Reunion Day

With five sensational graded stakes races cumulatively worth more than $1.2 million and a bevy of entertainment before and during the races, Saturday’s popular Reunion Day program at Churchill Downs promises to be action packed on and off the racetrack.

            Inaugurated a decade ago, Reunion Day, who many have nicknamed “Stephen Foster Super Saturday,” is a day-long celebration of the past and present with multiple stakes offerings centered around the track’s signature event for older horses, the Grade I, $660,000 Stephen Foster Handicap.

The 28th running of the 1 1/8-mile test, which has helped crown Horse of the Year on four occasions, lured America’s top older horse. Einstein, who sits atop the Week 15 NTRA Thoroughbred Poll conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, is the 2-1 morning line favorite for this year’s marquee event and he’ll make a run at history.

The 7-year-old horse will attempt to become the first horse to win three consecutive Grade I races on three surfaces and a millionaire three times over (the $396,924 first prize would boost Einstein’s career earnings to $3,006,828). This year, he’s won Santa Anita Handicap over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Kentucky Derby Day.

Einstein has a stiff challenge as the field of eight cumulatively boasts 21 graded stakes wins. Top opponents include international star Asiatic Boy-ARG, who’ll make his U.S. debut in the Foster; multiple Grade II champ Arson Squad, who’ll be ridden by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez; and the flashy West Virginia invader Researcher, who’ll be piloted by red-hot Calvin Borel.

            Appropriately, the star-studded racing program will be accompanied by several special events for racing fans of all ages. They include:

¨      Between race salutes and trophy presentations to winning connections of this year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (the Oaks presentation will be after Race 4 at 2:21 p.m. and the Derby presentation will follow Race 5 at 2:53 p.m.), plus free autograph sessions with the Derby and Oaks victorious owners, trainers and jockey Calvin Borel;

¨      An appearance by famed horse racing cartoonist Pierre “Peb” Bellocq, who’ll be onsite to update his colorful Derby-winning jockey and trainer murals and sign purchased prints of those popular works;

¨      A special pre-race handicapping seminar and breakfast featuring a panel of horse racing experts;

¨      A free question and answer session with leading rider Julien Leparoux;

¨      Entertainment by The Stephen Foster Singers inside Gate 10 and live music by Artie Dean Harris in the paddock area;

¨      A petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and games for children at the track’s Junior Jockey Club;

¨      A between-race $100,000 check presentation by Churchill Downs Incorporated to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for funds raised at this year’s Kentucky Oaks (immediately after Race 6 at approximately 3:25 p.m.); and

¨      A special invitation-only “TwinSpires Day at Churchill Downs” in Skye Terrace 4 and Sections 115-116 for a select group of TwinSpires.com account holders.

            Churchill Downs will open admission gates Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (all times EDT) with the first of 11 live races scheduled for 12:45 p.m. Early arrivals can take part in free autograph sessions and/or handicapping seminars.

Borel, who scored a rare Oaks-Derby sweep aboard Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird, respectively, will be available to sign free autographs from 11:30 a.m. to about noon on the second floor of the clubhouse in front of Peb’s jockey mural. Meanwhile, Mine That Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley and owners Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach and Rachel Alexandra’s former trainer Hal Wiggins and former owners Dolphus Morrison and Michael Lauffer will sign from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and between 3-4 p.m. 

            Customers also will have an opportunity to learn more about leading rider Julien Leparoux, the regular rider of Einstein. The 25-year-old Frenchman will be racing analyst Jill Byrne’s special guest for Saturday’s “Get in the Game” Handicapping Seminar. The half-hour session – free with general admission – will begin at noon in the paddock area and will feature informative and in-depth analysis of select races and other handicapping topics.

            A more in-depth Reunion Day Handicapping Seminar that’ll include race-by-race analysis of each Reunion Day stakes race will take place early Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Paddock Pavilion. For $15, fans will receive admission to the seminar and that afternoon’s races, continental breakfast, a reserved box seat, an official program, a gift bag and an entry into a drawing for door prizes. The expert panel will feature top trainer Dale Romans, Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee, WHAS 84’s Paul Rogers and Churchill Downs’ John Asher and Jill Byrne.

There’s also fun for the entire family. Patrons who enter through Gate 10 will be entertained by The Stephen Foster Singers as they perform the legendary works of the famed composer who wrote “My Old Kentucky Home”. Meanwhile, Artie Dean Harris will play live music in the paddock area between 1-5 p.m.

A petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and games for children aged 3-10 will highlight Saturday’s activities at Churchill Downs’ Junior Jockey Club located near the Guest Services Booth inside Gate 10. The Junior Jockey Club is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Churchill Downs’ mascot Churchill Charlie will be on hand for photographs between 2-2:30 p.m. Coloring books, crayons, individual games and reading material are available as well.

Meanwhile, acclaimed Thoroughbred racing cartoonist Pierre Bellocq, better known to generations of horse racing fans as “Peb,” will update his colorful murals that depict every jockey and trainer that have won the Kentucky Derby. Peb will add Woolley to the trainer’s mural and update Borel’s image to reflect two victories as a jockey.

Between 1-2:30 p.m., Peb will be available for autographs and, for the first time, fans can purchase limited edition prints of his masterful trainer’s mural at cost for just $10. Additionally, the first 100 who purchase the trainer’s mural will also receive a complementary print of its 2005 companion piece, the jockey’s mural.

            Churchill Downs’ rapid-fire stakes action on Saturday will commence in Race 7 at approximately 3:57 p.m. and will encompass the final five races on the program. The Stephen Foster, carded as Race 10, is scheduled for 5:29 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service, Saturday’s Louisville forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high near 84 degrees. There’s a small 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m.

For more information, call (502) 636-4400 or log onto churchilldowns.com.

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Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella will go for her third consecutive Grade II stakes victory at Churchill Downs on Saturday when she totes high weight of 122 pounds in the 35th running of the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (Grade II).

            The Fleur De Lis, for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track, is one of four graded stakes Saturday on Reunion Day Featuring the 28th running of the $600,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I).

            In addition to the Stephen Foster and the four other graded stakes, the connections from Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra will receive their Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks trophies, respectively. First post time for Saturday’s 11-race card is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and grandstand admission gates open at 11:30 a.m.

            Trained by Ian Wilkes, Miss Isella made her graded-stakes debut in last fall’s Falls City Handicap (Grade II) here, winning by a length over Skylighter at 1 1/8 miles. On May 1, Miss Isella handed One Caroline her first career defeat in six starts in winning the Louisville Distaff.

            Regular rider Calvin Borel will be aboard Saturday and break from post position three. Miss Isella will concede from 1-9 pounds to her eight rivals in the Fleur De Lis, which goes as the ninth race on the card at approximately 4:59 p.m.

The second high weight in the race is Southern Equine Stable’s Santa Teresita at 121 pounds. Trained by Eric Guillot, Santa Teresita won the Grade I Santa Maria Handicap this winter at Santa Anita and most recently ran second in the Sixty Sails Handicap (Grade III) at Hawthorne on April 18. Aaron Gryder will ride Santa Teresita and break from post position four.

            Hystericalady won last year’s Fleur De Lis.

          The field for the Fleur De Lis, from the rail out (with jockey, assigned weight and morning line odds): Unforgotten (Robby Albarado, 115 pounds, 15-1), Distinctive Dixie (Jesus Castanon, 114, 10-1), Miss Isella (Calvin Borel, 122, 2-1), Santa Teresita (Aaron Gryder, 121, 3-1), Copper State (Shaun Bridgmohan, 115, 6-1), Temple Street (Julien Leparoux, 113, 8-1), French Kiss (Joe Johnson, 113, 20-1), Swift Temper (Garrett Gomez, 117, 8-1) and Kiss With a Twist (Miguel Mena, 115, 6-1).

The other Grade II on Saturday’s card is the 34th running of the $150,000-added Jefferson Cup for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The Jefferson Cup is the first stakes race on the card and goes as the seventh race at approximately 3:57 p.m.

          Trainer Rusty Arnold, who won this race in 1982 with Wavering Monarch and in 1990 with Divine Warning, will send out one of the favorites in El Crespo.

            Owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., El Crespo captured the Grade III Palm Beach at 1 1/8 miles this winter at Gulfstream Park and has a turf record of 4-2-1-1.  Julien Leparoux will ride El Crespo and break from post position five under the top impost of 121 pounds.

          Also expected to draw interest at the windows in the race won last year by Tizdejavu are WinStar Farm’s Advice, who will be making his turf debut as the 5-2 morning line favorite after finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby, and Darley Stable’s Florentino (JPN), who was scratched out of last Friday’s Hill Prince (Grade III) at Belmont Park when it was rained off the turf.

          The field for the Jefferson Cup, from the hedge out: Advice (Garrett Gomez, 117 pounds, 5-2), Jake Wil Gallop (Tuffy Collier, 117, 10-1), No Inflation (Robby Albarado, 117, 7-2), Florentino (Alan Garcia, 117, 3-1), El Crespo (Julien Leparoux, 121, 3-1), Har D Boy (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117, 12-1) and Bruce N Autumn (Miguel Mena, 117, 10-1).

          The filly companion to the Jefferson Cup is the 40th running of the $150,000-added Regret (Grade III), which goes as the day’s final race at 5:58 p.m.

          Silverton Hill LLC’s Excelente (IRE) and Glen Hill Farm’s Prytania, second and fourth, respectively, in the American 1,000 Guineas at Arlington Park on May 23, help comprise an evenly matched field of 11 in the Regret.

 Miguel Mena, who rode Excelente (IRE) for the first time at Arlington, has the call again Saturday and will break from post position one.

          Pure Clan won the 2008 Regret and used that victory as a springboard to victory in the American Oaks Invitational (Grade I) three weeks later at Hollywood Park. Julien Leparoux, who rode Pure Clan to victory last year and scored in the Regret in 2006 on Lady of Venice, rides Prytania for trainer Tom Proctor.

          Proctor, who won the race in 2005 with Rich In Spirit, also sends out Keertana who gave jockey Robby Albarado his 4,000th career victory on May 30. Albarado has the call Saturday.

The field for the Regret, from the hedge out: Excelente (Miguel Mena, 116 pounds, 5-1), The Best Day Ever (Corey Lanerie, 116, 8-1), Rena (Garrett Gomez, 116, 8-1), Satans Quick Chick (Jeremy Rose, 116, 30-1), Banker’s Choice (Calvin Borel, 116, 9-2), Oculuna (Alan Garcia, 116, 6-1), Hot Cha Cha (Jesus Castanon, 116, 8-1), Super Poni (Tony Farina, 116, 50-1), Keertana (Robby Albarado, 116, 5-1), Prytania (Julien Leparoux, 116, 7-2) and Kiss Mine (Jon Court, 116, 20-1).

          The 12th running of the $100,000-added Northern Dancer (Grade III) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track drew a field of eight, headed by A. Stevens Miles Jr.’s Warrior’s Reward. The Northern Dancer is the eighth race on the card at approximately 4:29 p.m.

          Trained by Ian Wilkes, Warrior’s Reward has won two of four career starts, including an impressive allowance triumph May 1 over Munnings, who came back to win the Woody Stephens Stakes (Grade II) last Saturday at Belmont Park. Calvin Borel has the mount on Warrior’s Reward, who will break from post position three.

          Trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Northern Dancer last year with Pyro and also in 2001 with Compendium, will send out two starters in Heiligbrodt Racing’s Stable’s Dumar and Stonestreet Stables’ Omniscient.

          The field for the Northern Dancer, from the rail out: Omniscient (Robby Albarado, 116 pounds, 9-2), Successful Dan (Julien Leparoux, 116, 7-2), Warrior’s Reward (Calvin Borel, 116, 6-5), Dumar (Shaun Bridgmohan, 116, 8-1), Final Judgement (Aaron Gryder, 116, 15-1), Broad Stone (Jeremy Rose, 116, 20-1), Parade Clown (Miguel Mena, 116, 8-1) and Gresham (Garrett Gomez, 116, 10-1).

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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.