STEPHEN FOSTER PREVIEW DAY FIELDS SHAPING UP
Churchill Downs media notes written by Kevin Kerstein (Coady Photo of Godolphin’s Santin winning the 2022 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, May 27, 2023) – Six stakes are on tap Saturday, June 3 at Churchill Downs and feature opportunities for horses to prepare for races one month later on Stephen Foster Day. Dubbed as “Stephen Foster Preview Day,” the featured race on the program will be the $225,000 Blame Stakes (Grade III), a prep for the $1 million Stephen Foster (GI) that will be run beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday, July 1.
Here are the probable fields for all six stakes events, according to Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork:
· $225,000 Blame Stakes (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles for 4-year-olds and up: Barber Road(trainer John Ortiz); Call Me Fast (Michael Puhich); Chess Chief (Dallas Stewart); Happy American (Neil Pessin); Masqueparadee (Al Stall Jr.); Pioneer of Medina (Todd Pletcher); and Santin (Brendan Walsh).
· $225,000 Arlington Stakes (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up: Classic Causeway (Kenny McPeek); Royal Patronage (FR) (Graham Motion); and Set Piece (GB) (Brad Cox).
· $225,000 Regret Stakes (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies: Miss Riddler(Eddie Kenneally) and Mission of Joy (Graham Motion).
· $225,000 Shawnee Stakes (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up:Idiomatic (Brad Cox) and Soul of an Angel (Gerald James).
· $225,000 Aristides Stakes (Listed) at six furlongs for 4-year-olds and up: Bango (Greg Foley); Gunite (Steve Asmussen); Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart); Sibelius (Jeremiah O’Dwyer); and Tejano Twist (Chris Hartman).
· $225,000 Audubon Stakes (Listed) at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds: Desert Duke(Chris Hartman); Mendelssohns March (Kenny McPeek); Scoobie Quando (Ben Colebrook); Sharar (Todd Pletcher); and Webslinger (Mark Casse).
Entries for all six stakes events will be drawn Monday.
SATURDAY WORK TAB FEATURES BELMONT STAKES CONTENDERS ANGEL OF EMPIRE, HIT SHOW – There were 135 horses that recorded published workouts Saturday morning at Churchill Downs and among them were trainer Brad Cox’s Belmont Stakes (GI) contenders Angel of Empire (five furlongs, :59.80) and Hit Show (five furlongs, 1:00.20).
Angel of Empire was one of the first workers as the track opened at 5:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) when he and stablemate Warrant (five furlongs, 1:00.20) worked in company. Shortly after their move, Hit Show breezed outside Salute the Stars.
Another talented horse that worked Saturday morning was Lucky Seven Stable’s Smile Happy, the winner of the $600,000 Alysheba (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day. He returned to the work tab for the first time since the Alysheba and completed an easy half-mile in :49.60 at 9 a.m.
To view the complete work tab, visit: https://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/racing/workouts.
‘CHURCHILL DOWNS TODAY’ AIRS ONE-HOUR PRIOR TO RACING – Horseplayers can get the latest expert advice and a preview of the day’s card by watching “Churchill Downs Today” one hour prior to first post.
Join Joe Kristufek, Scott Shapiro and Kaitlin Free as the trio will handicap the program, give crucial ticket-structure advice and inside information for horseplayers betting the racing program.
Churchill Downs Today will be shown on www.TwinSpires.com, the Churchill Downs LIVE app on Smart TVs and Twitter via @ChurchillDowns.
‘AMERICA’S DAY AT THE RACES’ TV SCHEDULE – Fans can watch racing from Churchill Downs on “America’s Day at the Races” on the Fox Sports family of networks. Here is this week’s TV schedule:
· Saturday: 12:30-6 p.m., FS2
· Sunday: 12:30-4:30 p.m., FS1 | 4:30-5:30 p.m., FS2
· Monday: 12:30-6 p.m., FS2
