2023 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Preview | Aspenite Returns Following Narrow Loss

Aspenite, who narrowly lost the $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sales allowance race on opening day of the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs, runs back 11 days later in Sunday’s $500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile.

Owned by Kentucky Downs co-managing partner Ron Winchell, Aspenite set the pace before settling to fourth in his debut at Saratoga in a mile maiden race that came off the turf.

He set the pace again in the Kentucky Downs allowance race, leading by three lengths at the eighth-pole before finishing second by a half-length to Coin Miner.

Cristian Torres picks up the mount for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Saffie Joseph sends out Ken Ramsey’s Billy the Greek, who boasts a nose win at Saratoga in a maiden race and a fourth in the Skidmore, both races taken off the turf.

Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard.

Others in the full field of 12 include maiden winners from a variety of tracks:

• Sambalover (at Horseshoe Indy)
• Tough Little Nut (Hawthorne)
• Legal Titan (Ellis Park)
• Rose Collector (Monmouth Park)
• Value Engineer (Horseshoe Indy)
• Blue Eyed George (Ellis)
• Good Bali (Ellis)
• Mozlzil (Ellis)
• Baytown Parfait (in a $50,000 maiden-claiming race at Ellis Park)

Gamblin George, fifth in his only start at Colonial Downs, completes the field.