Lane's End Stakes Day at Turfway

Grade 3 winner TURF WAR (Dixie Union), stakes victors HALO NAJIB (Halo's Image) and CANNONBALL (Catienus), and the returning RACECAR RHAPSODY (Tale of the Cat) are among the top draws in Saturday's $500,000 Lane's End S. (G2) at Turfway Park. Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runner-up Hard Spun captured last year's running over the Polytrack, and 12 sophomores will square off in Saturday's 37th running of the 1 1/8-mile event.

Turf War, a full brother to Grade 3 winner and Travers (G1) runner-up Grasshopper, has secured a spot in the 2008 Kentucky Derby by virtue of his dead-heat score in December's Delta Jackpot S. (G3), which netted him $400,000 in graded earnings, but the Mark Casse-trained colt still has something to prove to his connections following a disappointing ninth in his seasonal debut, the February 18 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. Turf War never got untracked following a bad start that afternoon, but he's trained forwardly since then over the synthetic surface in Ocala, Florida, and is a stakes winner on Polytrack, capturing the Swynford S. at Woodbine last September. Patrick Husbands, who was aboard for the Swynford, will regain the mount aboard the dark bay colt.

Halo Najib garnered the O.B.S. Championship S. two starts back on February 11, and the Grade 2-placed chestnut exits a sixth in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Dale Romans, Halo Najib broke his maiden over Keeneland's Polytrack and recorded a good second to Court Vision (Gulch) in the Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs last fall. Kent Desormeaux will guide him.

Cannonball, an accomplished turf performer, will make his first start on Polytrack Saturday. Winner of the grassy King Cugat S. at Belmont Park during the fall, the Wesley Ward runner finished a commendable third in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf next out. He opened his sophomore campaign with a third to Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway) in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) and will enter the Lane's End off a third in the Hallandale Beach S. at Gulfstream. Cannonball will receive a new rider in Alex Solis.

Racecar Rhapsody broke his maiden at Keeneland last October and then recorded a fast-finishing third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill. Last seen checking in fourth in the Delta Jackpot, the Kenny McPeek pupil has been working steadily since mid-February for his return to the races. Robby Albarado, who has been up for all four career outings, will once again be in the saddle.

ADRIANO (A.P. Indy), a smart 6 3/4-length allowance winner two starts back at Gulfstream for Graham Motion, is also entered. Ninth most recently in the Fountain of Youth, Adriano did flash potential over the Polytrack when fourth in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland last fall. CHITOZ (Forest Wildcat) has run well at Turfway previously, finishing second in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile last September, and the Todd Pletcher-trained colt will return to the Polytrack following a couple of efforts on the turf. Recent allowance winner MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) also merits consideration for trainer Dallas Stewart.

The complete line-up, in post position order, is DUKE OF DE BUQE (Dixie Union), Julien Leparoux; Macho Again, Miguel Mena; Chitoz, Rene Douglas; RICH YOUNG RULER (Victory Gallop), Thomas Pompell; Adriano, Edgar Prado; Racecar Rhapsody; HALO'S KING (Halo's Image), Jesus Castanon; Halo Najib; Cannonball; EL ALEMAN (Point Given), Orlando Mojica; Turf War; and MEDJOOL (Monarchos), Michael Baze.

All runners will carry 121 pounds.

Three-year-olds will also be featured in a couple of stakes on the undercard. The $100,000 Rushaway S. has attracted a field of nine, including W.E.B.N. S. winner BIG GLEN (Cactus Ridge). The Frank Brothers-trained colt exits a fourth in the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway. The unbeaten MINER'S CLAIM (Mineshaft) will make his stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Rushaway. Conditioned by Casse, the twice-raced colt is out of Grade 2 winner Sapphire N' Silk, making him a full brother to Shaniko, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) at Turfway. Miner's Claim will make his first start since winning an allowance at Woodbine in November.

Turfway Prevue S. winner U. S. CAVALRY (Officer) tops a field of seven sophomores in the six-furlong Hansel S. earlier on the program.