Baby Talk Info & Intel: Churchill Downs – Race 2 – Thursday, May 15, 2025

The Two-Year-Old fillies shine on center stage in this five furlong affair on the dirt under the Twin Spires. Does Larry Rivelli have another rocket in his pocket? Or does Asmussen, John Hancock, or maybe Papa Casse or Young Casse have the juvey that will score? Or will a different conditioner visit the Winner’s Circle? Let’s dig into the ones that interest me…

#2 Swiftliketaylor (8/1) – This Texas-bred filly is the first of two that Asmussen (26/108, 24.1%) will saddle. She’s by Cinco Charlie out of a dam that won first out at Retama Park by My Golden Song. Mama has thrown three other foals of racing age, including one that won in their second start at age two in a stakes event at Lone Star. Today’s runner failed to bring the reserve price of $37,000 as a weanling, but did get a bid of $80,000 as a yearling. She’s breezed five times (17 furlongs), with her first four coming in Lexington at Keeneland and her most recent was here at Churchill. Steve’s son Eric will manage the reins.

#3 Color Comin’ In (9/2) – Spendthrift Farm’s debut sire, Rock Your World, is the proud papa of this filly. Her mama is by Dixie Union and she scored in her second start as a 2YO at Monmouth. She has produced six other foals of racing age, but none were winners as babies. After bringing a mere $11,000 as a yearling (62/92), today’s gal then sold for $100K as a two-year-old, earlier this year (5/27). Trainer Norm Casse (6/17, 35.3%) has only sent her out for four drills, and they’ve all been on the Churchill oval and have covered a total of 15 furlongs. Luis Saez will be her guide.

#4 Shez Twisted (5/2) – Not surprisingly, the morning line favorite comes out of the Larry Rivelli barn. This filly is by Twirling Candy (18.2%) and is out of a Freedom Child mare who was nine for 25 on the racetrack, including a first out win as a juvenile in a stakes race at Laurel Park. All told, she banked over $400K and has only one other foal of racing age. $145K was the winning bid on today’s filly last year when she was a yearling (34/86), but this past March down at OBS, she brought a substantial $410K as a 2YO (3/23). Just like the other monsters that Rivelli has unleashed this spring here at CD, this gal has been working up in Chicago at Hawthorne Park. Her first four works were at three panels and her two most recent covered a half mile. Last work, on 5/4/25, she went in 47.4 seconds (4/36) from the gate and three back, on 4/20/25, she scored a bullet going 3f in 34.6 seconds again from the gate (1/11). Loveberry is tapped again to ride.

#5 Rather Late (8/1) – This filly is John A. Hancock’s (2/15, 13.3%) charge, who was sired by Volatile (20/103, 19.4%) and comes from a Malibu Moon filly who was three for ten on the track with $87,000 in purse money. She has four other foals of racing age, with one having scored at age two in a Maiden Claimer at Laurel in their third effort. $27,000 was the final price in 2023 when today’s runner was a yearling (45/67). To prep for her first start today, Hancock put four works into her, all of them coming at Keeneland. Her last was a rare 5/8^th of a mile drill, which she started in the gate and stopped the timer at 1:01.4 (10/31). Her most eye-catching spin, however, was on 4/19/25 when she dazzeled in 47.00 seconds flat for a half mile from the gate, earning her a huge bullet (1/99). Gerrardo Corrales will get the leg up.

#6 Americathegreat (3/1) – We are excited to see this Curlin (15.0%) filly who brought the hammer down at $1.2 million last year when she was a yearling (5/58). Mama was a Grade 3 stakes winner and earned over $1/2 million going five for 22, including a victory in her second start as a juvenile at Belmont Park. In the breeding shed, she’s four other foals of racing age and one of those, a full sibling, won twice at the G3 level and banked $662K, going five for 22. This pricey baby will head to the track for the first time in the afternoon after six morning workouts for Mark Casse (10.9%). The first two came at Casse’s Training Center in March (one at three panels and one at four, both completed in 12 seconds per furlong), and her most recent four breezes were here under the Twin Spires, including two at a half mile and her second back covered 5/8^th of a mile. Jose Ortiz will be in the saddle.

#7 Mi Amigo (5/1) – Exciting First-Crop Sire, Yaupon (Spendthrift Farm), who has one winner from one starter, sends out this filly from an unraced, PA-bred mare by Will Take Charge; this is her first foal. Today’s filly brought a winning offer of $320K as a yearling last year (12/129). This is Asmussen’s (24.1%) second starter in this event, and she only has one official work on her tab. That being a three panel effort at Keeneland on 4/2/25 done in 37 seconds flat (9/21).

My Pick – Lots to pick from in this exciting event, but my pick is #5 Rather Late. Volatile is an excellent second-year sire, and I like that she has a half that won as a baby, even though it was a MCL race. Hancock is solid with the juveys and I like her work her worktab. Let’s give her a shot to upset at 8/1.