LEXINGTON, Ky. – The field for the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Stakes for turf sprinters Saturday at Keeneland includes multimillionaire and multiple Grade 1 winner Khaadem, graded stakes winners Arrest Me Red and Governor Sam, and last year’s runner-up in this race, Charcoal.
But one entrant, Doncho, holds a distinction none other in this field can match – he’s a world record holder.
Doncho, a 4-year-old Mo Town gelding owned by JAL Racing and trained by Michelle Lovell, began his career on dirt and was a stakes winner at Aqueduct. However, he’s now gained national attention for back-to-back turf wins. His breakout effort came Aug. 8 at Ellis Park, when he rolled by 3 3/4 lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance. He stopped the clock in 59.75 seconds, shading the 59.80 seconds for Cogburn in the Grade 1 Jaipur in 2024 at Saratoga. According to Equibase, that is a North American record for the distance on either turf or dirt, while Ellis’s further research deemed it a world record.
Doncho went on to win the Da Hoss Stakes on Sept. 6 at Colonial Downs, providing ideal spacing between his allowance effort and the Woodford. He earned 97 Beyer Figures for both the world-record effort and the Da Hoss.
“I thought it gave him just enough time,” Lovell said. “He’s a sprinter, so it’s hard to hold him on the ground too, too long. Four weeks is about good for him – four to five.”
Doncho again turned in a front-running performance in the Da Hoss, shook clear in the stretch, and held on by a neck to win. Although he will be making his graded stakes debut in the Woodford, he got a good litmus test at Colonial. Runner-up Alogon came back to win Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint last weekend, while eight-time stakes winner Witty finished third.
“Those were some very nice horses that he beat, and it’s good to see them come back and run really well,” Lovell said. “I think Doncho looks good in this race. It’s going to be testing him for his next step forward.”
Doncho will have one fewer foe on the front end in the Woodford, as graded stakes winner World Record is expected to run Friday in the Grade 2 Phoenix. Still, there is plenty of speed in this race.
Governor Sam won the Indian Summer on the lead last year at Keeneland, and he owns a win in this year’s Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga. Multiple stakes winner Joe Shiesty should also be on the engine, while Outlaw Kid set the pace in the Disco Partner last out before finishing third. Keeping them honest near the lead, with his best effort, could be the veteran gelding Arrest Me Red.
“It’s a bunch of very fast horses,” Lovell said. “We’ve got a lot of speed. I think Joe Shiesty is a nice little horse. He’s got a ton of speed and, of course, there’s other ones that will be there too, depending on the break. I’ll leg Jose [Ortiz] up and tell him good luck. Hope he breaks well and puts himself right up there, and they don’t get into a speed duel.”
A contested pace would suit Charcoal, who closed from eighth midway to be second in this race last year, and Khaadem, provided he doesn’t lose touch with the field in the early dash.
The 9-year-old Khaadem has earned more than $2.4 million in a career highlighted by wins in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at Royal Ascot in 2023 and 2024. When he raced in the U.S. for the first time in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint in September 2024 at Kentucky Downs, the gate speed was a problem. He was off slowly and last of 12 early before rallying to finish second to Cogburn in a strong effort.
Trainer Charlie Hills sent him back to Kentucky Downs for the same race this year, and the gelding handled the break better, sitting in sixth in a full field after the opening quarter before ultimately finishing third.
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