Asiatic Boy

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, last in the early going, made a strong move on the far turn to reach contention and then drew clear to win Saturday’s 28th running of the $660,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) at Churchill Downs by a length over Asiatic Boy (ARG).

Einstein (BRZ), bidding to become the first horse to win three consecutive Grade I races on three surfaces, finished a nose back in third.

            In giving West Point its second Stephen Foster win in three years -- Flashy Bull won in 2007 -- Macho Again gave jockey Robby Albarado his third consecutive Foster triumph. Albarado won last year on Horse of the Year Curlin.

Finallymadeit set the early fractions of :24.13, :48.13 and 1:12.71 with Researcher and Alphabet Magic in closest pursuit. Julien Leparoux had Einstein in three path about mid-pack while Macho Again lagged at the back of the eight-horse field.

Leaving the backstretch, Albarado swung Macho Again wide and kept him in the clear turning for home and avoiding a tightly bunched pack to his inside. Macho Again, now three for five at Churchill Downs, opened a clear lead in the stretch and had enough left to hold off Asiatic Boy, who was making his U.S. debut.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.75 over a fast track, carrying 117 pounds five fewer than Asiatic Boy. The victory was worth $396,924 and increased the 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Macho Uno’s earnings to $1,475,247.

            Macho Again, who won the 2008 Derby Trial here, returned $17.40, $6.20 and $3.60. Asiatic Boy returned $7 and $3.80 with Einstein, carrying top weight of 124 pounds, paying $2.10 to show. Arson Squad and Bullsbay dead-heated for fourth, a neck behind Einstein, and were followed in order by Researcher, Finallymadeit and Alphabet Magic.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP

DALLAS STEWART, trainer of MACHO AGAIN (winner)

            “He ran great, you know. He’s a great horse. We had a great rider. We put it all together today. You know he’s not an in and out horse like most people think. He got the money today on a dry track today at Churchill. He proved himself. I think we’ve got a lot of good things ahead of us. He’s won major races on major tracks from down in New Orleans to Saratoga to here. He’s all dirt horse is what he is.”

            Q: What might be next?

            “The Whitney (the Grade I, $750,000 Whitney Handicap for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on Saturday, Aug. 8) will be our next goal.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of MACHO AGAIN (winner)

            “The race set up great for us today. We had an outside trip and got a clear run. It’s not by design that I wanted to go around that wide, but I just put him in a path where he can run around horses. That’s just where he wants to be. You just hope that you don’t have to go too wide. He just prevailed to be the best today.”

TERRY FINLEY, co-owner of MACHO AGAIN (winner)

            “He’s not a big, imposing horse but he’s well balanced. He’s a sound horse, obviously. He’s danced a lot of dances. For a horse like this you’ve got to be a Grade I winner to be a Kentucky stallion. That was the reason we brought him back this year. We fully intend, if everything stays on track . . . we’re in the racing business and we love the game. We really think that in 2010, if everything stays on track, we’d love to come back and defend our title in the Stephen Foster.”

            Q: What about the rest of this year?

            “We’re going to try and get the money in the Whitney. We’ll talk to the partners and try to knock out the Jockey Club (Gold Cup) at Belmont and try to get to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”

JULIEN LEPAROUX, jockey of EINSTEIN (third as the favorite)

“I’m on the horse to beat, so of course they’re trying to beat me. I had nowhere to go; I just had to wait.  I was in a pretty good spot, but I had nowhere to go.  So I just waited and when he got room at the eighth pole, he finished strong.  He was probably the best horse, but that’s horse racing.  Sometimes you get a tough trip and that’s that.”

HELEN PITTS-BLASI, trainer of EINSTEIN (third as the favorite)

“He ran huge, it was just bad racing luck.  They did all they could to get him beat, but that’s just part of racing I guess.  He gallops out in front.  What can you do?”

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Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein (BRZ) will carry high weight of 124 pounds and concede from 2-11 pounds to seven rivals Saturday as he attempts to become the first horse to win three consecutive Grade I races on three surfaces in the 28th running of the $600,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

            The Stephen Foster, which serves as the centerpiece of an action-packed 11-race program that features four other graded stakes, will be the 10th race on the “Reunion Day” card at approximately 5:29 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post time is 12:45 p.m. and grandstand admission gates open at 11:30 a.m.

Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein will again be ridden by Julien Leparoux who guided Einstein to victory in the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface and the May 2 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.

          Only Lava Man, who retired from racing last July, has won Grade I races on three surfaces, but he did not do it consecutively.

 Einstein, a 7-year-old son of 1985 Kentucky Derby winner Spend a Buck, will break from post position three in the 1 1/8-mile main track race. Boasting a career mark of 25-11-3-2 with earnings of $2,609,904, Einstein ran second in last year’s Stephen Foster behind Horse of the Year Curlin.

 Of the 11 victories, seven have come in graded stakes with five being in Grade Is. No other Stephen Foster entrant boasts a Grade I victory, but the other seven starters have combined to win 14 graded stakes.

The most accomplished of those is Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Asiatic Boy (ARG), who will make his United States debut under the care of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. A winner of four graded stakes in Dubai, Asiatic Boy has captured seven of 15 starts with earnings in excess of $3 million.

McLaughlin won the 2007 Stephen Foster with Flashy Bull.

Alan Garcia rides Asiatic Boy, who will break from post position seven and carry 122 pounds.

Three Stephen Foster starters will carry 118 pounds: Arson Squad, a three-time graded stakes winner, Finallymadeit, also a three-time graded stakes winner who has won 12 stakes in his career with 11 of those coming at Calder, and Researcher, winner of the Grade III Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct last fall.

Drawing 117-pound imposts are Macho Again, winner of last year’s Derby Trial here and subsequent victor in the Grade II Jim Dandy and New Orleans Handicap, and Bullsbay, a perfect 3-for-3 at Churchill Downs including a May 1 victory in the Alysheba (Grade III).

The field for the Stephen Foster, from the rail out (with jockey, assigned weight and Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds): Alphabet Magic (Tony Farina, 113 pounds, 30-1), Macho Again (Robby Albarado, 117, 10-1), Einstein (Julien Leparoux, 124, 2-1), Arson Squad (Garrett Gomez, 118, 4-1), Researcher (Calvin Borel, 118, 4-1), Bullsbay (Jeremy Rose, 117, 10-1), Asiatic Boy (Alan Garcia, 122, 7-2) and Finallymadeit (Eduardo Nunez, 118, 8-1).

Since achieving Grade I status in 2002, the Foster has produced three horses that went on to earn “Horse of the Year” titles: 2003 runner-up Mineshaft, 2005 winner Saint Liam and last year’s champ Curlin.

In 1998, Awesome Again and Silver Charm ran 1-2 in the Grade II Foster and then came back in less than five months to duplicate the finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

In 1991, when the Stephen Foster was a Grade III event, Black Tie Affair (IRE) won the race, the first of six consecutive victories in a Horse of the Year campaign that included a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs.

EINSTEIN ASSIGNED 124 POUNDS FOR FOSTER; MISS ISELLA TOPS FLEUR DE LIS WEIGHTS – Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein (BRZ) was assigned top weight of 124 pounds by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman for next Saturday’s 28th running of the $600,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein ran second in last year’s Stephen Foster behind Horse of the Year Curlin.  The 7-year-old son of 1985 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Spend A Buck is scheduled to work a half-mile Sunday morning.  A winner of 11 of 25 races with earnings of $2,609,904, Einstein will be shooting for a third consecutive Grade I victory and his first win at that level on traditional dirt.
A win in the Stephen Foster would allow Einstein to join Lava Man as the only horses to win Grade I races on dirt, grass and synthetic courses.  The two-time winner of Churchill Downs’ Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on turf and the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (GI) on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, Einstein won the $500,000 Clark Handicap (GII) last fall on the man track at Churchill Downs.
The next high weight was assigned to Asiatic Boy with 122 pounds. The 6-year-old is coming off a 12th-place finish to Well Armed in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) and the Foster will mark both his U.S. bow and debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.  Previously trained by South African Mike de Kock, he has a record of 7-3-2 in 15 races and earnings of $3,068.090.  He was second to Curlin in last year’s Dubai World Cup and won the $2 million UAE Derby as a 4-year-old in 2007.
Other probable starters and their weight assignments include 2008 Meadowlands Cup (GII) winner Arson Squad (118); Finallymadeit, winner of Calder’s Memorial Day Handicap (GIII) and Gulfstream Park’s Skip Away (GIII) (118); Researcher (118), winner of the Queens County (GIII) at Aqueduct and the recent $500,000 Charles Town Classic;  Alysheba (GIII) winner Bullsbay (117), Macho Again (117), runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Preakness (GI) and winner of the 2009  New Orleans Handicap (GII).
Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella, winner of the Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (GI) undercard, was assigned top weight of 122 pounds for the 35th running of the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Trained by Ian Wilkes, Miss Isella has won four of six starts at Churchill Downs, including the Grade II Falls City Handicap last fall.  The daugheter of 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm has a record of 4-1-0 in six races under the Twin Spires and has earned $436,733.  Of that total, $400,968 has been earned at Churchill Downs.
Second high weight for the Fleur De Lis is the Eric Guillot-trained Santa Teresita, winner of Santa Anita’s Santa Maria (GI) with 121 pounds. Other probable starters and their weight assignments are Sixty Saile (GIII) and Gardenia (GIII) winner Swift Temper (117); Arlington Matron (GIII) runner-up Kiss With a Twist (115); Unforgotten (115), the runner-up in Churchill Downs Chilukki (GII) and Pimlico’s DuPont Distaff (GII); and Distinctive Dixie (114), runner-up in Oaklawn’s Bayakoa. Considered as possible for the race are Maryland-based multiple stakes winner All Smiles (115) and Humana Distaff (GI) runner-up Temple Street (113).

COURT RELISHES RETURN TO THE BLUE GRASS – A familiar scene from the Spring Meet played out after Friday’s sixth race, where jockey Jon Court’s mega-watt smile illuminated the winner’s circle as a fat, double-figure payoff lit up the tote board.
    Hidden Bay gave Court his 14th winner of the meet and returned $35.20. The average payoff for Court’s winners is $25.10, which nearly triple the average return for a winners ridden by the meet-leading Julien Leparoux and almost double the return on Calvin Borel’s winners, which include the $103.20 Derby mutuel on Mine That Bird.
    “People are hollering back ‘welcome home’ and it just doesn’t get any sweeter than that,” said Court, who last rode regularly at Churchill Downs in the 2003 Fall Meet. “I was just thinking that maybe about this time next year it will wear off, but I hope the rejuvenation doesn’t.”
When Court, 48, left for Southern California to ride regularly five years ago, he held on to his house in Shelbyville. Now, that house is home again.
“I am far more delighted about being back in Kentucky than I thought I would be,” said Court, the 18th-leading rider all time at Churchill Downs with 323 victories. “Second of all, I thought I would miss California a bit, but the warm homecoming has been so overwhelming that I have no longings to go back to California.”
Court feels the return to Kentucky may prolong his career.
“I have found that at my age I get an agent (Tony King) that puts you on the card and your career has some longevity that a year ago you didn’t think was possible,” Court said. “I had people ask last year what I would do after I was done riding.
“At that point, I had no plans on quitting, but apparently the way my career was  moving -- it had slowed down quite a bit – people were thinking I was taking that as an option. I know that is down the road. I just hope it is further down the road.”
Another plus for Court is the fact that his son Justin is here and works as an exercise rider.
“That has been a pleasure to have my oldest son on the track,” Court said. “he is always a joy to be around.”

FINAL LIGHTS ARRIVE FOR NIGHTS NEXT WEEK – “Downs After Dark” night racing debuts June 19 and its final sets of temporary lights arrive next week.
    “They will be installing one set of lights at the top of the stretch and two near the track kitchen on June 10 and 11,” said David Sweazy, Churchill Downs’ vice president, Operations. “There will be eight mobile trailers for the infield that will go up between June 10 and 13.”
    Training hours on Monday and Tuesday, June 15 and 16, will begin at 5 a.m. to give trainers an opportunity to have their horses on track under the lights.
    Two more Downs After Dark programs are scheduled for June 26 and July 2 with the first post time for each card being 6 p.m.

RAMSEYS IN COMMAND OF OWNERS RACE – With 60 percent of the 45-day Spring Meet in the books, the husband-wife team of Ken and Sarah Ramsey appear to be well on their way to a 15th owner’s title at Churchill Downs.
The victory by Pauillac in Friday’s fifth race gave the Ramseys 12 winners for the meet, six more than their closest pursuer, Maggi Moss.
The Ramseys, who have won the past three meet titles at Churchill Downs, had 20 winners during last spring’s 52-day meet.
Steve Asmussen, who has won five training titles at Churchill Downs, leads Mike Maker 16-12 in the chase for leading trainer.
In the race for leading rider, four-time meet leader Julien Leparoux has a 43-35 lead over Calvin Borel. Both jockeys are riding at Belmont Park on Saturday and have mounts in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I): Leparoux on Flying Private and Borel on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

MILESTONE WATCH – Calvin Borel will be back at Churchill Downs on Sunday, with mounts in nine of the 10 races. Borel has 920 career victories at Churchill Downs and needs six wins to surpass Don Brumfield for second place all time at the track. Pat Day is No. 1 all time with 2,482 victories.
David Vance has one starter in at Churchill Downs on Saturday – Westline in the eighth -- in his bid to become the 11th trainer with 300 victories beneath the Twins Spires.

BARN TALK – The disqualification of Calimonco for interference in the stretch of Friday’s 11th race that elevated Victory Notion to the win was only the second DQ of the meet for first place. The other previous win DQ came on May 7 in the seventh race when Cross Village was disqualified and placed third for interference in the stretch.

WORK TAB – Three possible candidates for next Saturday’s Fleur De Lis worked over a fast track Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Likely starter Unforgotten worked a half-mile in :49.80, the 41st fastest of 70 at the distance. Also working were possible starters Temple Street, who worked a half in :47.40 under jockey Jon Court for the second fastest move at the distance of the morning, and French Kiss, who worked seven furlongs in 1:27.60 under jockey Joe Johnson. Probable Regret starter The Best Day Ever worked five furlongs in 1:03.20, the 20th fastest of 33 at the distance. Posting half-mile works were Matt Winn runner-up Cash Refund (:49.20, 30th fastest) and seventh- place Preakness finisher Terrain (:49.60, 36th fastest), who runs next in the Iowa Derby.

WITH 4,000 VICTORIES, ALBARADO AIMS FOR NEXT MILESTONE – With one milestone behind him, jockey Robby Albarado took time out the other morning to reflect on some of the magic moments en route to 4,000 career victories, mark he achieved at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
    “Obviously, the very first one I won in 1990,” Albarado said of One Little Point at Evangeline Downs on June 29 as he began to click off a top five.
    “The other four would have to be with Curlin and Mineshaft. Those were great moments there and getting my first Grade I was pretty special with Joyeux Danseur here in the (1998)  Early Times (now Woodford Reserve) Turf Classic.”
    Albarado got his milestone victory in Saturday’s ninth race aboard Keertana. Earlier in the day in the third race at Philadelphia Park, Jose Luis Flores got his 4,000th victory, which made Albarado the 57th North American rider to reach that plateau.
    Albarado, who turns 36 in September, was asked what the first race would be that he would pop into a VCR many years down the road of Robby’s greatest hits to share with the grandkids.
    “The first race in the VCR probably would have to be Preakness,” Albarado said of Curlin’s victory over Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense. “My first Triple Crown win was pretty special there. It was a proud moment in my career.”
    There are 24 North American riders with more than 5,000 victories with another 16 active riders, including Albarado, in the 4,000 club in pursuit of the next milestone.
    Albarado was asked what he would like to add to his list of memorable victories when No. 5,000 rolled around.
    “Oh, that’s easy. The Derby, of course,” Albarado said. “Hopefully between now and the next thousand if I get there, I’ll have at least one Derby. That would be special.”

EINSTEIN HEADS LIST OF 20 NOMINATIONS FOR STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP – Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein, runner-up to “Horse of the Year” Curlin in last year’s renewal of the Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I), tops a list of 20 nominees for this year’s renewal, which will be run Saturday, June 13.
    Weights for the $600,000 Stephen Foster, to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, will be announced Saturday.
    Einstein will be seeking to join Lava Man as the only horse to win Grade I races on dirt, grass and synthetic surfaces. Unlike Lava Man, Einstein will attempt to create his own triple in consecutive races.
    Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein won the Santa Anita Handicap on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface on March 7 and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 2 in his two most recent starts.
    Einstein is one six horses considered as probable for the Stephen Foster by Churchill Downs stakes coordinator Allison De Luca. Other probables include Arson Squad, winner of last fall’s Meadowlands Cup (Grade II), Bullsbay, winner of the May 1 Alysheba (Grade III) here, 2009 New Orleans Handicap (Grade II) winner Macho Again, Charles Town Classic winner Researcher, multi-South Florida graded-stakes winner Finallymadeit and Dubious Miss. Considered as “possible” is $3 million earner Asiatic Boy, who has not run since he finished 12th to Well Armed in the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 28.

BIG NAMES DOT REUNION DAY NOMINATIONS – Dual Grade II Churchill Downs stakes winner Miss Isella, Coolmore Lexington (Grade II) winner Advice and the promising Warrior’s Reward highlight the list of nominees considered as “probable” to participate on the June 13 Reunion Day Featuring the Stephen Foster Handicap card.
    Two Grade II and two Grade III stakes will serve as the appetizers leading up to the 28th running of the Stephen Foster.
    Miss Isella, winner of the Louisville Distaff in her most recent start on May 1, tops a list of five probables and two possibles for the 35th running of the $200,000-added Fleur de Lis Handicap (Grade II), a1 1/8th-mile main track test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Weights for the race will be announced Saturday.
    In addition to Miss Isella, other probables for the race according to stakes coordinator Allison De Luca are Distinctive Dixie, Kiss With a Twist, Santa Teresita, Swift Temper and Unforgotten. Considered as possible are All Smiles and Temple Street.
    Advice, who followed up his Coolmore Lexington victory with a 13th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), is poised to make his grass debut in the 34th running of the $150,000-added Jefferson Cup (Grade II) at 1 1/8 miles. Other probables include El Crespo, Jake Wil Gallop and No Inflation.
    Warrior’s Reward, a stylish allowance winner here on May 1, is one of five probables for the 12th running of the $100,000-added Northern Dancer (Grade III) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16th miles on the main track.
    Other Northern Dancer probables include Gresham, Omniscient, Parade Clown and Successful Dan.
    Five 3-year-old fillies are considered as probable starters for the 40th running of the $150,000 Regret (Grade III) at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The quintet includes Banker’s Choice, Oculuna, Prytania, Super Poni and The Best Day Ever with Keertana, who gave jockey Robby Albarado his 4,000th victory last Saturday, considered as a possible starter.
    Entries for all five stakes on the Reunion Day card will be drawn Wednesday.

AMOSS JOINS BYRNE FOR SATURDAY’S ‘GET IN THE GAME’ SEMINAR – Trainer and television racing analyst Tom Amoss will discuss the Belmont Stakes and more when he joins Churchill Downs’ Jill Byrne for her weekly “Get in the Game” handicapping seminar on Saturday, June 6.
    Amoss, a New Orleans native who is a two-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs, also serves as a racing analyst for TVG and will offer his perspective on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird’s bid for the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
    Byrne’s recent guests in the seminar have included two-time Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel and Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr., trainer of Mine That Bird.

MILESTONE WATCH – David Vance, one of 22 North American trainers with more than 3,000 career victories (3,011), will try to become the 11th conditioner at Churchill Downs to have 300 victories beneath the Twins Spires in Thursday’s third race.
Vance, who has 299 wins here, sends out Chief Waterbury in the third. Vance has two horses entered on Friday’s 11-race card: My Little Connor in the second and Closetoaten in the ninth.
    Trainer Bill Connelly, two wins shy of 1,000 for his career, sends out Sweetasnails in Thursday’s ninth race. On Friday, Connelly’s Sinus Rhythm is on the also-eligible list in the 10th race.

BARN TALK – Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner General Quarters, who ran 10th in the Kentucky Derby and ninth in the Preakness Stakes (Grade I) will be out until late fall after having a small chip removed from his right front knee.
    “He is doing well,” owner-trainer Tom McCarthy said. “I’d like to have him ready for the Clark Handicap if possible.
    “After the Derby we noticed a little filling, but there was no heat or discomfort. It was not a major thing. After the Preakness, I took him to Rood & Riddle in Lexington and had it x-rayed. There was not much there but we went ahead and took it out.”
    McCarthy has an idea of when the injury may have occurred in the Derby.
    “We went back and looked at pictures of the race, and there was one in which he had three feet up and the right front was on the ground,” McCarthy said. “He got bumped at that time and he might have twisted it then.” …
    Training hours will be adjusted the mornings of Monday, June 15 and Tuesday June 16 to begin at 5 a.m. to give trainers an opportunity to train under the lights in advance of the debut of night racing at Churchill Downs on Friday, June 19.        

WORK TAB (Track: Good, then MUDDY) – Trainer Ian Wilkes sent out two of his aces for the June 13 Reunion Day card for five-furlong works over a “muddy” Churchill Downs main track. Northern Dancer candidate Warrior’s Reward covered the distance in 1:01.60, the fastest of eight at the distance. Likely Fleur De Lis favorite Miss Isella covered the distance in 1:02.60.