By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune Contributor
Saturday is Turfway Park’s day to shine on the national stage.
The $550,000, Grade 3 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes, the Florence, Kentucky, racetrack’s Kentucky Derby prep race highlights the card. The winner of the 44th running of Turfway’s signature race is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.
A full field of 12 three-year-old colts is expected to go postward in the 1 1/8 mile test on the polytrack oval. The post position draw took place Wednesday in the Diamond Lounge at the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati.
Track announcer Mike Battaglia, who has called all but the first Spiral Stakes, said this year’s field is evenly matched and very deep.
“Top to bottom, even the longshots have a chance and there is a lot of early speed in here,” said Battaglia, who is also an analyst for NBC Sports.
Royal Son, who won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, named in honor of the track announcer’s father, was installed as the 7/2 favorite. West Coast invader Metaboss won the El Camino Real Derby, a Grade 3 race at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California, and is something of a buzz horse among Kentucky Derby watchers. Metaboss is the second choice on the morning line at 4-1.
“Royal Son ran huge to win my dad’s race, but the track that day was speed-favoring, so I think you kind of have to watch the track,” Battaglia said. “Metaboss has been unbelievable. His last two races were at the 1 1/8 distance, the same as the Spiral, so he’s proven at the distance and I think he’ll be flying at the end.”
Chip Bach, Turfway Park general manager, said there is a lot of local interest in the race again this year.
“The tent sold out a week-and-a-half before the race and it seats 1,800, and the weather is expected to cooperate, so we expect a great crowd,” Bach said. “The first 1,000 folks in are going to get a ball cap, so we are trying to really drive that experience for the casual gambler, the apron fan, as well. There will be something for everyone.”
This year also marked the return of the Charity Night at the Tables, an event scheduled one week before the Spiral Stakes to benefit local charities.
The Monte Carlo-style faux gaming event allowed participating charities an opportunity to back horses in the Spiral Stakes. Players designated their “winnings” at roulette, poker, blackjack and other casino games, to one of the participating charities. The charity with the most in chips at the end of the night got first choice of horses running in the Spiral Stakes at the draw.
“It really signifies the beginning of Spiral Week and creates a lot of enthusiasm for the event,” Bach said. “For the last couple of years, the Spiral just didn’t seem the same without it.”
The charity that selects the winning horse (or the horse that comes closest to winning) receives $5,000, with the charity whose horse finishes second and third receiving $3,500 and $1,500 respectively. Each of the remaining charities will receive $1,000.
The event allows fans with a favorite charity to have an additional rooting interest in the race.
Not surprisingly, the charities with the most chips chose the top horses in the field, led by chip leader New Perceptions, which chose Royal Son and Parrish Kitchen, which selected Metaboss.
Other selections included Steinford Toy Foundation (Imperia), Senior Services of Northern Kentucky (Conquest Typhoon), Boone County CASA (Another Lemon Drop), Northern Kentucky Education Council (Dubai Sky) and Holly Hill Children’s Home (Wireless Future).
The Spiral Stakes traditionally draws top trainers, jockeys and owners from all over the country and this year is no exception.
The household names in racing at this year’s event include trainers Todd Pletcher (Royal Son), Bill Mott (Dubai Sky) and Mike Maker, with three entries. Hall-of-fame jockey Mike Smith comes in from Santa Anita to ride Conquest Typhoon and is joined by other top-tier riders, including Joel Rosario (Imperia) and Alex Solis (Metaboss).
WinStar Farms, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and Godolphin Racing head the list of owners saddling horses for the Spiral Stakes.
Florence Mayor Diane Whalen said the Spiral Stakes provides a great opportunity to showcase the racing industry and the city of Florence.
“Hopefully everybody comes out and recognizes and appreciates Turfway Park for what it’s there for, and that’s to bring great horse racing to Northern Kentucky,” Whalen said.
Also on Saturday’s card is the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks, a one mile race for three-year-old fillies that is a prep for the Kentucky Oaks.
Sharla Rae, another West Coast invader, trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Drayden Van Dyke was installed as the 5/2 morning line favorite in the Bourbonette.
First post time for Saturday’s 12-race card is 1:10 p.m. Race 11 is the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes, which is scheduled to go off at 6:28 p.m.