Sat 6/14: G1 500K Stephen Foster Hcp
Jun 5, 2014 22:51:21 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Jun 5, 2014 22:51:21 GMT -5
Will Take Charge, Revolutionary headline Foster noms
Will Take Charge, reigning champion three-year-old and winner of the Oaklawn Handicap two back, and Revolutionary, hero of the recent Pimlico Special, head the roster of nominations and expected starters for next Saturday's 33rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.
The 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds and up -- a Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" race in the Classic Division -- is the marquee event on a program of four graded stakes race for Thoroughbreds on the June 14 "Downs After Dark" night racing program, the second of four night racing celebrations scheduled during the 38-day spring meet at Churchill Downs.
Twenty-five horses were nominated to the Stephen Foster.
The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Will Take Charge will attempt to bounce back from a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Alysheba at Churchill on Kentucky Oaks Day. The son of Unbridled's Song, who finished eighth in last year's Kentucky Derby, closed out his 2013 campaign with a head victory over Game On Dude in the Clark Handicap under the Twin Spires. He currently boasts a 1-2-0 mark from four starts this year.
Revolutionary finished third to Orb in the 2013 Kentucky Derby and ran second to Will Take Charge in the Oaklawn Handicap prior to a stretch-running triumph in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special on May 16. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of War Pass has a career record of 5-2-3 in 12 races and has earned $1,347,600.
Others expected to compete in the Stephen Foster include a pair of Kenny McPeek-trained stars in Golden Ticket, runner-up to 2012 Breeder' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned in last year's Foster, and Bellarmine, who has captured three-of-four races at Churchill. Golden Ticket is exiting a runner-up effort in the Alysheba, which followed a fourth in the Carter Handicap and a head second in the Gulfstream Park Handicap to begin his five-year-old season. Bellarmine recorded one of his Churchill wins on May 23 against optional claiming compnay.
Moonshine Mullin, winner of this year's Alysheba for trainer Randy Morse, is expected to run in the Foster, along with Departing, winner of three 2013 Derbies -- the Illinois, West Virginia and Super Derby -- and Long River, runner-up in Aqueduct's Excelsior two back in late March.
On Fire Baby, an easy winner of the La Troienne on Kentucky Oaks Day, is expected to bid for a sweep of Churchill Downs' major distance races for older fillies and mares in the 2014 spring meet in the 39th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap on the Foster undercard.
The Gary Hartlage-trained five-year-old daughter of Smoke Glacken tops a list of 21 fillies and mares, ages three and up, nominated to the 1 1/8-mile race. On Fire Baby has a career record of 6-2-1 in 15 races, with half of her victories coming in stakes races at Churchill Downs. Along with the La Troienne, she won the Pocahontas and Golden Rod at two, and was a narrowly beaten runner-up to Authenticity in the 2013 La Troienne.
The May 2 La Troienne was the gray mare's first win on the year as she ran fourth in the Azeri and second as the defending champion in the Apple Blossom Handicap, both at Oaklawn Park, to start her five-year-old season.s
Others expected to compete in the Fleur de Lis include Flashy American, last-out winner of the April 19 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne and last fall's Locust Grove at Churchill Downs; Fiftyshadesofhay, the Bob Baffert-trained victress of the Ruffian at Belmont most recently, and La Troienne runner-up Molly Morgan.
Almost Famous, who romped past older foes in a recent allowance race at Churchill Downs, is being pointed toward the 17th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, also on June 14.
Named for the legendary Churchill Downs president and general manager credited with lifting the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs to their respective roles as American sports icons, the Matt Winn attracted 24 nominations. Other possible starters include Grade 2-placed stakes hero Conquest Titan and the Ian Wilkes-trained Ulanbator.
A Little Bit Sassy, winner of the Edgewood on Kentucky Oaks Day, heads a group of 29 sophomore fillies made eligible to compete in the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The Edgewood was the first stakes win for the Michael Matz-trained daughter of More Than Ready, who improved her career record to 2-2-0 in five races.
Other nominees considered likely starters in the Regret include Kiss Moon, a close runner-up in Oaklawn Park's Fantasy who finished 12th in the Kentucky Oaks in her last start, and Daring Dancer, winner of the Appalachian at Keeneland for trainer Graham Motion.
Weight assignments for the Stephen Foster Handicap and Fleur de Lis Handicaps will be released Sunday. The lists of nominations for all four races may be viewed online at ChurchillDowns.com/stakes-schedule.
Will Take Charge, reigning champion three-year-old and winner of the Oaklawn Handicap two back, and Revolutionary, hero of the recent Pimlico Special, head the roster of nominations and expected starters for next Saturday's 33rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.
The 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds and up -- a Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" race in the Classic Division -- is the marquee event on a program of four graded stakes race for Thoroughbreds on the June 14 "Downs After Dark" night racing program, the second of four night racing celebrations scheduled during the 38-day spring meet at Churchill Downs.
Twenty-five horses were nominated to the Stephen Foster.
The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Will Take Charge will attempt to bounce back from a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Alysheba at Churchill on Kentucky Oaks Day. The son of Unbridled's Song, who finished eighth in last year's Kentucky Derby, closed out his 2013 campaign with a head victory over Game On Dude in the Clark Handicap under the Twin Spires. He currently boasts a 1-2-0 mark from four starts this year.
Revolutionary finished third to Orb in the 2013 Kentucky Derby and ran second to Will Take Charge in the Oaklawn Handicap prior to a stretch-running triumph in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special on May 16. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of War Pass has a career record of 5-2-3 in 12 races and has earned $1,347,600.
Others expected to compete in the Stephen Foster include a pair of Kenny McPeek-trained stars in Golden Ticket, runner-up to 2012 Breeder' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned in last year's Foster, and Bellarmine, who has captured three-of-four races at Churchill. Golden Ticket is exiting a runner-up effort in the Alysheba, which followed a fourth in the Carter Handicap and a head second in the Gulfstream Park Handicap to begin his five-year-old season. Bellarmine recorded one of his Churchill wins on May 23 against optional claiming compnay.
Moonshine Mullin, winner of this year's Alysheba for trainer Randy Morse, is expected to run in the Foster, along with Departing, winner of three 2013 Derbies -- the Illinois, West Virginia and Super Derby -- and Long River, runner-up in Aqueduct's Excelsior two back in late March.
On Fire Baby, an easy winner of the La Troienne on Kentucky Oaks Day, is expected to bid for a sweep of Churchill Downs' major distance races for older fillies and mares in the 2014 spring meet in the 39th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap on the Foster undercard.
The Gary Hartlage-trained five-year-old daughter of Smoke Glacken tops a list of 21 fillies and mares, ages three and up, nominated to the 1 1/8-mile race. On Fire Baby has a career record of 6-2-1 in 15 races, with half of her victories coming in stakes races at Churchill Downs. Along with the La Troienne, she won the Pocahontas and Golden Rod at two, and was a narrowly beaten runner-up to Authenticity in the 2013 La Troienne.
The May 2 La Troienne was the gray mare's first win on the year as she ran fourth in the Azeri and second as the defending champion in the Apple Blossom Handicap, both at Oaklawn Park, to start her five-year-old season.s
Others expected to compete in the Fleur de Lis include Flashy American, last-out winner of the April 19 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne and last fall's Locust Grove at Churchill Downs; Fiftyshadesofhay, the Bob Baffert-trained victress of the Ruffian at Belmont most recently, and La Troienne runner-up Molly Morgan.
Almost Famous, who romped past older foes in a recent allowance race at Churchill Downs, is being pointed toward the 17th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, also on June 14.
Named for the legendary Churchill Downs president and general manager credited with lifting the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs to their respective roles as American sports icons, the Matt Winn attracted 24 nominations. Other possible starters include Grade 2-placed stakes hero Conquest Titan and the Ian Wilkes-trained Ulanbator.
A Little Bit Sassy, winner of the Edgewood on Kentucky Oaks Day, heads a group of 29 sophomore fillies made eligible to compete in the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The Edgewood was the first stakes win for the Michael Matz-trained daughter of More Than Ready, who improved her career record to 2-2-0 in five races.
Other nominees considered likely starters in the Regret include Kiss Moon, a close runner-up in Oaklawn Park's Fantasy who finished 12th in the Kentucky Oaks in her last start, and Daring Dancer, winner of the Appalachian at Keeneland for trainer Graham Motion.
Weight assignments for the Stephen Foster Handicap and Fleur de Lis Handicaps will be released Sunday. The lists of nominations for all four races may be viewed online at ChurchillDowns.com/stakes-schedule.
