Another competitive field assembles at Kentucky Downs for the $2,500,000 Grade II Kentucky Turf Cup over a mile-and-a-half as the turf meet continues at the Franklin, KY racetrack on Saturday, September 6. Among 11 runners in this edition are three of last season’s first five past the wire.
Joining Grand Sonata, who mounts a defense of this valuable crown, Tawny Port and Anglophile is Manhattan Stakes fourth Corruption and a couple of horses that just missed the show in Saratoga’s Sword Dancer Stakes in Utah Beach and El Rezeen. Other leading contenders chasing the big bucks on offer are Arlington Million winner Fort Washington and Old Forester Bourbon Turf second Mercante.
Considering the Kentucky Turf Cup only holds Grade II status, it’s a stellar line-up but money talks. Plenty in the field spent their summers on the East Coast either running at the Spa or Monmouth Park in New Jersey. There is earlier form for handicappers and bettors to consider from the spring and other tracks in the Bluegrass State, however.
With fall on its way, the winner here could end up crossing America to California for the even more valuable Breeders’ Cup Turf at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on November 1. The task for Fort Washington, Grand Sonata and Utah Beach is more difficult as each of those three carries 2lb penalties for prior success in this grade or at a higher level.
That extra weight isn’t thought to be a problem, if Morning Line prices and oddsmakers from Belmont Stakes betting sites have the market forecast right, however. All of those penalised runners feature prominently and should be bang in contention on the pick of their form. Every leading contender is worth a closer look here, though…
Arlington Million Rematch for Fort Washington, Grand Sonata
Returning to Franklin was an obvious target this season for connections of Grand Sonata. One of two runners in the Kentucky Turf Cup for the Todd Pletcher barn, this six-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro hasn’t won a race since. Grand Sonata jumps from the middle of the draw in Gate 6 here when last season he had the outside post in Gate 9.
Three placed efforts this year suggest he retains his ability, though. Grand Sonata confirmed the form from 12 months ago with Tawny Port in the Grade II United Nations Stakes over 2,200m at Monmouth Park. He then got chinned approaching the wire around Colonial Downs dropped back in distance for the Arlington Million.
Grand Sonata again meets Fort Washington in the Kentucky Turf Cup off level weights. Going up to a mile-and-a-half asks a new question of Shug McGaughey’s six-year-old by War Front. It’s a step into the unknown with his stamina, but Fort Washington shaped like further might suit him both in the Arlington Million and when fifth in the Pegasus World Cup over the winter.
Those who study pedigrees will feel encouraged by the distaff side. Fort Washington’s damsire, Turtle Bowl, has produced jumpers in Europe including Prix la Barka winner Bapaume. Grand Sonata doesn’t have to demonstrate his staying power, however, does trail in their head-to-head. The tale of the tape reads 4-2 in favor of Fort Washington.
On that basis, Grand Sonata being a narrow Morning Line favorite doesn’t make a lot of sense. Fort Washington has the outside draw from Gate 11 this time and ran on well in the Arlington Million for a half-length victory over his old rival. It could be more of the same here.
Mercante Tests Stamina in Kentucky Turf Cup
The Bluegrass State has plenty of big name trainers operating in the Commonwealth, but Goshen, KY handler Brian Knippenberg sends Mercante 150 miles south from his Hermitage Farm barn in Oldham County to Kentucky Downs. Much like Fort Washington, the longer distance is something the five-year-old Gun Runner gelding has never experienced before.
Mercante runs over three furlongs further than he ever has prior to now. Either side of his gallant second in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby card, he won a couple of Grade IIIs this spring. Those successes came over 1,800m and 1,700m, though, and the Kentucky Turf Cup is 2,400m.
There’s an even bigger stamina question mark than Fort Washington, yet Mercante sits third in the Morning Line odds. Next are Corruption and Utah Beach. The former represents Mark Casse and got within a length of Far Bridge, a measuring stick for mile-and-half turf horses in America, in the Pan American Stakes around Gulfstream Park.
Prior to that, the winner landed last season’s Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Far Bridge has since added a couple of Grade II events over 2,200m to his resume that also includes the 2023 Belmont Derby. Corruption couldn’t go the pace in the Manhattan, so stepping him back up in distance for the Kentucky Turf Cup makes a lot of sense.
Utah Beach, meanwhile, was at his best in the spring. Ignacio Correas’ five-year-old son of English Channel landed the Grade II Elkhorn Stakes over this distance around Keeneland, then defied a penalty in the Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs. He could only manage fourth in the Sword Dancer, but represents the best of that form here, but did cross the wire ahead of the re-opposing El Rezeen and Far Bridge.
Anglophile, El Rezeen, Tawny Port All Out to Improve
Three others in the Kentucky Turf Cup have Morning Line prices of 10-1 or shorter. Anglophile has some five lengths to find with Grand Sonata on last season’s edition, but made the show in a couple of Grade II contests this spring. Brian Lynch’s five-year-old by English Channel turned that form about when closing deep from the rear into third in the Elkhorn.
Anglophile then chased home Far Bridge in the Man o’ War Stakes at Aqueduct. Two subsequent efforts in Listed company haven’t been son encouraging, but stepping back up to a mile-and-a-half should see him in a better light. Plenty suggests Grand Sonata should have the beating of him, off 2lb better terms than 12 months ago.
El Rezeen, meanwhile, disappointed a little last time out after only coming fifth in the Sword Dancer. He finished behind Utah Beach at Saratoga, but has encouraging back form. Pletcher’s four-year-old English Channel colt showed in the Jockey Club Derby in the fall when beaten a length by Carson’s Run and Manhattan hero Deterministic split the pair.
A reproduction of that effort in the Kentucky Turf Cup should see El Rezeen, who placed behind Far Bridge in the Grade II Bowling Green around the Spa prior to the Sword Dancer, be competitive here. As one of the younger horses in the line-up, he isn’t fully exposed yet. Tawny Port made the show in this last season, but hasn’t matched that form since.
Miguel Clement stepped his six-year-old son of Pioneerof The Nile up to the Gold Cup distance of 3,200m here just last Saturday. Tawny Port chased home German raider Flatten The Curve, but needs a revival dropping back half-a-mile. The remaining runners Divin Propos, Sword Dancer seventh Vote No and Ole Crazy Bone are longshots with good reason.
Kentucky Turf Cup 2025 Post Positions & Morning Line Odds
- Divin Propos (122lbs) – 20-1
- El Rezeen (122lbs) – 8-1
- Tawny Port (122lbs) – 10-1
- Vote No (122lbs) – 30-1
- Mercante (122lbs) – 5-1
- Grand Sonata (124lbs) 4-1 fav
- Utah Beach (124lbs) – 6-1
- Ole Crazy Bone (122lbs) – 15-1
- Anglophile (122lbs) – 8-1
- Corruption (122lbs) – 6-1
- Fort Washington (124lbs) – 9-2
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
A tricky little race and highly competitive, as it should be for the money. Fort Washington must prove he stays a mile-and-a-half, but picked up old rival and last year’s winner Grand Sonata in the Arlington Million at the business end of the race at Colonial Downs. He could well follow-up for Shug McGaughey.
Cases can be made for plenty of others making the show, but Kentucky-based horse Mercante steps up even further in distance and there may be no hiding place stamina wise. The most solid options are Utah Beach and Corruption, but further progress from El Rezeen can’t be ruled out. Anglophile needs improvement, based on last year’s fifth finish.
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