(Updated) Kentucky Downs Weekend Race Card: Entries and Betting Guide

Share News

The All-Grass Affair: An Insider’s Guide to Kentucky Downs

Welcome to Kentucky Downs, a one-of-a-kind meet in American horse racing, known for its massive prize money and distinctive European-style turf course. Nestled in the rolling hills of Franklin, Kentucky, this annual event is a brief but spectacular showcase of elite turf racing. This weekend, the spotlight is on the main event, with a detailed breakdown of all the major stakes races on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As you prepare your wagers, remember to keep an eye on the latest odds, which can fluctuate significantly before post time.

The Venue: A European-Style Turf Paradise

The track at Kentucky Downs is a true anomaly in North America. Its all-turf course, a rarity on this side of the Atlantic, is a stunning European-style oval with subtle undulations and a unique kidney shape. Measuring over 1 5/16 miles, it features a distinct right-hand bend that demands a special type of horse and jockey.

Adding to its charm, the track is situated directly on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The weather forecast for the weekend is promising, with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 80s, which should result in a firm turf course. This is a critical factor, as the track is notoriously sensitive to weather changes. A firm course will allow for fast times and a true test of speed and stamina. This is the weekend to bet on Kentucky Downs.

The Weekend Racecard: Stakes Races Breakdown

The fields for the richest day in Kentucky Downs history are set for Saturday’s card. The day features a pair of $1.5 million races and four others worth $1 million apiece, with up to $1 million more available in incentives for Kentucky-bred horses. The total purse for the 12-race card exceeds $14 million, a figure surpassed only by Breeders’ Cup Saturday. This includes purse supplements from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund for registered Kentucky-bred horses, which make up the vast majority of the runners.

The smallest fields for any of the stakes races are 11 entries in both the Grade 2, $2.5 million Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational (G2) and the $2 million Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon Invitational (G3). The $2 million Systems Gun Runner for 3-year-olds could see 14 runners in Kentucky Downs’ new 14-stall starting gate.

Continuing a recent trend, four horses entered for Saturday have already run at the meet:

• Lagynos, the opening-day Tapit winner, returns in the $2.5 million Mint Millions (G3).
• Allowance winners Miwa and Stellify are back in the $2 million Ladies Marathon Invitational (G3).
• Tawny Port, who finished second in last Saturday’s $1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup, returns in the Kentucky Turf Cup (G2).

Ladies Marathon Invitational (G3)

Trainer Joe Sharp is following the mini-trend of running horses back at the meet, sending out Miwa after her impressive seven-length victory in an opening-day allowance at the Ladies Marathon’s 1 5/16-mile distance. Brad Cox is doing the same with Stellify, the front-running winner of a 1 1/2-mile second-level allowance. She will be going for her fourth straight win in her stakes debut.

Beach Bomb, a multiple Grade 1 winner in her native South Africa, won a pair of Grade 3 stakes at Gulfstream Park in March and was a close second to the accomplished She Feels Pretty in the New York Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. She was fifth in her last start, Colonial Downs’ Beverly D. (G2). Also coming out of the Beverly D is the late-running fourth-place finisher Duvet Day, a Grade 3 winner at Churchill Downs.

Last year’s German Oaks runner-up Spanish Eyes enters the Ladies Marathon off a late-running second in Colonial Downs’s Beverly D. (G2). Nadette ships in from California, where she’s a graded-stakes winner.

Others to watch include: No Mo Candy, a Grade 3 winner in New York last fall who was most recently third in Saratoga’s Ballston Spa (G2); Argentine Grade 1 winner Gran Mirella, a Horseshoe Indianapolis allowance winner in her last start; stakes winner Way to Be Marie and Colonial allowance winner Ayra Stark.

Mint Millions (G3)

Now 8 years old, Goliad returns from California to seek a repeat in the one-mile Mint Millions. He won both that race and the overnight Tight Spot Handicap six days earlier last year. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Goliad enters the race with two off-the-board finishes, mirroring his form from last year. Of the gelding’s $1.76 million in career earnings, $1.48 million has come at Kentucky Downs.

The horse to beat could be Brilliant Berti, last year’s Gun Runner winner. Brilliant Berti won Churchill Downs’ Wise Dan (G2) in his last start. The 4-year-old’s record is 11: 7-2-0, including four wins and a second in five starts. Meanwhile, Spirit of St Louis has won a pair of Grade 1 stakes—Gulfstream Park’s Pegasus World Cup Turf and Churchill Downs’ Turf Classic—and has earned over $1 million this year. The New York-bred is 11 for 18 overall.

Major Dude is a multiple graded-stakes winner for Todd Pletcher and owner Spendthrift Farm.

Beach Gold won his stakes debut in Ellis Park’s Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile at 22-1. This produced a poignant moment with Andie Biancone, daughter of and assistant to trainer Patrick Biancone, who pulled double duty as a FanDuel TV paddock analyst after saddling the horse, then teamed with jockey and boyfriend Keith Asmussen for the victory.

Steve Asmussen, Keith’s Hall of Fame dad, initially didn’t think he had a horse for the Mint Millions, but that changed when Lagynos won the opening-day Tapit Stakes. Asmussen had great success last year wheeling back Tiztastic to a pair of Kentucky Downs victories in an opening-day allowance and then the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile.

Point Lynas could be the third European horse to win a stakes at the meet, following British-based Wimbledon Hawkeye in the Nashville Derby (G3) and Germany’s Flatten the Curve in the Bowling Green Gold Cup. Point Lynas has five wins but nine seconds in 30 starts. One of those seconds came two races back in Ascot’s Summer Mile (G2).

Group 1-placed Cairo finished fifth in the Arlington Million (G1) in his U.S. debut after racing across Europe and the Mideast. He’s another horse with a propensity for second-place finishes, with three wins and nine seconds in 22 starts.

Maryland-based Air Recruit is 4-for-6 overall, most recently a nose victory in Monmouth Park’s Oceanport. Swift Delivery has won two straight over Woodbine’s synthetic surface, including the Seagram Cup (G3). Grade 2 winner Steal Sunshine was entered back after being scratched from the Tapit on opening day. Epic Ride has run well in his two turf starts, including a second to Beach Gold at Ellis Park. St Anthony is a multiple stakes winner trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale.

Gun Runner Stakes

Giocoso, winner of Colonial Downs’ Secretariat (G2) at the same one-mile distance, could give trainer Keith Desormeaux another stakes victory at the meet. Desormeaux won Saturday’s $2 million Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) with Bear River.

British import New Century should benefit from a cut back in distance after finishing fifth and sixth in the Belmont Derby (G1) and Saratoga Derby (G1), respectively. The Brendan Walsh trainee was a late-running third in Churchill Downs’ American Turf (G1) at 1 1/16 miles. Last year, he won Woodbine’s Summer Stakes (G1) and was a good fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Namaron, a Group 3 winner in his native Germany, will make his first start for California-based trainer John Sadler and owners Hronis Racing, who teamed up to win Kentucky Downs’ Turf Sprint in 2022 with the French import Bran.

Clever Again, a stakes winner on dirt, prepped for the Gun Runner with a second, upon a disqualification, in Saratoga’s Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) on turf. Very fast on dirt, Clever Again rated off the leaders in that grass debut. Also in the field is Tiz Dashing, who set in motion Clever Again becoming the adjudged runner-up after being bumped hard by second-place finisher Luther in the Hall of Fame. The stewards moved up Tiz Dashing from fourth to third.

Rolando makes his turf debut after winning two stakes on dirt. Layabout shoots for a fourth straight win in his first start away from Gulfstream Park. Capitol Hill, a son of Into Mischief, closed to take second in Saratoga’s Manila Stakes (G3). Siesta Key won Colonial Downs’ Kitten’s Joy Stakes.

Music City Stakes (G2)

The 6 1/2-furlong Music City for 3-year-old fillies attracted an overflow field of 15 entries, with 12 able to start. Leading the way is last year’s Untapable winner Kilwin, who won Saratoga’s Test (G1) on dirt as a prep for this Grade 2 turf stakes, and Shisospicy, who beat Kilwin in Churchill Downs’ Mamzelle (G3) but is making her first start since racing at Royal Ascot in England in late June. Jose D’Angelo, trainer of Shisospicy, also entered the stakes-winning Cloe.

Tabiti, trained by Ralph Beckett in England, is 3-for-5 with a third, having won two Group 3 stakes. Frankie Dettori, whose six wins are the most at the meet, has the mount.

Mark Casse entered the duo of Classic Q, who led all the way until the final strides to finish second in Saratoga’s Lake George (G3), and Abientot, who finished third in last year’s Untapable.

Also in the field are Santa Anita’s Señorita (G3) winner Jungle Peace, Saratoga’s Coronation Cup (G2) winner Italian Soiree, Pondering, who beat older fillies and mares to win Ellis Park’s Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint, and last year’s Untapable runner-up Shezafunydrummer.

Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1)

The Franklin-Simpson for 3-year-old turf sprinters last year became Kentucky Downs’ first Grade 1 stakes.

Trainer George Weaver has already won a stakes this meet with a horse campaigned by a sports figure. That was the Rick Pitino co-owned Johnny’s Red Storm taking Sunday’s $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. Now Weaver goes for another with Governor Sam, co-owned by the Bregman Family Racing stable of Red Sox star third baseman Alex Bregman. Governor Sam is named for his dad, who has held many important roles in New Mexico, but not yet as governor.

Governor Sam is 10: 5-1-2, winning three stakes last year before finishing a close third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Two starts back, he won Saratoga’s Quick Call (G3).

The Bill Mott-trained Spiced Up upset Governor Sam to win Saratoga’s Mahony, a Grade 3 turf sprint, off a maiden victory. Also coming in out of the Mahony is fourth-place Innovator, who was turned over to Steve Asmussen after the death of legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The well-traveled Chasing Liberty won last year’s Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint on a disqualification. He subsequently won a pair of mile turf stakes and most recently was third behind Franklin-Simpson winners Troubleshooting and Bridle a Butterfly in Ellis Park’s Dade Park Dash.

Mark Casse entered the duo of Penn Mile (G3) winner Dream On and multiple stakes winner Mi Bago. Dream On set the pace in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at a mile, only to finish fifth by a total of 2 1/4 lengths.

Antisocial came in third in Colonial Downs’ Secretariat. Out On Bail is always in the hunt, even if he tends to finish second more than first. Troubleshooting, Golden Afternoon, and Warheart are stakes winners.

Kentucky Downs Turf Cup Invitational (G2)

Whisper Hill Farm’s defending champion Grand Sonata returns to a track he loves in the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup. Not only did Grand Sonata win last year’s Turf Cup, but he was second in the Nashville Derby, then called the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3), the year before. The 6-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro is rounding into top form since being eased in Saratoga’s Belmont Gold Cup (G3), which came off the turf. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Grand Sonata was second in his last two starts, Monmouth Park’s United Nations (G2) and in Colonial Downs’ Arlington Million (G1) by a half-length.

He’ll get a rematch in the Kentucky Turf Cup with the Shug McGaughey-trained Fort Washington, who has won three of his last four starts at four tracks, the lone defeat being a good fourth in Churchill Downs’ Wise Dan (G2). Fort Washington has raced twice at Kentucky Downs, including second by a head in an allowance race in 2023.

Pletcher also entered Bowling Green (G2) runner-up El Rezeen.

The 6-year-old Tawny Port, seventh in the 2022 Kentucky Derby and the Ohio Derby (G3) winner, has been reinvented into a turf marathoner over the last two years. He has raced only four times in 2025 and ran very well at the Bowling Green Gold Cup’s 2 1/16-mile distance last Saturday behind German-based two-mile specialist Flatten the Curve.

Louisville Stakes (G3) winner Utah Beach is 4-for-8 at 1 1/2 miles, including Keeneland’s Elkhorn (G2). He was fourth in the Sword Dancer (G1) in his last start.

Anglophile carries the banner for Brian Lynch’s barn after stablemate Highway Robber, last year’s Turf Cup runner-up, was sidelined. Anglophile is 3-for-23 in his career, one of those coming two years ago in the Dueling Grounds Derby, but has been a reliable check-earner while achieving millionaire status.

Mercante, the star of Hermitage Farm, farm manager Brian Knippenberg’s tiny racing stable, is stretching out after finishing fourth in the Ellis Park prep race for the Mint Millions. Mercante, out of owner Carl Pollard’s champion filly Caressing, was runner-up in the Turf Classic (G1) and a Grade 3 winner on turf and synthetic.

Corruption hasn’t won a stakes, but he’s 5-for-7 this year, losing Gulfstream Park’s Pan American (G3) by a neck and finishing fourth in the Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga. He most recently won a 1 3/8-mile allowance race at the Spa.

Vote No, who won the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint two years ago, was claimed by trainer Kelsey Danner for $40,000 at Turfway Park in March. He won his first two starts for his new barn, then was fourth in the United Nations and tired to seventh after setting the pace in the Sword Dancer (G1).

Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs’ all-time winningest trainer, will try to make Ole Crazy Bones his latest claim to become a graded-stakes winner. Ole Crazy Bones was claimed for $100,000 two starts ago. He was second by a head in Ellis Park’s prep for the Kentucky Turf Cup in his first start for owner Flying P Stable.

The Final Stretch

As you can see, the Kentucky Downs weekend racecard is packed with opportunities to get in on the action. From the high-flying sprinters on Saturday to the future stars on Sunday, there’s a race for every kind of horseplayer. The unique course and rich purses create a dynamic that you won’t find anywhere else.

Remember to study the Kentucky Downs odds, watch the morning lines, and make your picks with confidence. Our detailed analysis should give you a head start, but the ultimate decision is yours. So sign up today, explore the BUSR racebook, and get ready for a weekend of thrilling racing, big wins, and the world’s best rebates. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the most exciting turf meet in North America. Let’s make some money.

HORSE RACING

October 29, 2025

From The Track: Daily Updates (October 31st)

HORSE RACING

October 15, 2025

Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday, Expert Analysis and Official Odds

HORSE RACING

October 14, 2025

Get Ready for the Breeders’ Cup Future Star Friday, Expert Analysis and Official Odds

HORSE RACING

October 9, 2025

Keeneland Betting Guide: Horse-by-Horse Analysis for the 2025 Franklin Stakes