Breeders’ Cup Winner Nobals Favored In Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint originally appeared on Paulick Report.

Patricia’s Hope’s 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) winner Nobals headlines a highly-competitive field of 12 horses entered in Sunday’s eighth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint will go as race 10 at 4:12 p.m. (all times Eastern). It concludes an all-stakes Late Pick 4 that also includes the $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed), and the $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3). First post is 11:50 a.m.

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Trained by Larry Rivelli, Nobals has a decorated resume with nine stakes victories, including his Breeders’ Cup triumph at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old turf sprinter also won the 2023 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2), 2023 Da Hoss Stakes, and added the 2024 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) last season. Nobals will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post No. 7.

Chief among his rivals is the speedy Joe Shiesty, named after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Owned by Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills, and Don Coomes, the Eric Foster trainee returned from a five-month layoff with a front-running score in the Mighty Beau Stakes (Listed) in June at Churchill Downs. As a 3-year-old, Joe Shiesty also captured the William Walker Stakes (Listed) by 2 ¼ lengths. Luan Machado, aboard for his victory in last month’s Mighty Beau, will ride from post 3.

The loaded field of turf sprinters also includes Sonata Stable’s eight-time winning millionaire Arzak; Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Partnerships’ 11-time winner Coppola and Ron Dowdy’s Charcoal, who pulled a shocking 26-1 upset in this race a year ago.

Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint

  1. Coppola (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dale Romans, 9-2)

  2. Mo Stash (Edgar Morales, Vicki Oliver, 15-1)

  3. Joe Shiesty (Luan Machado, Eric Foster, 5-1)

  4. Go Captain (Corey Lanerie, Lonnie Briley, 30-1)

  5. Chiseler (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg, 30-1)

  6. Double Clutch (Axel Concepcion, Rusty Arnold II, 20-1)

  7. Nobals (Tyler Gaffalione, Larry Rivelli, 5-2)

  8. High Front (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen, 20-1)

  9. Bal a Kazoo (Joe Ramos, Bob Gorham, 30-1)

  10. Arzak (Jaime Torres, Mike Trombetta, 3-1)

  11. Charcoal (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Tracey Wisner, 15-1)

  12. Bear River (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 15-1)

The winner of Sunday’s Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint will receive a free berth, including entry and starting fees, to the Turf Sprint Stakes (G2), held Saturday, Aug. 30, at Kentucky Downs.

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This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.