BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A winner of the H. Allen Jerkens Handicap at 60-1 in December, John Rowe’s Lord Eddard Stark looks for another marathon upset victory Saturday in the $1 million Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational at Kentucky Downs. The 7-year-old Florida-bred gelding trained by Joseph Orseno is 30-1 on the morning line as one of eight 3-year-olds and older entered to go two-and-one-sixteenth miles on the track’s undulating turf course.
Since winning the $108,000 J. Allen Jerkins going two miles on the Gulfstream Park grass, Lord Eddard Stark has failed to hit the board in four starts, all in grass marathon stakes.
Despite the record, he has produced several solid efforts.
He finished seventh in the mile-and-a-half William L. McKnight presented by Visit Lauderdale (G3) on Jan. 25 at Gulfstream but was just two-and-a-quarter lengths behind winner Dashman and was credited with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure. Two races later at the same distance in the $200,000 Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park, he was fifth, less than five lengths behind winner Vote No while producing an 89 Beyer number. He looks to improve off his last start, however when eighth in the mile-and-three-eighths United Nations (G2) won by Redistricting at Monmouth Park on July 19.
Lord Eddard Stark is by He’s Had Enough out of Rough Winter, by Macho Uno and was bred in Florida by Michael John Rowe of Reddick, Fla. Lord Eddard Stark has five wins, four seconds and five thirds with earnings of $247,149.
Lord Eddard Stark will break from post six with Javier Castellano in the irons.
The 5-2 morning line favorite invades from Germany in Flatten the Curve (Fr), winner of the US$29,400 my bed.eu Langer Hamburger going two miles on the turf at Hamburg Racecourse on July 5.
Trained by Henk Grewe for Sauren Eckhard, Flatten the Curve has won three of four starts this year, including the US$28,500 Altano Rennen going a mile-and-three-quarters on the grass and the US$146,300 Comer Group International 54 Oleander Rennen (G2) over two miles on the grass on May 11, both at Hoppergarten Racecourse.
Flatten the Curve returns to the United States after one stateside start on June 6. He was fourth behind winner Parchment Party in the off-the-turf Belmont Gold Cup (G3) run over a mile-and-three-quarters on a sloppy main track at Saratoga on June 6—his only loss this year.
The 6-year-old gelding has a career record of seven wins, nine seconds and four thirds in 40 lifetime races with earnings of $308,938. He is by Zarak (Fr) out of Lailoma (Fr), by Teofilo (Ire) and will be ridden from post seven by Thore Hammer Hansen.
Rounding out the field are Goldeneye with jockey Jose Ortiz, San Siro will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Tawny Port has Joel Rosario taking the riding assignment, Limited Liability will have Frankie Dettori in the saddle, Florent Geroux rides Balladeer and Freedom’s Way will be guided by Luis Saez.
Return to the August 27 issue of Wire to Wire
