Venue for July 2 . . . no brainer

[RUFFIAN]

Churchill Downs announced June 28 that four planned stakes races would be moved from the track's grass course, which a Churchill release said
needs "more time for the new root system to continue to develop."
The Louisville, Ky., track will not offer any more grass races before its spring meet concludes July 4.

One of the four races, the $350,000 Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) for older horses July 2, will go on hiatus this year. Had it been run on dirt, the 1 1/16-mile race could have conflicted with the 1 1/8 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) that heads Churchill's Saturday program.

turf Tuesday morning, and Churchill made the announcement canceling remaining stakes racing on turf by midafternoon, a day before entries are made for the Saturday card.