Coach Wesley Ward says two-time winner group 1 Campanelle Will race next in Kentucky Downs‘Mint Ladies Sprint (G3T), a move that will trigger an increase in purses for the race on September 10.
The Kentucky Downs announced earlier this summer that if a 1st place/group winner competes in the Women’s Sprint, $750,000 Ladies Turf (G3T) or $600,000 Franklin-Simpson (G2T), the amount will go up. $1 million for registered Kentucky crosses.
Owned by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables, Campanelle won last year’s Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in England and at the age of 2 caught Deauville’s Darley Prix Morny (G1) in France.
Because she was born in Ireland, Campanelle is not eligible for the Kentucky Purebred Development Fund improvements, which make up a portion of the total. However, she helps her cause by raising the base amount that all horses will run from $300,000 to $550,000. That’s still the highest of any sprint in the US outside of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), as announced by the Kentucky Downs.
The KTDF component increases from $300,000 to $450,000 in the Women’s Sprint if the 1st place winner competes.
“Where else can you go and race for $550,000?” Ward said. “It’s just that you don’t race to make a million until you look around and see we’re still running for the most money outside of the Breeders’ Cup. Barbara Banke is always looking for ways to help the industry. Well, she helps the other owners in the race by increasing their wallets.
“After more than half of the race starting in Europe, Campanelle will feel right at home running through the course of the Kentucky Downs.”
Based in Keeneland with Ward’s main stable, the 4-year-old has won 5 of his 9 career starts, with two-thirds of a start, while also earning $725,280.
Campanelle was about to have a narrow defeat against the men in Platinum Jubilee Stakes (G1) at six rounds on June 18, finishing third for a total of three-quarters of a length in field 24 at Royal Ascot. In her only other start this year, Campanelle won a $200,000 stake in Keeneland’s Giants Causeway in April.
“We’re serious about raising our stakes to 1st place,” said Ted Nicholson, vice president of racing at the Kentucky Downs. wins grade level and group 1″. “The Campanelle was exactly the kind of horse we wanted to attract when we offered to raise our purse to $1 million for three shares. Barbara Banke and Wesley are both strong supporters of the Kentucky Downs racing program and they I’m honored that they brought Campanelle our way.
“Now, we just need to get the 1st place winners in Ladies Turf and Franklin-Simpson. We want nothing more than to have five $1 million races on September 10.”
It’s a FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs’ marquee card, which includes a $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup and a $1 million FanDuel Turf Sprint. Both levels 2 are the “Win and You’re In” Series Challenge races for the respective Breeders’ Cup events on November 5 at Keeneland.
Coach Al Stall said that the Ladies Turf runner-up in 2021 Dalika who in her last start became a level 1 winner in Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downsunder consideration for Ladies Turf.
The Kentucky Downs are able to offer incentives on their pocket because of agreements with its horsemen’s association, the Kentucky Riders’ Protection and Benevolence Association, as well as with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which is the body. must approve the KTDF’s allocations proposed by its advisory committee.
The Kentucky wallet is backed by historical horse racing revenue.
This press release has been edited for content and style by the BloodHorse Staff.
