Claiming Crown Winners Concrete Glory, Curlin’s Malibu, Shape Note Lead Showcase Day Undercard Qualifiers

Three winners from last year’s Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs — Concrete Glory, Curlin’s Malibu and Shape Note — lead a deep group of contenders in seven undercard qualifiers Saturday on Claiming Crown Showcase Day at Colonial Downs. Concrete Glory, Curlin’s Malibu and Shape Note will try to earn return trips to Churchill in the Ready’s Rocket Express, Iron Horse and Canterbury qualifiers, respectively.

Colonial Downs will host Claiming Crown qualifying races for the second consecutive year. The top two finishers in each of Saturday’s nine starter handicaps will earn automatic berths in the 28th Claiming Crown, scheduled for Nov. 14 at Churchill Downs. The nine qualifiers offer combined purses of $612,500 on the 11-race program. First post is 12:30 p.m. ET.

Defending qualifier winners Cadet Corps and One Time Willard will attempt to repeat in the $100,000 Jewel Qualifier and $87,500 Emerald Qualifier, respectively, the two richest races on the Showcase Day program.

CONCRETE GLORY, KERNESS K MEET IN READY’S ROCKET EXPRESS

A field of seven is set for the $50,000 Ready’s Rocket Express Qualifier, Race 3, at six furlongs on dirt for horses which have started for $8,000 or less during their careers. Two-time defending Claiming Crown winner Concrete Glory is the 9-5 morning-line favorite. Owned by Frank Rupolo’s Big Frank Stable and trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 7-year-old was named the 2025 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year after winning the Ready’s Rocket Express at Churchill Downs for the second consecutive year. Nik Juarez has the call.

Kerness K, the 2-1 second choice, brings an eight-race winning streak into the Ready’s Rocket Express, with seven of those victories coming since joining trainer Jamie Ness’ barn. The 4-year-old most recently rolled to a 7¼ -length victory at Parx Racing July 16. Martin Chuan rides.

ZERO BLITZ, BOLD DIVERSION GIVE SHANKLE STRONG RAPID TRANSIT HAND

A field of seven will contest the $62,500 Rapid Transit Qualifier, Race 4, at seven furlongs on dirt for horses which have started for $16,000 or less in 2025 or 2026. Zero Blitz, the 4-5 favorite and Bold Diversion, 3-1, give owner-trainer Joanne Shankle a formidable pair.

Zero Blitz has won three of seven starts at seven furlongs and has finished ahead of Bold Diversion in each of their past three meetings. The 4-year-old earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure when he finished third in the Reigh Count Stakes at Colonial Aug. 1, one spot ahead of his stablemate. Jorge Ruiz rides.

Stakes-placed Bold Diversion, winless in eight starts at seven furlongs, finished fourth in the Reigh Count after running second to Zero Blitz over the same track and distance July 13. His most recent victory came at six furlongs at Laurel Park in June. Samuel Marin rides.

CURLIN’S MALIBU, FREEDOM ROAD TOP IRON HORSE

A field of nine will go in Race 5, the $50,000 Iron Horse Qualifier at 1 1/16 miles on dirt for horses which have started for $8,000 or less. Curlin’s Malibu, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, returns after sweeping both the Colonial qualifier and Claiming Crown Iron Horse last year while in Joe Sharp’s barn. Now trained by Mike Maker, the 7-year-old has made one start for his new barn, finishing last of 10 in a turf route at Ellis Park July 4. Paco Lopez rides.

Freedom Road has finished second in each of the past two Claiming Crown Iron Horses for trainer Richard Sillaman. He enters off a runner-up finish at Delaware Park July 10 after winning there May 23. Andrew Wolfsont rides.

JULEE’S LEGACY LEADS JACKIE H.

New to this year’s Showcase Day lineup is the $62,500 Jackie H. Qualifier, Race 6, which drew nine fillies and mares for six furlongs on dirt. The race, for runners which have started for $16,000 or less in 2025 or 2026, serves as a qualifier for the Claiming Crown Empress.

Julee’s Legacy is the 3-5 morning-line favorite after opening 2026 with four consecutive victories. Her latest came by 4½ lengths in an allowance at Charles Town June 20. Jeiron Barbosa rides for trainer Michael Jones, Jr.

Logical contenders include Stylet, a four-time winner in nine starts this season for trainer Matthew Kintz, and Tiz Purple, who won a six-furlong starter optional claimer at Delaware by 5¾ lengths June 20 for trainer Jamie Ness.

TURF SPRINTERS CLASH IN CANTERBURY

A field of 10 is entered for the $75,000 Canterbury Qualifier, Race 7, at 5½ furlongs on turf for horses which have started for $25,000 or less in 2025 or 2026.

Shape Note, winner of last year’s Claiming Crown under the same conditions, is a 5-2 co-favorite for Maker. He has won three times this year, including a 4½-length turf score in May, and most recently won an off-the-turf race at Saratoga July 18. Jareth Loveberry rides.

Fellow 5-2 choice Bushido finished second in both of his Colonial starts this year, including a narrow defeat at six furlongs July 31 after setting the pace. Forest Boyce rides.

COQUITO HEADS GLASS SLIPPER

A field of nine will contest Race 8, the $50,000 Glass Slipper Qualifier, a one-mile dirt handicap for fillies and mares which have started for $12,500 or less in 2025 or 2026.

Coquito, the 9-5 favorite, has won four times this year and most recently finished third in a seven-furlong starter optional claimer at Saratoga Aug. 7. Her 2026 victories include mile races in February and April and a seven-furlong starter optional claimer in June. Paco Lopez rides for trainer Joe Sharp.

Lord’s Lady and Golden Eib Micrphn also loom as logical contenders. Lord’s Lady has hit the board in six of seven starts this year and most recently rallied for third at Delaware Park July 29. Golden Eib Micrphn has won five of eight starts in 2026 and enters off a starter optional claiming victory at Delaware Park.

SMILING ELLIE FAVORED IN TIARA FINALE

The seven-race sequence concludes in Race 9 with a field of nine in the $75,000 Tiara Qualifier for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf, restricted to runners that have started for $25,000 or less in 2025 or 2026.

Smiling Ellie is the even-money morning-line favorite. The Mark Casse-trained mare won a 1 1/16-mile Colonial allowance last summer and comes into the Tiara after competing in the Sunkissed Stakes at Ellis Park Aug. 2. Simon Marin rides.

Third in last year’s Tiara at Churchill Downs, Goats On a Tree will try to improve on that finish for new trainer Kinnon LaRose. Notable Exchange makes her first start for Maker after being claimed for $50,000 in May and was second in a 1 1/16-mile Colonial allowance last August.

Saturday’s 11-race Claiming Crown Showcase Day program begins at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Fields for the full Claiming Crown Showcase Day program can be found on Equibase: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/RaceCardIndexCNL082226USA-EQB.html.