(Friday, November 20) Churchill Downs will honor jockey Calvin Borel this weekend by giving away 7,500 bobbleheads, having a cocktail named the “Borel Breezer” in his honor, and hosting a charity roast.

The jockey won the track’s two most important races this year, taking the Kentucky Oaks aboard Rachel Alexandra, and following that up with his upset win in the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird.

I will toast Borel on Saturday afternoon if he can get our top pick Leamington home first in the $100,000 Cardinal Handicap (G3).

The Cardinal drew a solid field of nine fillies and mares that will go 1 1/8 miles on the turf course.

Leamington ships in for trainer Graham Motion, who has teamed up with Borel just three times in the past five years.

The duo won one of those races, a second level allowance race in June at Churchill Downs won by Leamington.

Edgar Prado was aboard the four-year-old filly for her last start, a fifth place finish in the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park.

The filly set the early fractions over a soft turf course before tiring to finish 10 ½ lengths back of the winner.

Acoma is the 5/2 morning line favorite in the race, but is coming off back-to-back double-digit length losses versus tougher.

However, she is perfect over the Churchill Downs turf course, winning the Mrs. Revere (G2) last fall and the Dogwood (G3) as a three year old last year.

An interesting longshot is Tizfiz, who returns to turf after a couple of sub par efforts on polytrack at Keeneland.

The John Good trainee is 6 for 12 on turf in her career and likely goes off at a decent price.

In addition to the 7,500 bobbleheads, a special edition bobblehead with Rachel Alexandra will be sold at Churchill Downs for $49.95, with the proceeds going to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund.

The roast on Saturday night will benefit Kentucky Equine Humane Center.

If you are thirsty, a thirst-quenching new drink called the “Borel Breezer” – a mix of Woodford Reserve, cranberry juice and a splash of lemon-line served on ice in a commemorative racing-themed mint julep glass, has been specially created for the weekend. Priced at $7, it will be sold throughout the facility for only $4 immediately after Borel wins a race.

It will also be made available in my den if Borel wins the Cardinal.

Being married to a former bartender occasionally has its privileges.

The feature at Aqueduct is the $100,000 Discovery Handicap (G3), a group of six three year olds going nine furlongs.

Gone Astray is the even money favorite off three straight triple digit Beyers, but I am partial to Haynesfield, who was our top pick in his Empire Classic victory in his last start.

Let’s head out to Louisville for today’s play of the day:

Churchill Downs Race 9 Cardinal Handicap (G3) Post time 4:37 ET

#8 Leamington 4/1
#2 Tizfiz 8/1
#9 Lemon Chiffon 6/1
#3 Acoma 5/2

#8 Leamington may be primed to pick up her first graded stake here for the Graham Motion barn. Her last start was a fifth place finish in the Flower Bowl (G1) at Belmont Park where she set the early fractions over soft turf and weakened in the stretch to finish fifth. That was a solid field she faced, the winner Pure Clan coming back to finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the runner up Criticism came back to win the Long Island Handicap (G3) in her next outing on Nov. 1 at Aqueduct. She won a restricted stake two back at Saratoga and that race turned out be tougher than it looked. The runner up Belle Allure and eighth place finisher Indescribable both came back to win graded stakes in their next starts. The cut back in distance and firmer ground should suit this filly.

#2 Tizfiz was in tough in her last two starts at Keeneland, both over polytrack. Her last two turf starts were solid, stakes wins at Remington Park and Mountaineer Park. She has won 6 of 12 on the turf in her career including a Grade 2 at Santa Anita back in January. I’m surprised the daughter of Tiznow did not seem to care for the fake stuff in her last two starts and she will appreciate the return to the grass and the earlier company here. The mare is in good hands with the John Good barn and her 8/1 morning line odds make her worth a good look in this spot.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,3,8,9
TRI: 2,8 / 2,3,8,9 / 2,3,7,8,9