My kind of race, Chicago! G1 winners Usha, Eclatant square off in next week’s G2 stakes
Today’s Churchill Downs barn notes by the track publicity team (Coady Media/John Gallagher photo of Usha winning the Winning Colors Stakes over Zeitlos)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, June 13, 2026) – Grade I winners Usha and Eclatant will square off beneath the Twin Spires next Saturday night when they face six other filly and mare sprinters entered in the 36th running of the $300,000 Chicago Stakes (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.
The seven-furlong Chicago Stakes is the featured event on the 10-race program for Downs After Dark that will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. First post is 6 p.m. with the Chicago going as Race 9 at 10:11 p.m.
Usha, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, will return to action at Churchill Downs following her gutsy victory in last month’s Winning Colors Stakes (GIII) over fellow Chicago Stakes rivals Zeitlos and Foie Gras. Trained by Bob Baffert, Usha capped her 3-year-old campaign with a 5 ¼-length victory in last year’s La Brea (GI) at Santa Anita. A daughter of Tiz the Law, Usha began her 4-year-old season with a third-place finish in the Derby City Distaff (GI) prior to the Winning Colors. Jockey Flavien Prat was named to ride and will break from post No. 5.
Chief among her rivals in the race appears to be Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Eclatant. Trained by Brad Cox, the 4-year-old Into Mischief filly edged Grand Job by a scant nose 10 weeks ago in the Madison Stakes (GI) at Keeneland. As a 3-year-old, Eclatant won the Forward Gal (GIII) at Gulfstream Park before off-the-board finishes in the Eight Bells (GII) and Leslie’s Lady at Churchill Downs. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 2.
The lineup for the Chicago Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
- Evanescence (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally)
- Eclatant (Ortiz, Cox)
- Lotsandlotsofcandy (Rafael Bejarano, Paul McGee)
- Zeitlos (Brian Hernandez Jr., Steve Asmussen)
- Usha (Prat, Baffert)
- Beauty Reigns (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott)
- Queen’s Martini (Joel Rosario, Ron Moquett)
- Foie Gras (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker)
Tickets for Saturday night’s Downs After Dark are available by visiting www.churchilldowns.com. Guests are encouraged to celebrate in red, white and blue to honor 250 years of American spirit. Murphy 500 will kick off the evening at 5 p.m. on the Paddock Terrace Stage, followed by DJ GudGroove at 8 p.m.
The Chicago Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series where the top three nominated finishers will receive partial credits toward their entry fees in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
WORLD’S TOP DIRT HORSES HEADLINE 17 NOMINATIONS TO $2 MILLION STEPHEN FOSTER – Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner and reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty, Dubai World Cup (GI) winner Magnitude, Pegasus World Cup (GI) winner White Abarrio and Pennsylvania Derby (GI) winner Baeza headline 17 nominations for the $2 million Stephen Foster (GI) on Saturday, June 27 at Churchill Downs.
Nominations were released Friday for the 45th running of the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster, Churchill Downs’ premier race for older horses that was boosted this year from a $1 million purse to $2 million.
Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Magnitude has been preparing for the race at Churchill Downs since returning from his victory in the Dubai World Cup. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old son of Not This Time continued his preparations Saturday morning with a sharp five-furlong move in :59.20. Working to the inside of stablemate American Promise, Magnitude recorded fractions of :11.80, :23.40 and :35. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.60 and seven furlongs in 1:24.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
Godolphin’s Sovereignty along with C R K Stable and Grandview Equine’s Baeza are both trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and currently based at Saratoga Race Course. Sovereignty has earned more than $6 million during his career and was crowned Horse of the Year following his Kentucky Derby triumph, while Baeza has earned more than $1.7 million highlighted by his victory in the Pennsylvania Derby.
C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., also remains on target for the Stephen Foster. The Pegasus World Cup winner has been based at Gulfstream Park and recorded a half-mile workout in :46.80 Thursday as he continues preparations for the race billed as the ‘Summer Showdown.’
Owners will pay $20,000 to enter next Saturday and $20,000 to start, which equates to 2% of the total purse. First prize is 53% of the purse – estimated at more than $1 million – after 1.5% percent is paid to each of the sixth through last place finishers. Second place will receive 22.5%, third at 12.5%, fourth at 7% and fifth at 5%.
The Stephen Foster is one of seven stakes races scheduled for the June 27 program along with the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (GII), a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Distaff (GI); the $500,000 Wise Dan (GII) on turf; the $275,000 Bango (GIII); and the American Derby (Listed), Anchorage (Listed) and Tepin (Listed), each worth $275,000.
The Stephen Foster serves as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” event for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), with the winner receiving an automatic berth into the Oct. 31 championship race at Keeneland.
Stakes nominations are available here: https://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHorsemenAreaSNHW.cfm?trk=CD.
To purchase tickets for Stephen Foster Day, visit www.churchilldowns.com.
SUNDAY IS MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY – Sunday is Military Appreciation Day where Churchill Downs will celebrate and honor America’s servicemen and women for their unwavering patriotism, dedication to our country and sacrifice for the greater good. All active-duty and retired military members will receive free general admission and a program with valid military ID. Also, active military members, veterans and their guests can purchase discounted $45 tickets to Millionaires’ Row by calling (502) 636-4450 or through GOVX, the leading marketplace that provides unique benefits for military personnel, first responders, medical professionals, educators, and government employees, at https://www.govx.com/a/601fe190-3f72-4d46-b698-08de73bbebad/churchill-downs.
DOWN THE STRETCH – Racing resumed Saturday with an 11-race card and a $49,969 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot. The $1 Jackpot 8 had a carryover of $155,822 in Race 11. … Parchment Party was a stakes scratch in the featured $225,000 Chorleywood (Listed), which goes as Race 10 at 5:28 p.m. The 1 3/8-mile turf marathon is headlined by Burnham Square. … There were no changes in Race 9 at 4:56 p.m., the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes (Black Type) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles topped by Percy’s Bar.
