ONE of the most lucrative race fixtures in North American history kicked off on Thursday, with the seven-day Kentucky Downs meet boasting a record prize fund of $34 million, funded in part by the on-course casino, the Mint Gaming Hall.
The prize money has attracted three Irish raiders over the weekend, the first of which is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Stromberg in the DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes (1m2f) at 10.16 pm Irish time.
A final field of 12 will contest the $1,953,000 prize fund, with Kentucky-bred horses eligible for a further $1.2million. Dylan Browne McMonagle will make the trip over for Stromberg, rather than contesting the Curragh card of three Group races, which are worth between €55,000 and €65,000.
Twice a winner as a juvenile, Stromberg chased home Chief Little Rock in the Gallinule Stakes in May and finished a staying-on third last time in a Listed race in Deauville. He has some ground to make up on the sole British raider, Bellum Justum, with Andrew Balding’s charge now rated 110 after his narrow defeat to Jan Brueghel in the Gordon Stakes.
They face a formidable home defence in Christophe Clement’s dual Grade 1 winner Carson’s Run, who shares some smart form with Chad Brown’s Belmont Derby runner-up White Palomino.
Cameo Performance, who began his career with Jessica Harrington, represents Brendan Walsh, for whom he won a stakes and finished second at Grade 3 level. Former Ballydoyle inmate Navy Seal bids to get off the mark for Wesley Ward.
Potentially ‘Special’ trip for Foley
Pat Foley has booked Jamie Spencer to ride Special Wan in the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes at 11.24, for which she is the first reserve for a final field of 12.
The daughter of Belardo made an impressive debut at Leopardstown last summer, before placing in two Listed races, and was subsequently purchased privately by Team Valor and Steven Rocco from owner/breeder Kilnamoragh Stud.
She has rewarded her new owners with a game performance in the Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown, where she was beaten just a head by the vastly more experienced Mutasarref, and went on to finish third against her own sex in the Brownstown Stakes.
Should she get into the $1.5million contest, the progressive four-year-old will step up to a mile for the first time on Saturday. Among her potential competition are multiple Graded winners and Grade 1 performers Mission Of Joy (Graham Motion) and Fluffy Socks (Chad Brown).
Forza favoured for million prize
The Michael O’Callaghan-trained Black Forza is expected to be sent off favourite for Sunday’s feature at 11.24pm, the National Thoroughbred League Juvenile Sprint Stakes worth $1 million.
Dylan Browne McMonagle will partner O’Callaghan’s £220,000 breeze-up buy in a field of 11, marking a homecoming for the Kentucky-bred son of Complexity. The winner of a Fairyhouse maiden in July, the Eleanor Kennedy-owned colt went on to land the Group 2 Richmond Stakes over six furlongs, with another 110 yards to conquer at Kentucky Downs.
The only other blacktype performer to line up is the Saffie Joseph-trained Reach For The Rose, second in a stakes on debut, and a maiden winner next time. Impressive newcomer Pharoah’s Dynasty, a Glenvale Stud-bred full-brother to a Grade 3 winner, is another leading contender for Wesley Ward.