The Inside Post

CD: additional Sun. changes

A few more changes to the 11-race Sunday finale, adding to what we've already posted . . .

Race 1 - O.Rossi rides #7 Keen Case

Race 5 - SCR #4 Graceful Pegasus

Race 8 - SCR #1 Dapper Zapper

CD: Sun. scratches

The curtain comes down on the 42-day meet today, but not before we get to see a Derby winner in action: Mine That Bird goes as the 3-1 ML fave in the G2 Firecracker H. (race 10). Then it's off to beautiful ElP on Saturday. . . .

Kind of hot (high about 90), some humidity, fast track, firm turf (on the hedge). Mandatory jackpot payouts in the $2 pick 6 (races 6-11, carryover $7,208) and the $1 super high five (no carry). First post 12:45 ET. Here follow the early changes for the 11-race finale:

Race 2 - SCR #3 Izzy Ali; SCR #6 Sir Mott

Race 3 - S.Bridgmohan rides #1 (p.o.e.) Don't Tell Kitten

Race 6 - SCR #12 Kuhlu; SCR #13 Congo Carah; SCR #14 Bella Couture; SCR #15 Flying Vision

Race 8 - SCR #13 Tonto Fontenot

Race 9 - SCR #8 Mr. Bristol; SCR #13 Prize Master

Race 10 - SCR #6 Tybalt; note that #15 Baryshnikov will run

CD: 3 super high 5 winners, $73k each

The last-race super high five pool was taken down today, with each of three winning $1 tickets paying $73,599 each. After a carryover of some $74k into the day, another $182,976 was bet into it.

The G3 stakes today went to Danzon (the Locust Grove by an inch in a 5-horse photo) and Kantharos (the Bashford Manor by a mile over 5 other 2yos).

We close the 42-day meet tomorrow with mandatory payouts in the pick 6 and super high five, and of course, the 4-year-old (and grass) debut of '09 Derby winner Mine That Bird in the closing-day feature, the G2 Firecracker Handicap. First post is 12:45 ET. See you then.

CD: additional Sat. changes

Here are some additional changes to what we've already posted for the 11-race Sat. card at CD:

Race 2 - O.Mojica rides #16 Super Van

Race 3 - C.Nakatani rides #1 Hayley Go Blue

Race 5 - SCR #3 Simply Seattle

Race 7 - A.Tamburello rides #10 Smokin Fast

Race 11 - SCR #1A (ae) Rendition (MTO); SCR #13 (ae) Saudi Princess (MTO); SCR #14 (ae) English Girl; SCR #15 (ae) Jewelry; SCR #16 (ae) Dyani; SCR #17 (ae) Kathern's Kitten

CD: Sat. scratches; $74k super hi 5 carry

CD capped a terrific first season of night racing under the permanent lights when 32,481 turned out under ideal weather Friday night. Kiddari ($17), with S.Bridgmohan up for B.Mott, won the featured $63,560 Roxelana for fillies and mares.

There was one winner in the $2 pick 6 last night, with the payoff being $43,550. No such luck for anybody in the $1 super high five, leading to a carryover of $74,458 for today (race 11).

Meanwhile, D.Wayne Lukas has confirmed that '09 Derby winner Mine That Bird will indeed start tomorrow in the G2 Firecracker, saying that, win or lose, he just really wants to get a race into the gelding leading into the Aug. 7 Whitney at Sar. . . . sounds like a pretty good bet-against opportunity, seeing that MTB is the 3-1 ML fave in a wide-open field of 14.

Today we've got a pair of G3 stakes in the Locust Grove (race 9) and the Bashford Manor (race 10), with the Firecracker helping to close out the 42-day meet tomorrow. Ellis Park starts next Saturday.

Fast track and a firm turf with the hedge serving as the inner rail. First post 12:45 ET. Here are the early changes on the Sat. program. . . . good luck.

Race 1 - SCR #4 Holy Roman Empire

Race 2 - SCR #4 Incredibly Gifted; SCR #13 (ae) Plan Ahead; SCR #14 (ae) Hour Ten; SCR #15 (ae) Dead Serious; note that #16 Super Van will run

Race 3 - SCR #2 Panthere Tigre

Race 5 - SCR #11 Ten Lil Indians

Race 6 - SCR #2 Igotitigotitigotit

Race 7 - SCR #13 (ae) Storm in the Lake; SCR #14 (ae) Ratitat; SCR #15 (ae) Keen Case; SCR #16 (ae) Jenna's Lemon

Race 8 - SCR #9 Toy Indian

Race 9 - SCR #12 Go Ask Alex

CD: early Fri. changes

The last of the 4 nite programs will be run tonight beginning at 6 ET, and in contrast to the first 3 (especially the first 2, when it was BRUTALLY hot), weather conditions hardly could be any better than they'll be tonight, with temps in the mid-70s and low humidity . . . niiiiice.

Longshots on the Thurs. card left us with carryovers of $18,844 in the $2 pick six (races 6-11) and $34,824 in the $1 super high five (race 11) . . . not bad.

Looking a little ahead, we've got the G3 Locust Grove and G3 Bashford Manor here tomorrow, and then the G2 Firecracker with '09 Derby winner Mine That Bird helping to close out the 42-day meet on Sunday.

Fast track, firm turf with the hedge as the inner rail . . . here follow the early changes on the 11-race card. Good luck.

Race 1 - SCR #6 Variant

Race 2 - SCR #3 Automatic

Race 5 - SCR #8 Lil Dancer

Race 6 - J.Theriot rides #4 Pathoki

Race 7 - O.Rossi rides #1 Honey C

Race 9 - SCR #7 Flirty Girty; SCR #9 Silver La Belle (M.T.O.)

Race 10 - SCR #8 Tar Heel Girl

Race 11 - SCR #5 Boynamedtomi; SCR #14 (ae) Captain Stone; SCR #15 (ae) Empire Shoes; note that #13 (ae) Jaguar Paw will run; J.Leparoux rides #7 Corridore; C.Nakatani rides #8 Doc Garrity

CD: $141 last-race winner; Fri. carryovers

Exhilarating ($141.40) blew up the CD toteboard with a clear-cut score vs. 11 other MSW fillies in the last race, leading to carryovers of $34,824 in the super high five and $18,844 in the pick six when racing resumes here tomorrow night at 6 ET.

Exhilarating shouldn't have been that hard to find, if you were willing to excuse her poor first out. She's owned by the Bob and Beverly Lewis trust, trained by Wally Dollase, and was ridden by C.Lanerie, who's had a terrific meet. Her victory at 69-1 triggered a $2 super that paid $28k and a $2 pick 4 that came back more than $35k.

Along with Beautician getting beat in race 7 at 3-5 by Absinthe Minded (9-1), the pick six was an easy carry.

CD: Pleasant Prince scratched

In the only late change of note on the 9-race Thurs. program, Pleasant Prince (#1, p.o.e., Race 8) has been scratched. Pleasant Prince was scheduled to make his turf debut in the first-level allowance, but no go. Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Wesley Ward, Pleasant Prince was beaten a nose in the Fla Derby in March and most recently finished 11th of 12 in the Preakness. No word yet on where the colt will turn up next, but we'd venture the guess that it'll be in a 1x alw at Bel or Mth.

CD: Thurs. scratches

After several weeks of incredibly hot weather, it couldn't be nicer than it is now, with high temps expected in the low 80s today and low humidity . . . perfect.

HOF trainer DWLukas was pretty disappointed that only 2 others entered against his newest star, '09 Derby winner Mine That Bird, in an alw race scheduled for Sat., leading to the race not filling. Seems very doubtful to me that Lukas would run MTB in the Firecracker on the grass on closing day, Sunday, so it'll be interesting to see if DWL really will run him off a 9-month layoff in the Aug. 7 Whitney at Sar. My guess is that with DWL heading to Sar on July 12, he'll be looking real hard for a prep either at Bel or Mth sometime soon . . . just a guess.

We've got 3 graded stakes to end the 42-day meet: the Locust Grove and Bashford Manor on Sat., and the Firecracker on Sunday. Also,  the 4th and last Fri. nite of the meet is tomorrow with a cowboy/barbecue theme.

A reminder that '09 Eclipse Award winning jockey J.Leparoux returns from a 6-week layoff today. Welcome back, mon homme.

Today we'll have a fast track, firm turf with inner rail out 15 feet. . . . carryovers of about $10k in the $2 pick 6 (races 4-9) and $11k in the super high 5 (race 9). Here follow the early changes:

Race 2 - SCR #1 This Smoke Did It

Race 3 - SCR #3 Starlite Starbrite

Race 4 - SCR #1 Peace and Joy

Race 6 - SCR #7 Nowhere to Hide; SCR #11 Canadian Wish (M.T.O.); note that #1A Motion Play will run

Race 8 - SCR #10 Dabossman (M.T.O.)

Race 9 - SCR #13 Vintucky; SCR #14 Silver Clan; SCR #15 She's That Good

CD: Sun. scratches

One more sweltering day here, with temps to reach into the mid-90s . . . with few exceptions, it's just been a BRUTAL last few weeks here weather-wise. After today, we've got one more 4-day stretch (July 1-4) to close CD before racing on the Ky. circuit resumes July 10 at ElP, where it's ALWAYS  hot.

Fast track, firm turf, on the hedge. First of 10 goes at the usual 12:45 ET. A handful of early changes to report. . .

Race 1 - SCR #9 Who Gets Me

Race 2 - SCR #7 Wrigley Ivy

Race 3 - SCR #3 Gold Bells Spin

Race 5 - SCR #2 Alabama Man

Race 6 - SCR #8 - Like Mama Like Mia

Race 7 - SCR #1 (p.o.e.) Intercoastal

Race 10 - SCR #9 - Derbyville Special; SCR #12 Bell Buckle