Castleton Lyons Laureate Conductor tops the $250,000 Grade III Kent Stakes (including $50,000 from Breeders’ Cup fund) to be run at Delaware Park this Saturday. The mile and one eighth turf test for 3-year-olds has attracted a field of seven.
In his most recent outing, Laureate Conductor ran third in the mile and one quarter $400,000 Secretariat Stakes on the Arlington Park turf course on August 8. Previously, the son Bernstein won the mile and one eighth $65,000 Choice Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 5. On June 13, the Kentucky-bred trained by Christophe Clement scored his maiden victory going a mile and a sixteenth on the Belmont Park turf. He sports a career record of two wins, two seconds and a third from six starts with earnings of $121,750.
Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable’s Al Khali rates as the second choice in the Kent Stakes. In his last race, the son of Medaglia d’Oro ran third in the mile and one eighth $150,000 Grade II Hall of Fame Stakes on the Saratoga grass on August 14. Previously, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by Bill Mott ran second in the mile and a sixteenth $65,000 A Gift Stakes on the Belmont Park lawn on July 19. He has a lifetime record of three wins, two seconds and a third from nine starts with earnings of $76,524.
Fox Hill Farm’s Dr. Large may be peaking at the right time. Since switching to the turf, the son A.P. Indy has posted a record of two wins and a second from three starts including a victory in his most recent outing, the one mile $75,000 Capitol City Stakes over the Penn National lawn on August 1. The Kentucky-bred trained by J. Larry Jones has a lifetime record of four wins, a second and three thirds from ten starts with earnings of $147,732.
“He has taken to the turf well,” said trainer J. Larry Jones. “He has done well with it. He seems to be a horse that is on the improve. I mean do not get me wrong, the Kent is a big task for him. He is going to be looking at horses in this spot that he has not had to face yet. But he did beat Flying Private on the dirt down at Oaklawn. Flying Private ran well in the Preakness, so it is not like he has not faced quality horses. Hopefully, he is still improving and A.P. Indy’s seem to get a little better with age. We are just going to keep our fingers crossed and hope we are good enough to get the job done.”
Colonel Rutledge ran himself into the Kent Stakes by posting an impressive front running victory in his most recent start. On August 9, the son of Orientate notched a 3 ¾-length in a mile and one sixteenth turf allowance at Laurel Park. Previously, the Kentucky-bred trained by H. Graham Motion ran third in mile and seventy yard $100,000 Tall Ships Stakes at Presque Isle on June 20. He is unbeaten in a pair of outings on the grass and has a career record of three wins, a second and a third from six starts with earnings of $99,325.
“Right after his last race, this race came to mind,” said trainer H. Graham Motion. “He is really doing well and I think this is a great opportunity for him. To be honest, it is hard to knock what this horse has done. He is a very consistent horse and it was great to get him in a nice spot last time where he really got a confidence builder.”