Encino goes down fighting in G3 Kentucky Cup Classic

Encino bounced back from his Gulfstream Park Mile no-show with a battling second to Mercante in the G3 Kentucky Cup Classic on Saturday, 22 March.

The Brad Cox-trained four-year-old was looking to continue his excellent record on the Tapeta of Turfway Park, having won a maiden and the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at the start of his 2024 campaign.

After breaking sharply, Luan Machado sent Encino on into an early two-length lead over Mercante, with Paros and Lord Bullingdon also handily placed in the 11-runner field.

Mercante reduced Encino’s advantage to three-quarters of a length leaving the back and moved up to press the Godolphin colt for the lead turning in.

Encino rallied at the top of the straight and continued to find under pressure as Mercante opened up a slender advantage entering the final furlong.

Both horses duelled for the lead until Mercante asserted in the final strides to prevail by a length, with nearly seven lengths back to Hush Of A Storm in third.