From the Turfway Park Media Team / Kevin Kerstein:

VALDALE WINNER HOLLYGROVE RETURNS IN $125,000 SERENA’S SONG

FLORENCE, Ky. (Monday, March 24, 2025) – Legion Racing’s Valdale Stakes winner Hollygroveheadlines a field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday’s fourth running of the $125,000 Serena’s Song Stakes, the featured event on closing night of Turfway Park’s Winter/Spring Meet.

The six-furlong Serena’s Song is carded as Race 6 of 8 with a post time of 8:25 p.m. (all times Eastern), first post is 5:55 p.m.

Hollygrove, trained by Whit Beckman, made her Turfway debut in early February with a determined gate-to-wire victory in the Valdale at odds of 7-1. The daughter of Complexity will reunite with jockey JoeRamos, who was aboard for that win, and break from post No. 2.

Among her top challengers is multiple stakes winner Long Neck Paula, owned by Will Straud and Debra O’Connor and trained by Wesley Ward. The daughter of Uncle Mo romped by 7 ½ lengths in the Prairie Meadows Debutante and followed up with a gutsy half-length score in the Bowman Mill Stakes at Keeneland against open company. Jockey Corey Lanerie will ride from post 5.

The field for the Serena’s Song from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  • Family (Walter Rodriguez, Michelle Elliott)
  • Hollygrove (Ramos, Beckman)
  • Don’t Tell Tammo (Rafael Hernandez, Kent Sweezey)
  • Minnesota Munny (Adam Beschizza, Kelsey Danner)
  • Long Neck Paula (Lanerie, Ward)
  • Bunratty Manor (IRE) (Edgar Morales, Rusty Arnold II)
  • Brindi (IRE) (Irving Moncada, Kelsey Danner)
  • Grace On Grace (Angel Serpa, Larry Demerritte)
  • Bilyana (Alex Achard, Eric Foster)
  • Bourbon Memory (Gerardo Corrales, Brendan Walsh)

          Closing week at Turfway Park begins Wednesday with a first post of 5:55 p.m. For more information, visit www.turfway.com.

MACHADO, MAKER, GODOLPHIN TOP STANDINGS AHEAD OF CLOSING WEEK – With four days of racing remaining at the Turfway Park Winter/Spring Meet, jockey Luan Machado, trainer Mike Maker and powerhouse owner Godolphin lead their respective standings.

Machado, who won Saturday’s $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III) aboard Final Gambit, enters the final week with a 49-39 win advantage over Irving Moncada. Joe Ramos was third with 36 victories, followed by Gerardo Corrales (23), Adam Beschizza (22), Rafael Hernandez (21), Fernando De La Cruz (19), Abel Cedillo (17), Walter Rodriguez (17) and Albin Jimenez (16).

Maker, a 23-time leading trainer at Turfway, holds a 19-17 edge over Kelsey Danner. John Ennis sits third with 14 wins, followed by Eric Foster (11) and Larry Rivelli (10).

Godolphin leads the owner standings with seven wins from 34 starts, holding a two-win lead overDede McGehee and TEC Racing.

FINAL FLORENCE FURLONG – Terry Stephens’ Kentucky Derby (GI) contender Chunk of Goldreturned to Turfway Park around 8 p.m. Sunday from Fair Grounds to continue preparing for the first Saturday in May. The Louisiana Derby (GII) runner-up is tentatively scheduled to remain at Turfway for the next four weeks, according to trainer Ethan West.