Racing

Gunite, Artorius Headline Perryville Field

October 19, 2022

Two accomplished homebreds – Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Gunite and Juddmonte’s Artorius – headline a field of eight 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 14th running of the $250,000 Perryville (L) going 7 furlongs on the main track.

The first of two stakes scheduled on Saturday’s 10-race program, which begins at 1 p.m. ET, the Perryville will go as the sixth race with a 3:40 p.m. post time.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Gunite has compiled a 5-3-2-0 record in 2022 with his most recent victory coming in the Harrods Creek at Churchill Downs on Sept. 24. Gunite’s biggest victory of the year came in the Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga in July. Tyler Gaffalione, who has been aboard for all of Gunite’s 2022 victories has the mount Saturday and will break from post position eight.

Chad Brown trains Artorius, who will be cutting back to a sprint following a sixth-place finish in the Runhappy Travers (G1). A winner of two of four starts, Artorius took the restricted Curlin Stakes (L) at Saratoga prior to his run in the Travers. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post position three.

The field for the Perryville, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Hoist the Gold (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118 pounds), Provocateur (Luis Saez, 120), Artorius (Ortiz Jr., 120), Pinehurst (John Velazquez, 118), Friar Laurence (Kendrick Carmouche, 118), B Dawk (Joel Rosario, 118), Of a Revolution (Gerardo Corrales, 118) and Gunite (Gaffalione, 122).