Churchill Downs hosts the Grade 3 Commonwealth stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Saturday, a late-season test for 3-year-olds against their own age group before a new year throws them into open company. A field of 11 has drawn for the race, led by Grade 1 winner Troubleshooting.
The son of Not This Time sprang onto the scene in the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs and backed that up in the Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland. He is a proven commodity in a sprint and at a mile, but this will be his biggest distance test. Others in the field have experience routing that could make the difference.
Mansetti, Canada’s King’s Plate winner, tries turf for the first time but has wins at this distance and a 10 furlongs. His forward running style could give Troubleshooting a real test.
Plensa and Giocoso both have experience at a mile on turf, with Plensa taking the ungraded Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs and Giocoso winning the Secretariat Stakes (G2) at Colonial.
Finally, Kentucky Derby runner Flying Mohawk returns from a long break to the surface he was bred for. The Whit Beckman trainee had only improved as the distances stretched out, until his ninth-place finish in the Derby.
The Commonwealth is race 10, post time 5:25 p.m. EST.
Coverage of the Churchill Downs is on FanDuel TV’s Saturday broadcast beginning at 11 a.m. EST.
Free past performances for this weekend’s stakes are courtesy of Brisnet.
Here are the top 2025 speed figures for the Commonwealth entrants.
No.
Horse
Beyer*
TFUS*
Brisnet
HRN
1
California Burrito
92
108
92
120
2
Troubleshooting
89
114
98
110
3
Montador
89
115
88
114
4
Anegada
85
111
92
120
5
Outrunner
85
110
89
111
6
Mansetti
90
112
94
130
7
Giocoso
87
120
93
115
8
Chapman’s Peak
85
111
91
108
9
Flying Mohawk
85
114
97
118
10
Simulate
86
114
95
113
11
Plensa
89
118
91
116
*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are provided courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN Handicappers
It’s a light week on the horse racing schedule, but trust we will be back next weekend with a full stack of handicapping articles for you.
In the Commonwealth, HRN’s Ed DeRosa thinks that turf first-timer Mansetti has what it takes to take them all the way. Get his fair odds here.
This week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod is a podcast about podcasts! Get the scoop on the medium from Pete Fornatale of the In the Money Players Podcast, Ryan Anderson and Jackson Muniz from the Gallop Out Podcast and Tatiana Ryann from the Business-y Podcast. Listen now.
Super Screener has found a value opportunity at Fair Grounds. Check it out and be sure to get your subscription for all of the big Thanksgiving weekend stakes (and reserve the Kentucky Derby).
No.
Silks
Horse / Sire
Rating
Trainer / Jockey
Last Start (HRN) / Next Start
Morn. Line
1
California Burrito
Army Mule
6.14
Thomas Drury Jr.
Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.
8th (80), 2025 Pat Day Mile G2
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
20-1
Last Race
Next Race
8th (80), 2025 Pat Day Mile G2
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
2
Troubleshooting
Not This Time
7.73
Gregory D. Foley
Tyler Gaffalione
1st (102), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
7-2
Last Race
Next Race
1st (102), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
3
Montador
Nyquist
0.00
Michael Stidham
Luis Saez
1st (109*), CD ALW (11/02/2025-R8)
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
5-1
Last Race
Next Race
1st (109*), CD ALW (11/02/2025-R8)
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
4
Anegada
Midshipman
0.00
Michael J. Maker
Luan Machado
1st (120), Hawthorne Derby
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
12-1
Last Race
Next Race
1st (120), Hawthorne Derby
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
5
Outrunner
American Pharoah
6.73
Jorge Duarte, Jr.
Jaime Torres
3rd (71), 2025 Old Dominion Derby G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
30-1
Last Race
Next Race
3rd (71), 2025 Old Dominion Derby G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
6
Mansetti
Collected
6.47
Kevin Attard
Pietro Moran
2nd (112), 2025 Ontario Derby G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
6-1
Last Race
Next Race
2nd (112), 2025 Ontario Derby G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
7
Giocoso
Not This Time
7.38
J. Keith Desormeaux
Jose L. Ortiz
3rd (100), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
4-1
Last Race
Next Race
3rd (100), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
8
Chapman’s Peak
Quality Road
0.00
Brad H. Cox
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
1st (108), KEE ALW (10/11/2025-R7)
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
9-2
Last Race
Next Race
1st (108), KEE ALW (10/11/2025-R7)
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
9
Flying Mohawk
Karakontie
6.56
D. Whitworth Beckman
Joseph D. Ramos
18th (81), 2025 Kentucky Derby G1
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
8-1
Last Race
Next Race
18th (81), 2025 Kentucky Derby G1
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
10
Simulate
Kitten’s Joy
6.73
William I. Mott
Julien R. Leparoux
10th (94), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
12-1
Last Race
Next Race
10th (94), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
11
Plensa
Caravaggio
7.09
George R. Arnold II
Florent Geroux
11th (94), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
12-1
Last Race
Next Race
11th (94), 2025 Bryan Station Stakes G3
2025 Commonwealth Turf Stakes G3
Dining and Cooking