Airoforce favored in Spiral Stakes Derby prep at Turfway
All eyes will be on the showdown in Florida on Saturday, but don’t sleep on the Kentucky Derby prep race at Turfway Park in Florence.
Airoforce, a member of the Herald-Leader’s original 2016 Derby Dozen, was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in an overflow field of 12 for Saturday’s 45th running of the Grade 3, $500,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes.
The 1 1/8 -mile race over Turfway’s Polytrack surface is worth 50 points to the winner in the Road to the Derby series for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds
The Spiral Stakes is Turfway’s signature event and highlights a 12-race card Saturday with three stakes. First post is 1:10 p.m. Post time for the Spiral, Race 10, is 5:43 p.m.
The race has been overshadowed by the duel of undefeated contenders Mohaymen and Nyquist set for the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream on Saturday.
However, the arrival of Airoforce, who was supplemented to the Spiral Stakes after not originally being nominated, supplies the Turfway prep with a curiosity.
Airoforce displayed potential in winning the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill last fall but opened his sophomore season with a disappointing 10th-place finish as the favorite in last month’s Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. Trainer Mark Casse was unable to find any obvious explanation for the John Oxley-owned colt’s lack of effort that day and remains hopeful that a return to form could earn him a spot in the Derby. Albin Jimenez, the Turfway meet’s leading jockey with 71 wins, will ride Airoforce for the first time and break from post position 10.
Three-time Spiral-winning trainer Todd Pletcher has the 5-1 second choice in Alto Racing’s Azar, winner of the Grade 2 With Anticipation on turf at Saratoga Race Course last summer and winner of his main track debut in a Gulfstream Park allowance last month.
Three horses are co-third choices at 6-1: Jensen, Kasseopia and Ralis.
Surgical Strike, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway, a prep for the Spiral, is 12-1.
Saturday
Spiral Stakes
What: Kentucky Derby prep race
Where: Turfway Park in Florence
When: 5:43 p.m.
TV: TVG
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Purse: $500,000 (Grade 3)
Spiral Stakes field
1. That Makes Sense 30-1
2. Surgical Strike 12-1
3. Jensen 6-1
4. Don’t Be So Salty 8-1
5. Oscar Nominated 10-1
6. Two Step Time 15-1
7. Strike Up the Band 20-1
8. Kasseopia 6-1
9. Swagger Jagger 20-1
10. Airoforce 3-1
11. Ralis 6-1
12. Azar 5-1
13. Crescent Drive (also eligible)
14. Diplodocus (also eligible)
This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Airoforce favored in Spiral Stakes Derby prep at Turfway."