three wins, a second and three third-place finishes in 15 career starts and shoots for a first win in a year from gate 9. Declan Canno has the mount.

Nessy 20-1

Ian Wilkes trained gelding has two wins, four seconds and five third-place finishes in his 16 career starts. He enters off an OK second in the minor John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga August 23 which followed a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga July 29, an Allowance score at Churchill Downs June 24 and a sixth in the G3 Louisville Handicap on that track May 20. Nessy has been just OK so far and will be after a first stakes win from the outside gate 12 Saturday. Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. will be in the irons.

St. Louie 30-1

Has just five wins in 24 career starts to go along with three seconds and four third-place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a third in the minor John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga August 23, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track July 29 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park in June. He recorded consecutive thirds in Allowance races before that. St. Louie has been decent against lesser competition and hopes it translates in his major step up in competition. Tyler Gaffalione will be in the saddle from gate 10.

Zulu Alpha 30-1

Lightly raced Jose Fernandez trained gelding has two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish in six career starts. He started his career in Britain where he was OK but failed to post a win – he has been better since landing state-side. He has two starts at Indiana Grand and two wins – an Allowance August 19 and a maiden score July 18. Zulu Alpha steps into stakes company for the first time in good form and will have Robby Albarado in the saddle from gate 6.

Lucky Ramsey 30-1

Has 17 career starts for trainer Randy Morse with four wins and five third-place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a seventh in the listed West Virginia House of Delegates Stakes at Mountaineer August 5 which followed two straight Allowance scores at Churchill Downs. He failed to place in five of his six previous starts. Lucky Ramsey arrives on so-so form but looks as though he will be in over his head from gate 2 Saturday. Channing Hill rides.

Motivational 30-1

Alternate Entry – Jack O Fisher trained gelding has 19 career starts with three wins, a second and six third-place finishes. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Laurel Park August 11 which followed a third in a similar race on that track an DNF at Percy Warner in May and another third in an Allowance at Tyron in April. Motivational has yet to line up in graded stakes company but has been OK in Allowance races.

Tobias 30-1

Alternate Entry has just one win in 33 career starts for trainer Rafael Fernandez along with four seconds and four third-place finishes. He has placed in just one of his last seven starts ahead of this weekend – a fourth last time out in the G3 American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington April 12 followed a seventh and an eighth in Allowance races this past summer and a fifth in the minor H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream Park in December. Tobias hasn’t been all that impressive in his career and will likely be in over his head if he does indeed start.

2017 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 10 on Kentucky Downs’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:42 PM.