Blame

FAWKES EXPECTS DUKE OF MISCHIEF BE TROUBLE FOR FOSTER OPPONENTS - A start in Saturday’s Grade I Stephen Foster Presented by Abu Dhabi was not the original plan for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Marilyn McMaster and Fawkes Racing, Inc.’s Duke of Mischief, but everything changed following a sharp work at Calder Race Course on June 4.

“The race on our radar was the Cornhusker (Grade III at Prairie Meadows on June 25),” trainer David Fawkes said. “He’s been training extra good though and so we decided to bring him here. The work on June 4 (five furlongs at Calder) was great. He went :59.60 and galloped out in about 1:12. You don’t go 1:12 at Calder unless you can really, really run. If they work good over that track then they usually run good (in the afternoon).”

Duke of Mischief, a 5-year-old son of Graeme Hall, will enter the Stephen Foster off a 2 ¼-length win in the Grade III, $1 million Charles Town Classic on April 16.  Fawkes’ veteran defeated a strong field that included runner-up Game on Dude, who would return to finish third in the Lone Star Park Handicap (GIII), and third-place Tizway, who came back to win the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in his next start.

"I think everyone thought they were going to get an easy field (in the Charles Town Classic), but that’s not what happened,” Fawkes said. “I think every horse in that race was a graded stakes winner. It was a very tough race.”

Duke of Mischief arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday afternoon and the Stephen Foster will be his third start over the Louisville track. He was previously eighth in last year’s running of the Stephen Foster won by Blame and was fifth in the Clark Handicap (GI) won by Foster rival Giant Oak.

“He’s doing really well and hopefully he has more success here this time than he’s had in the past,” Fawkes said.

The Stephen Foster field (with jockey, weight and morning line odds) from the rail out includes: Flat Out (Corey Lanerie, 114, 30-1), Crown of Thorns (Tyler Baze, 121, 4-1), Apart (Julien Leparoux, 118, 5-1), Worldly (Manoel Cruz, 113, 30-1), El Caballo (James Graham, 115, 15-1), Regal Ransom (Alan Garcia, 117, 6-1), Equestrio (Jose Lezcano, 116, 12-1), Pool Play (Miguel Mena, 116, 20-1), Duke of Mischief (Joe Bravo, 118, 6-1), Giant Oak (Shaun Bridgmohan, 122, 7-2) and Mission Impazible (Javier Castellano, 118, 9-2).

AFTER BLAME’S FOSTER, THIS YEAR’S MODEL IS DIFFERENT FOR STALL – After winning last year’s $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap with Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame, trainer Al Stall Jr. is back with Dilschneider’s Apart to bid for a second straight triumph in the race.

The two horses have many similarities: both carry Dilschneider’s gray silks with blue cross sashes, both horses came into the Foster off prep wins in the William Donald Schaefer Handicap (GIII) at Pimlico, each earned stakes wins at Churchill Downs the previous fall (Blame in the then Grade II Clark Handicap, Apart in the Grade III Ack Ack), both came into their respective Fosters as 4-year-olds and both are homebred sons of Claiborne stallions (Blame is by Arch, while Flatter is the sire of Apart).

But several things need to occur before a comparison between Blame and Apart can be taken any further.  Blame scored a dazzling victory in Foster that established Stall’s colt as one of the top older horses in America, a status that was validated in the fall when he outlasted Horse of the Year Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) over the same track to earn the Eclipse Award for America’s top older horse.

Apart, on the other hand, enters the Foster as a colt with a solid resume highlighted by a Grade II win in the Super Derby and a pair of Grade III victories.  But Stall’s 2010 Stephen Foster with Blame was a race of fulfilled expectations, while this year’s run by Apart can be more accurately described as a race of opportunity.

“I’m way more relaxed (than last year),” Stall said Friday as he watched Apart stand in a backstretch starting gate at Churchill Downs.  “It’s been like that every time we’ve run him this year.  It’s been very comfortable.  We just get him in a race, get him over there and run and see what happens.  With Blame we were all nervous all the time, thinking of what would be.”

Apart’s victory in the Schaefer snapped a four-race losing streak that began last year at Churchill Downs  in an eighth-place behind Giant Oak in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI), a roughly run race after which he was elevated to seventh by stewards because of the action within that 11-horse field.  All of Apart’s races this year have been good, including three outings at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds: runner-up finishes in the New Orleans (GII) and Louisiana Handicaps and a third in the Mineshaft Handicap (GIII).

While that record is well short of perfect, Stall believes Apart is a better horse than he was last fall, but the Foster will go a long way toward answering the question of just where the bay colt fits in this year’s wide-open division of American older horses.

“There’s no question he’s a better horse (than last year),” Stall said.  “His pedigree says he’ll get better with age.  It’s nothing we’re doing.  We’re just throwing oats at him and letting him develop on his own.  We’re spacing his races and trying to keep him going forward.

“This race will dictate where he goes: high road, low road or middle road.  He’s a race-to-race horse.  We have no plan for him.  He’s just got to earn his way to wherever he goes next.”

One encouraging fact for Stall is Apart’s record at Churchill Downs, where he is 2-1-0 in five races that include his Ack Ack win.  His lone poor outing at the track was last fall’s Clark, but Stall said the colt had an excuse that day – one he attributes to trainer error.

“He was sick,” Stall said.  “He’s legit – he just doesn’t throw a clunker for no reason.  He had been sick a little bit before the race, and we thought after two or three days it had run its course.  … But he survived it.”

Julien Leparoux will ride Apart, who will break from post three in the 11-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile Foster.  The consistent colt’s overall career record stands at 5-3-1 in 12 races with earnings of $640,018.

REGRET A PIVOTAL RACE FOR GAYA – AMOSS’S ‘ZENYATTA’ – When the field of eight 3-year-old fillies breaks from the gate in Saturday’s 42^nd running of the $125,000-added Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII) on the Matt Winn Turf Course, trainer Tom Amoss will focus his gaze on the back of the pack.

Amoss exactly where Harris Thoroughbreds LLC’s Gaya, the filly he is most interested in, will be during that first run down the stretch in the 1 1/8-mile race.

“She is a deep closer,” Amoss said.  “I kiddingly – kiddingly – refer to her as my Zenyatta, because she closes so exceptionally well.  She is so far back she looks hopelessly beat.”

The gray daughter of Quest brings a three-race winning streak into the Regret that includes a maiden win and allowance victory at Fair Grounds, followed by a one-mile allowance win over a yielding course at Indiana Downs on May 21.  The Regret will be Gaya’s stakes debut, although that milestone comes later than Amoss had hoped."

She was entered to run in the stake Derby Weekend here at Churchill (the Edgewood), but she got sick,” Amoss said.  “That was obviously a huge disappointment to us.  But in terms of the Regret, it’s a mile and an eighth and I think that will suit her very well.”

The Regret field is headed by Kathmanblu, a stakes winner on turf and dirt who finished a troubled third to More Than Real in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) last fall at Churchill Downs.  The field also includes Edgewood winner Diva Ash; Bouquet Booth, a stakes winner on dirt in the Delta Princess (GIII) and Silverbulletday; and Excited and Blushandbashful, the 1-3 finishers in the recent Hilltop Stakes on the turf on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.

With that group of accomplished rivals awaiting her, the race should tell Amoss much about his filly.

“Tomorrow is going to decide if she’s a legitimate horse or not,” Amoss said.  “At this point we don’t know if she’s a legitimate horse.  Tomorrow’s race has a very good field and we’ll find out if we have just a good allowance horse, or a horse that can maybe be competitive in bigger races throughout the summer.”

Gaya, who will break from post seven under jockey James Graham, has a record of 3-2-0 in six races with earnings of $87,601.

The field for the Regret, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight), includes: Bizzy Caroline (Manoel Cruz, 116), Diva Ash (Robby Albarado, 116), Bouquet Booth (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Holidaysatthefarm (Jose Lezcano, 116), Kathmanblu (Julien Leparoux, 122), Excited (Javier Castellano, 116), Gaya (James Graham, 118) and Blushandbashful (Freddie Lenclud, 116).

ARABIAN RACE WILL BE NOTHING NEW FOR RACE-CALLER JOHNSON – To say that Churchill Downs track announcer Mark Johnson has experience calling Arabian races would be an understatement. The 45-year-old native of Lincolnshire, England has definitely called his fair share of Arabians during his years as a track announcer.

“I was the track announcer for all Arabian races in England for about 18 years,” Johnson said. “I was also the Racing Post’s Arabian correspondent for the same length of time.”

Johnson has not called an Arabian race for a couple of years, but will get the opportunity to in Saturday’s Grade I, $50,000-added The President of United Arab Emirates Cup, the first Arabian race in the history Churchill Downs.

“I am immensely excited,” Johnson said. “It will be a great spectacle and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Some people who are more familiar with Thoroughbred racing may overlook The President of United Arab Emirates Cup on a card that features four graded stakes races for Thoroughbreds.  But Johnson says the Arabian race, scheduled as the day’s sixth event, is loaded with quality horses.

"It’s a Grade I race and a couple of the best Arabian horses in the country will be running,” Johnson said. “Dixies Valentine is at the top of the distaff division and Grilla is probably the best long-distance Arabian in America.”

Bill Waldron’s Grilla will be ridden by an Arabian-specialist in Bill Hollick, but Calvin Borel, winner of three runnings of the Kentucky Derby, will take the mount aboard Dixies Valentine. In fact, all horses but Grilla and T M Fred Texas will be ridden by riders in the Churchill Downs jockey colony.

"I’ve ridden a few of them and it’s not completely different,” Borel said. “They’re a little bit smaller and go slower (than Thoroughbreds), but at the end of the day it’s still a horse race.”

Leading rider at the meet Corey Lanerie will be aboard Cre Run Enterprises LLC’s Ovour the Top.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Lanerie said. “I think it’s going to be fun. Maybe I’ll win the second Grade I of my career.”

Lanerie’s first and only Grade I win came aboard Hooh Why in the 2009 Ashland at Keeneland.

The field for The President of United Arab Emirates Cup for Arabians, 4-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles on the main track from the rail out (with jockey, weight): T M Fred Texas (Santos Chavez, 118), Dixies Valentine (Borel, 118), Another Color (Constantino Roman, 123), Ovour the Top (Lanerie, 118), Crownn Royal (Brian Hernandez Jr., 123), Vip (Aldo Canchano, 118), Wodkka (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 123) and Grilla (Hollick, 123).

DREAM WARRIOR MAKES STAKES DEBUT IN JEFFERSON CUP - Anthony Chok’s Dream Warrior, who will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000-added Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi (GIII), has not always shown the signs of being a stakes-caliber horse.

He was purchased at the 2009 Keeneland September Sale for $1,000, which is the minimum price a horse may be sold for at Keeneland, and finished ninth and seventh in his first two career starts.

Dream Warrior was placed on the turf for his third start and his debut on the new surface was a winning one, drawing away by over four lengths in a maiden special at Calder Race Course last October. He followed that win with a disappointing eighth-place finish in a Calder allowance, but rebounded to take an allowance over Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course on May 20. It was after that race that the Eddie Kenneally barn began to believe that Dream Warrior was a horse with stakes potential.

“He kind of surprised in his last race with how well he ran,” said Brendan Walsh, assistant trainer and exercise rider for Kenneally. “He really ran a nice race. He’s been training great since then and I expect him to run well Saturday.”

Dream Warrior has had two works over the main track at Churchill Downs in preparation for a start in the Jefferson Cup. His most recent work – a half-mile move over a fast track :47.60 on June 10 –  was the fastest four furlong effort of 60 at the distance.

The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus has a record of 2-0-0 from five starts with earnings of $49,264. Corey Lanerie, the Spring Meet’s leading rider, will be aboard Dream Warrior in the Jefferson Cup.

The field for the Jefferson Cup, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight), includes: Live In Joy (Manoel Cruz, 117), Redboard (Leandro Goncalves, 117), Dream Warrior (Lanerie, 117), Banned (Jose Lezcano, 121), Swagger Jack (James Graham, 117), Perregaux (Robby Albarado, 117), Benergy (Javier Castellano, 117) and Great Mills (Julien Leparoux, 117).

Note: Live in Joy (5^th), Swagger Jack (6^th) and Great Mills (10^th) competed in Wednesday night’s $200,000 Oliver Stakes at Indiana Downs and are unlikely to start Saturday.

ILLINOIS DERBY WINNER EXPECTED TO START IN MATT WINN – Zayat Stables LLC’s Joe Vann, who won the Grade III Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park prior to finishing fourth in the Peter Pan (GII) at Belmont Park in his most recent start, is expected to run in Saturday’s $125,000 Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

Although he was entered Wednesday for the Matt Winn, the Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old son of Silver Deputy was also being considered for the Iowa Derby (GIII) next Saturday at Prairie Meadows.

“As of right now, we are still running (in the Matt Winn),” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said Friday morning.

Joe Vann shipped in from Belmont last week and had his first work over the Churchill Downs track June 12. He covered five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01.40, which was the eighth fastest of 41 workers at the same distance that morning.

A start with Joe Vann in the Matt Winn (Race 10) would give the Pletcher barn a chance to sweep the late, stakes triple Saturday. Michael Tabor’s Excited will run in the Grade III Regret (Race 11) and Twin Creeks Racing Stable LLC’s Mission Impazible will start in the Grade I Stephen Foster (Race 12).

The Matt Winn field, from the rail out (with jockey, weight), includes: Alstom (Calvin Borel, 116), Infrattini (Corey Lanerie, 116), Wilburn (Mike Smith, 116), Supreme Ruler (Jon Court, 116), Uncle Brent (Manoel Cruz, 120), Chalice (Julien Leparoux, 116), Scotus (Alan Garcia, 116) and Joe Vann (Javier Castellano, 120).

BARN TALK – Nominations for the 110^th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on the main track at Churchill Downs will close Saturday. The Bashford Manor, which is scheduled to be run Saturday, July 2, was won last year by Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Kantharos under Robby Albarado for trainer Steve Asmussen. …

Nominations for the 21^st running of the Grade II, $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward at one mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course will close Saturday. The Firecracker Handicap, which is scheduled to be run on Monday, July 4, was won last year by Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu under Jesus Castanon for trainer Greg Fox. …

Donegal Racing’s O’Prado Again, a 2-year-old son of El Prado-IRE who was purchased for $350,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale, will make his first start in Saturday’s seventh race for trainer Dale Romans. Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing named the colt in honor of the recently retired Paddy O’Prado, a Grade I winner with more than $1.7 million in career earnings. …

To Honor and Serve’s 4-year-old half-brother named Dream Steeler will make his debut in Saturday’s eighth race for trainer Mike Maker and owner Twin Creeks Farm. To Honor and Serve, a 3-year-old son of Bernardini, was a multiple Grade II winner at 2-years-old and was on the 2011 Kentucky Derby trail before being sidelined with a strain to the suspensory ligament of his left foreleg. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (June 9-16) are Corey Lanerie (8-for-36), Julien Leparoux (7-for-20) and Manoel Cruz (6-for-27). Tom Amoss (4-for-6) and Mike Maker (3-for-8) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Brereton C. Jones (2-for-2), A.L. Luedtke (2-for-2), Maggi Moss (2-for-2) and Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2-for-5).

WORKTAB – Columbine Stable’s J.B.’s Thunder, who won the Grade I Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland before finishing ninth in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, worked four furlongs in :49.60 on a fast main track beneath the Twin Spires on Friday morning for trainer Al Stall Jr. 

W.S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally worked four furlongs in :51.60 Friday morning for trainer Neil Howard. Close Ally finished second to Glen Hill Farm’s Banned in the Grade II American Turf Presented by Ram prior to a second place finish to Thirtyfirststreet in the $200,000 Lone Star Derby on May 30.

WEATHER – Friday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 87. Friday night: mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 72. Saturday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Sunday: partly sunny and hot with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Monday: mostly sunny and hot, 95. Tuesday: mostly sunny and hot, 94. Wednesday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Thursday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88.  

Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, will join with Churchill Downs to play a major role in one of the historic track’s most important racing days as the emirate will partner with the home of the Kentucky Derby as presenting sponsor for the star-studded Stephen Foster Day racing program on Saturday, June 18.

Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi features four graded stakes races for Thoroughbreds headed by the main event, the 30^th running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (Grade I).  The 12-race program also will feature the $50,000 The President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, a Grade I race for purebred Arabian horses that will be the first race for horses of that breed ever conducted at the world famous track.  The race is limited to 14 horses and will be run on the main track at 1 ¼ miles.

The President of the UAE Cup Series was established 20 years ago to promote and celebrate the Arabian breed internationally.  It was the first international racing series for Arabian horses and continues to be considered as the world’s premier racing series for the breed.

During the three decades since its first running in 1982, the Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi has grown to become one of America’s most important races for older horses.  Last year’s renewal was won by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s homebred Blame, who would return to Churchill Downs later in the year to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

Blame was the fourth horse to take both the Stephen Foster and the Classic in the same year.  Others who completed that sweep were Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Saint Liam (2005).  Black Tie Affair and Saint Liam won their respective renewals of the Stephen Foster on their way to year-end honors as Horse of the Year.  Two other horses that competed in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up also earned that year’s Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in the same year: Mineshaft, who finished second to Perfect Drift in the 2003 Stephen Foster, and Curlin, who won the race as a 4-year-old in 2008 on his way to his second consecutive Horse of the Year award.

Other stakes races on the Churchill Downs racing schedule for Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi on Saturday, June 18, include:

• The 14^th running of the $125,000-added Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles,
• The 42^nd running of the $125,000-added Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf,
• And the 36^th running of the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

The on-track celebration of Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi will include an opportunity for patrons to learn about life in the Emirate and enjoy Arabian hospitality by visiting the Abu Dhabi Experience Tent.  The tent, a collaborative effort of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi, will be located in the paddock area near Gate 18.  The Abu Dhabi Experience Tent has been visited by race goers around the world at tracks that include Britain’s Royal Ascot and Newmarket; Ireland’s The Curragh; and France’s Deauville.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will display its branded Formula 1 race car in the Churchill Downs paddock.  Visitors will have an opportunity to have photographs taken with the vehicle.

And patrons visiting Churchill Downs on Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dubai will have the opportunity to enter a sweepstakes drawing that has a grand prize of a Five-Star trip to Abu Dhabi.

Post time for the first of 12 races on Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi will be 12:45 p.m. (ET).

MIGHT HOPES TO STEP OUT OF BLAME’S SHADOW IN DOGWOOD - Since Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Might made her debut on Feb. 20 of this year, she has been known to most racing fans as “Blame’s younger sister.”

            Her older brother is most famous for winning the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs by a head over Zenyatta last November. Saturday’s Dogwood (GIII) at Churchill Downs may not be the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it will be Might’s first opportunity to make history of her own beneath the Twin Spires as she competes stakes company for the first time.

            Trainer Al Stall Jr. was pleased with Might’s two most recent works and saw the Dogwood as the next logical step following her very impressive 4 ¾-length victory in a seven-furlong allowance race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.

            “She won so impressively in her last start and has been working well since then,” Stall said. “If she ran in another allowance she probably would have had to face older horses. Running in the Dogwood allows her test stakes company and keep running against 3-year-olds.”

            While Stall is well-aware that it will be difficult to replace Blame, who was crowned champion older horse at the most recent Eclipse Awards, he is excited about Might’s potential. “I don’t know if she (Might) is as good as him (Blame), but she’s pretty good in her own right,” Stall said.

            The 3-year-old Arch filly may be talented, but she doesn’t have the nicest of dispositions.

            “She’s hot and fiery,” Stall said. “Blame was very laid back and a total gentleman. They have totally different personalities.”

            The Dogwood is the main focus for Might; however, the Stall barn has looked ahead to a few possible spots for her if Saturday goes as planned.

            “We want to get by Saturday first, but then we may look at the Test (GI at Saratoga on Aug. 6),” Stall said. “Looking way ahead we may bring her back to Churchill for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI).”

            Might will face a field of eight in Saturday’s race. The field for the Dogwood from the rail out (with jockey, weight) includes: Might (Leparoux, 117), Angelica Zapata (Pedroza Jr., 117), Salty Strike (Cruz, 117), Juanita (Court, 119), Fantasy of Flight (Albarado, 117), Henny’s Hurricane (Garcia, 117), Holy Heavens (Bridgmohan, 117), and Gran Lioness (Theriot, 119).               

NUMBER ONE IN LUND’S BARN – Having two Roys in the same barn can get a little confusing. So how does trainer Valorie Lund handle being around Roy Schaefer of R.E.V. Racing and stable star Atta Boy Roy at the same time?

“It’s simple. I call him (Atta Boy Roy) Roy number one and he (Schaefer) is Roy number two,” Lund said.

Atta Boy Roy, winner of the Churchill Downs (GII) in 2010 and the number one Roy in Lund’s barn, will face a strong field of eight Saturday in the $100,000-added Aristides (GIII). The 23^rd running of the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up includes three Grade-I winners in Here Comes Ben, Capt. Candyman Can and Noble’s Promise; the defending Arisitides champion in Riley Tucker; two graded-stakes winners at Churchill Downs in Hurricane Ike, winner of last year’s The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII), and Atta Boy Roy; a multiple-stakes winner in Cash Refund; and Good Lord, who has a record of 2-2-2 in eight starts over the main track at Churchill Downs.

“Everyone I’ve talked to says it’s one of the toughest Aristides’ fields they’ve ever seen,” Lund said. “It’s a very tough race, but we are excited to be apart of it.”

Atta Boy Roy, a 6-year-old ridgling by Tribunal out of Irish Toast by Synastry, is one of six horses who currently race under the colors of R.E.V. Racing for Schaefer. The owner recently flew into Louisville from his home in Seattle, Wa. and was on hand to watch Atta Boy Roy jog around the historic Churchill Downs track prior to the renovation break on Friday morning.  

“He’s my first and only stakes winner,” Schaefer said. “There’s something special about the first one and I don’t think anyone will ever be able to replace him.”

Following Atta Boy Roy’s victory in the Churchill Downs last year, he would go on to finish second in both the Aristides and the Iowa Sprint Handicap before making a return to the winner’s circle in the $200,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup. Atta Boy Roy finished his 2010 campaign with an eighth place finish in the Woodford (GIII) on the turf at Keeneland and a 10^th place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) at Churchill Downs.

After a disappointing last-place finish in the in the Potrero Grande (GII) at Santa Anita, the Washington-bred won a six-furlong allowance race at Turf Paradise on May 1 in his most recent start.

Atta Boy Roy will be ridden Saturday by Jesus Castanon, but he won’t be the first member of the family to have ridden “Roy number one.”

“Jesus’ brother, Antonio, was aboard him for his first two starts and he broke the horse’s maiden,” Lund said. “So we’re happy that Jesus gets to ride him now.”

The Aristides, which will be the 10^th race of Saturday’s 11-race program, is scheduled to go off at 5:29 p.m. The field for the Aristides from the rail out (with jockey) includes Here Comes Ben (Leparoux), Riley Tucker (Desormeaux), Capt. Candyman Can (Borel), Hurricane Ike (Albarado), Cash Refund (Bridgmohan), Good Lord (Lanerie), Atta Boy Roy (Castanon) and Noble’s Promise (Garcia).

MEET LEADERS AT THE HALF – Through the first 19 days of the 39-day Spring Meet, jockey Corey Lanerie, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds were the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Below is a look at the leaders entering Friday’s action:

Top 12 Jockeys

  1. Corey Lanerie (23-for-103, 22% win-percentage, $703,881 in earnings)

  2. Shaun Bridgmohan (22-for-102, 21%, $656,817)

  3. Julien Leparoux (14-for-88, 16%, $569,593)

  4. Jon Court (13-for-71, 18%, $328,416)

  5. Calvin Borel (12-for-107, 11%, $419,040)

  5. Miguel Mena (12-for-88, 14%, $415,038)

  7. Kent Desormeaux (11-for-67, 16%, $671,463)

  8. Freddie Lenclud (8-for-68, 12%, $243,320)

  9. Marcelino Pedroza Jr.* (7-for-85, 8%, $241,269)

  9. Constantino Roman* (7-for-79, 9%, $189,418)

11. Manny Cruz (6-for-52, 12%, $235,433)

11. Brian Hernandez Jr. (6-for-49, 12%, $184,594)

Top win-percentage for jockeys with more than three wins: Martin Garcia (75.0%), John Velazquez (31.3%), Corey Lanerie (22.3%), Shaun Bridgmohan (21.4%), Garrett Gomez (20.0%), Jon Court (18.3%), Jimmy Graham (18.2%), Rafael Bejarano (17.6%), Kent Desormeaux (16.4%) and Julien Leparoux (15.9%).

Top 16 Trainers

  1. Steve Asmussen (9-for-53, 17%, $871,152)

  2. Tom Amoss (8-for-21, 38%, $213,661)

  2. Dale Romans (8-for-53, 15%, $674,665)

  4. Brad Cox (6-for-23, 26%, $113,485)

  4. Tim Glyshaw (6-for-19, 32%, $100,525)

  4. Eddie Kenneally (6-for-26, 23%, 143,411)

  4. Steve Margolis (6-for-31, 19%, $197,595)

  4. Merrill Scherer (6-for-22, 27%, $131,007)

  9. Bob Baffert (5-for-7, 71%, $880,869)

  9. Ian Wilkes (5-for-29, 17%, $198,060)

11. Jim Baker (4-for-11, 36%, $92,889)

11. Greg Foley (4-for-20, 20%, $81,974)

11. D. Wayne Lukas (4-for-35, 11%, $183,828)

11. Mike Maker (4-for-38, 11%, $178,467)

11. Ken McPeek (4-for-28, 14%, $207,468)

11. Tom Proctor (4-for-17, 24%, $277,712)

Top win-percentage for trainers with more than three wins: Bob Baffert (71.4%), Kellyn Gorder (42.9%), Tom Amoss (38.1%), Jim Baker (36.4%), Tim Glyshaw (31.6%), Garry Simms (30.0%), Merrill Scherer (27.3%), Brad Cox (26.1%) and Michelle Lovell (25.0%).

Top 8 Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds (5-for-20, 25%, $101,870)

2. Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack (4-for-12, 33%, $76,775)

3. Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (3-for-14, 21%, 215,979)

3. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (3-for-26, 12%, $73,965)

3. Mace and Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable (3-for-12, 25%, $92,018)

3. Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel (3-for-14, 21%, $83,242)

3. Tom Ludt’s Vinery Stables (3-for-6, 50%, $126,316)

3. Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables LLC (3-for-8, 38%, $534,244)

Horses with multiple wins: Backside Blackie (2-for-2, $45,000), Cherry Included (2-for-2, $19,200), C J Russell (2-for-2, $60,000), Distorted Love (2-for-2, $62,700), Manhattan Man (2-for-2, $21,000), Racing Office Joe (2-for-2, $23,400), Sassy Image (2-for-2, $276,412), She’s an Alpha Gam ($25,200), Shot of Kela (2-for-3, $19,800), Strike Impact (2-for-2, $71,760) and Valid Citizen (2-for-2, $18,000).

 

BARN TALK – Donald Adam’s possible Belmont Stakes (GI) starter Prime Cut is scheduled to work at Churchill Downs Monday morning according to trainer Neil Howard. The work will be the final major move for Prime Cut before a decision is made on his next start. …

             Gaillardia Racing LLC’s Wilkinson, who was considered to be a possible starter for the Belmont Stakes, will opt to run in the Ohio Derby (GIII) Saturday at Thistledown rather than make a start in the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. …

Trainer Benard Chatters recorded the first Churchill Downs win of his career when Slew of Medals crossed the line first in the sixth race at Churchill Downs Monday. Chatters will send out Holy Heavens Saturday in the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) at a mile on the main track at Churchill Down. …

Jockey Nathaniel Puello also recorded his first Churchill Downs win with Slew of Medals. It was only the second mount beneath the Twin Spires for the 38-year-old journeyman. …

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Claiborne Farm and Adele Dischneider’s Bind, second beaten a half-length to Worldly in his most recent start in a Churchill Downs allowance race on Kentucky Derby Day, will next run in the $125,000-added Matt Winn (GIII).  The 1 1/16-mile race, formerly known as the Northern Dancer, is part of the June 18 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard. …

Scavenger hunts and crafts involving horse shoes for children aged 3-10 will highlight the weekend’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.      

  STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP, THREE FOSTER DAY STAKES CLOSE SATURDAY - Nominations for the four graded-stakes to be run on Stephen Foster Day on Saturday, June 18 will close this Saturday, June 4. Heading the roster is the 30^th running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI), a race won last year by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame, who returned to Churchill Downs in November to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). 

            Other horses that completed the Stephen Foster-Breeders’ Cup Classic sweep in the same year include Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Saint Liam (2005).

The other graded stakes races set for Stephen Foster Handicap Day include the $125,000-added Matt Winn (GIII), formerly known as the Northern Dancer, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16^th miles on the main track; the $125,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8^th miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course; and the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16^th miles on turf. 

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 26- June 2) are Corey Lanerie (9-for-31) and Shaun Bridgmohan (7-for-28). Brad Cox (4-for-8) and Merril Scherer (3-for-6) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-7) and Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer (2-for-2).

WORKTAB – Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin worked four furlongs over a fast main track in :47.20 at Churchill Downs on Friday morning for trainer Wayne Lukas. The workout was the fastest of 45 at the distance, giving Dublin his third bullet work beneath the Twin Spires in three weeks. The 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex has not raced since finishing fifth in the 2010 Preakness Stakes (GI). ...

Columbine Stable’s J.B.’s Thunder breezed three furlongs in 37.80 on Friday for trainer Al Stall Jr. The 3-year-old son of Thunder Gulch was victorious in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland before finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Churchill Downs in his most recent start. …

Frank L. Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs last November, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Dale Romans. Tapitsfly is a possible starter for the 35^th running of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs on June 11.

WEATHER – Friday: Mostly sunny, 91. Saturday: Mostly sunny and hot, 96. Sunday: Partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Monday: Mostly sunny, 92. Tuesday: Mostly sunny and hot, 94. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, 93. Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 94. 

A year ago, a lightly raced 3-year-old named Blame used a victory in the Fayette (Grade II) at Keeneland as a springboard to victory in his subsequent start in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare, then a Grade II event and the highlight of the 2009 Fall Meet at Churchill Downs.

On Friday, history could repeat itself as Morton Fink’s Successful Dan, winner of this year’s running of the Fayette, is set to carry 121 pounds and concede from 3-6 pounds to 10 rivals as the favorite in the 136th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap, a prestigious race for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track that has been restored to Grade I status by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The Clark will go as the 11th event on a 12-race “Black Friday” holiday racing program that begins at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern).  Like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and the Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been run each year without interruption since it was introduced in the first race meeting at Churchill Downs, then known as the Louisville Jockey Club, in 1875.  Post time for the Clark is 5:42 p.m.

After his major introduction to the nation’s racing fans in last year’s Clark, Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame race twice at Churchill Downs in 2010.  The Al Stall Jr. trained colt won the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in June, then returned in November to win a showdown for the ages over previously unbeaten Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

Like Blame, Successful Dan will be making his eighth career start in the Clark. Trained by Lexington-based Charles Lopresti, Successful Dan is undefeated at Churchill Downs having won an allowance race in May 2009 and following that up with a victory over future Grade I winner Warrior’s Reward in the Northern Dancer (GIII) the following month.

Julien Leparoux, who was aboard for the two Churchill Downs victories and four of the 4-year-old gelding’s five career wins, has Friday’s mount on Successful Dan, who will break from post three.  Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed him as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

Another Clark starter who is following even closer in Blame’s footsteps is his Stall-trained stablemate Apart. Owned and bred by Dilschneider, Apart will be making his eighth career start in the Clark and, like Blame, is ridden by Garrett Gomez and based at Keeneland.

The 3-year-old Apart, the 7-2 second choice in Battaglia’s Clark Handicap morning line, brings a three-race win streak into Friday’s race, highlighted by a September victory in the Super Derby (GII) at Louisiana Downs and a three-quarter length win over older rivals in the Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.

Gomez, who was aboard for the Ack Ack win, returns to the saddle aboard Apart, who will carry 118 pounds and break from post position two.

Six other graded stakes winners on dirt are in the field, topped by the 9-year-old veteran Brass Hat, who won the 2006 Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park for one of his six graded stakes victories. Trained by Buff Bradley for his father Fred, Brass Hat ran second to A.P. Arrow in the 2007 Clark.  The homebred Prized gelding brings a record of 10-8-5 in 39 career races and earnings of $2,167,921 into Friday’s race.  Brass Hat’s latest win came in his most recent start, when he rallied from last in a field of 12 to take the $100,000 Sycamore (GIII) at 1 ½ miles on turf at Keeneland.

Brass Hat (15-1) will carry 116 pounds and be ridden by Tony Farina as he tries to join the ranks of such veteran stars as John Henry, The Tin Man, John’s Call and Super Diamond in winning a Grade I stakes race at the advanced racing age of nine.  Brass Hat will break from post position six. Farina will ride Brass Hat as regular jockey Calvin Borel continues his recovery from surgery to repair a broken jaw suffered in a fall last weekend at Lousiana’s Delta Downs.

The other graded stakes winners on dirt in the field are Regal Ransom, Redding Colliery, Demarcation, Duke of Mischief and Win Willy. Stately Victor, who finished eighth in this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) over Polytrack at Keeneland in April. Dubious Miss won the Grade III Ben Ali at Keeneland, also in April.

Godolphin Racing’s Regal Ransom is the 9-2 third choice in Battaglia’s morning line.  The son of Distorted Humor, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, counts the 2009 UAE Derby (GII) at Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba and the Super Derby (GII) among his four career wins, with the latter coming at the expense of runner-up Blame.  But Regal Ransom finished a distant sixth to Tizway as the even-money favorite in the Kelso (GII) at Belmont Park in his most recent start.  Freddie Lenclud will ride at 116 pounds.

The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Redding Colliery won the recent Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) by three-quarters of a length over Clark rival Giant Oak, who finished fourth to Blame both in last year’s Clark and the 2010 Stephen Foster.  Demarcation won last year’s Ack Ack and was second to Apart in this year’s renewal for Louisville-based trainer Paul McGee.  Duke of Mischief edged Win Willy in this year’s Oaklawn Handicap (GII), while the latter won last year’s Rebel (GIII) at Oaklawn.

The field for the Clark Handicap, from the rail out (with rider, weight and morning line odds), is as follows: Dubious Miss (Robby Albarado, 116 pounds, 15-1), Apart (Gomez, 118, 7-2), Successful Dan (Leparoux, 121, 5-2), Giant Oak (Shaun Bridgmohan, 115, 15-1), Redding Colliery (Anna Napravnik, 117, 10-1), Brass Hat (Farina, 116, 15-1), Stately Victor (Victor Lebron, 116, 10-1), Win Willy (Cliff Berry, 116, 10-1), Regal Ransom (Freddie Lenclud, 116, 9-2), Demarcation (Kent Desormeaux, 116, 12-1) and Duke of Mischief (Eibar Coa, 116, 12-1).

BREEDERS’ CUP DIRT MILE 1-2 FINISHERS TOP CLARK NOMINEES – Dakota Phone and Morning Line, who finished a head apart in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI), top a list of 30 nominees to the 136th running of the $500,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI).

The 1 1/8-mile main track test is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 26. Weights for the race will be announced next Friday, Nov. 19.

The roster of Clark nominees also includes three horses that competed in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI): Etched (sixth), First Dude (eighth) and Pleasant Prince (ninth).

Top names among the Clark nominees that did not compete in the Breeders’ Cup include Apart, winner of Churchill Downs’ Ack Ack Handicap (GIII), Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (GII) winner Redding Colliery and Fayette (GII) winner Successful Dan.

Distinctive Dixie, winner of the Chilukki (GII) here on Nov. 6, heads a list of 15 fillies and mares nominated to the 95th running of the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) slated for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25. Weights for the Falls City, to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, also will be announced next Friday.

Astrology and Dancinginherdreams, the winners of the two opening-day stakes on Oct. 31 on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” card, top the nominees for the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) and Golden Rod (GII), respectively, to be run on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Astrology, winner of the Iroquois (GIII), heads a list of 30 juveniles nominated to the 84th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Last year’s race was won by Super Saver, who came back to win Kentucky Derby 136 in May.

Dancinginherdreams, a 5 ¼-length winner of the Pocahontas (GII), leads the list of 22 nominees for the 67th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod. Also among the nominees is Aide, a 19 ¾-length allowance winner here on Oct. 31.

YANKEE FOURTUNE RIGHT AT HOME ON THE GRASS – A year ago, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was not too high on the prospects of a 2-year-old named Yankee Fourtune.

The son of Yankee Gentleman had made his debut on Sept. 26 at Monmouth Park on the dirt and ran seventh in a field of 12, beaten 14 ¼ lengths.

“He didn’t run well and we just gave him time off to mature,” McLaughlin said.

When Yankee Fourtune resurfaced this July at Belmont Park, it was on the grass and for a $50,000 claiming price.

“We had no idea what we had,” McLaughlin said after Yankee Fourtune scored by 4 ¾ lengths. “He had trained well before he ran the first time. We thought he’d be a little better on turf and it turned out to be a great decision. He’ll never run for $50,000 again.”

From that maiden score, Yankee Fourtune took two races at Saratoga by a combined 10 ¾ lengths and then scored as the even-money favorite by 2 ¼ lengths in wire-to-wire fashion in the Hawthorne Derby (Grade III).

Yankee Fourtune brought his four-race win streak to Churchill Downs on Tuesday night in preparation for Saturday’s $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII). Victor Santiago has the mount Saturday on Yankee Fourtune, who will break from post position 11 in the field of 13 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

“Victor likes him and suits him well and he’s won four straight on him,” McLaughlin said.

All four of Yankee Fourtune’s victories have come over firm ground and there is a 30 percent chance of rain in Louisville on Saturday.

“A yielding course would be a concern,” said McLaughlin, who has won six stakes at Churchill Downs including the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) with Invasor (ARG). “I don’t like the uncertainty of a yielding course.”

BRASS HAT GEARS UP FOR ANOTHER CLARK HANDICAP TRY – Trainer Buff Bradley’s back was aching Friday morning and he was eagerly in search of relief.

He got it a little after 8:30.

“Watching him work like that makes me feel better,” Bradley said after his father’s Brass Hat worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 under Calvin Borel over a fast track for the second fastest of 27 works at the distance. “I like it when Calvin comes back smiling.”

The 9-year-old Brass Hat was working for the first time since winning the Sycamore (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 21. The victory improved Brass Hat’s career record to 10-8-5 in 39 races for earnings of $2,167,92.

The Sycamore came on the turf at 1 ½ miles, but Bradley is looking at the Nov. 26 Clark Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the main track as the next target for Brass Hat.

Calvin has always been telling me to run him back on the dirt,” Bradley said. “This is his home track and if the race was not here, we would not think about it. He was hitting the ground good this morning and Calvin never moved on him.”

Brass Hat tried the dirt once this year, finishing eighth in the Cornhusker Handicap (GII) at Prairie Meadows in June.

“Calvin said the dirt at Prairie Meadows was not the same (as it is here),” Bradley said.

Brass Hat ran in the 2007 Clark, finishing second to A.P. Arrow. His most recent victory on the dirt, which came six dirt starts back, came in the 2007 Massachusetts Handicap and the most recent of his four graded stakes victories on dirt came in the Donn Handicap (GI) in 2006.

Bradley plans to work Brass Hat again next week as the final prep for the Clark, which was won last year by 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame.

BARN TALK – Pretty soon, Sue Lorimer may find herself on permanent resident status in Kentucky. An assistant to trainer Roger Attfield, Lorimer is back in Kentucky for the fifth time in six weeks, this
time to saddle Don Cavallo in Saturday’s Commonwealth Turf. The journeys from Woodbine began in early October when Lorimer brought Society’s Chairman and Stormy Rush to Keeneland for stakes engagements Oct. 9-10. She returned to Canada and then came back to Lexington for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) with Perfect Shirl on Oct. 16. The following weekend had Lorimer returning to Keeneland with Musketier (GER) for the Sycamore (GIII) on Oct. 21 and No Explaining (IRE) for the Pin Oak Valley View (GIII) on Oct. 22. Last week, Lorimer brought Society’s Chairman and Miss Keller (IRE) to Churchill Downs for Breeders’ Cup appearances, returned to Toronto and then came back Thursday morning with Don Cavallo. “I’m flying home Sunday to pack the car for Florida,” Lorimer said, adding with a laugh, “At least that’s the plan for now.” …

Asphalt’s winning time of 1:43.10 for 1 1/16 miles on the turf Thursday was the fastest clocking of the meet at the distance. … Thursday’s card produced the largest Pick 3 and Pick 4 payoffs of the meet through its first eight days. The Pick 3 that began in the fifth race returned $5,874.20 and the Pick 4 beginning in the fourth race returned $108,337.80. Both payoffs were for $2 tickets.

Jockey Garrett Gomez was shaken up in a spill Thursday afternoon at Churchill Downs when he was thrown from his mount, Indy Bouquet, in the sixth race, a one-mile event for maiden fillies and mares on the grass.

Gomez, who is named to ride in eight of the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championship races at Churchill Downs this Friday and Saturday, including Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame in the $5 million Classic on Saturday, was conscious after the mishap and transported to Norton Audubon Hospital for observation.

Ron Anderson, Gomez’s agent, said the rider complained of discomfort in his right shoulder.

“They took an x-ray and the results came back negative,” Anderson said. “We are in the process of heading home now. Garrett is fine and in good spirits and he will ride Friday.

“Garrett said the filly warmed up good and everything looked fine. She just took a bad step. He said it had nothing to do with the course. It was just an unfortunate accident.”

Indy Bouquet, a 3-year-old filly who had two previous starts for WinStar Farm, sustained a compound fracture of the left front cannon bone and was euthanized.

PLETCHER’S STRONG BREEDERS’ CUP CONTINGENT HITS TRACK – Trainer Todd Pletcher has 11 horses pre-entered for the 27th Breeders’ Cup World Championships that will be held Nov. 5 and 6 at Churchill Downs and he likes the hand he is holding.

“From top to bottom, this is the best group we’ve had,” said Pletcher, who has three Breeders’ Cup victories on his resume. “Certainly it is the best we’ve had for the Classic.”

The Classic candidate is Edward Evans’ four-time Grade I winner Quality Road, who went to the track at 6 o’clock Wednesday morning under exercise rider Patti Barry. Quality Road arrived at Churchill Downs at 4 a.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday after vanning from Belmont Park with Ladies’ Classic contender Malibu Prayer, also owned by Evans.

With the exception of Michael Tabor’s Allure d’Amour (Juvenile Fillies Turf), all of Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup horses are at Churchill Downs more than a week before their races.

"I wanted Quality Road to have some extra time here and the others I wanted to have them have a work over the track for the first time so it made sense to bring them all in,” Pletcher said. “Allure d’Amour would fly in on Sunday (the 31st) once we are confident she will get in.”

Pletcher plans to work his Friday race entrants – More Than Real (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Life At Ten (Ladies’ Classic), Malibu Prayer and R Heat Lightning (Juvenile Fillies) -- on Saturday with the remainder of his Breeders’ Cup roster – Quality Road, Rose Catherine (Turf Sprint), Aikenite (Dirt Mile), Pluck (Juvenile Turf), Stay Thirsty (Juvenile) and Uncle Mo (Juvenile) – working on Sunday.

John Velazquez, who scored the first of his seven Breeders’ Cup victories here in 1998 aboard Da Hoss in the Mile, has the riding assignment on six Pletcher horses. Velazquez’s mounts are Quality Road, Uncle Mo, Life At Ten, R Heat Lightning, Aikenite and Allure d’Amour.

Pletcher will use Garrett Gomez and Javier Castellano on his other horses. Gomez is named on More Than Real, Pluck and Malibu Prayer. Castellano will ride Rose Catherine and Stay Thirsty.

Pletcher’s horses usually attract a lot of interest and the trainer was asked which member of this year’s Breeders’ Cup roster could be flying under the radar.

“Stay Thirsty may be under the radar because he has the same owner (Michael Repole as Uncle Mo, so he may be somewhat overlooked,” Pletcher said. “He broke his maiden impressively and was second in the Hopeful (GI). He is bred to run a lot further than he has.”

JAPAN’S RED DESIRE HAS EASY MORNING ON FIRST DAY ON TRACK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – The Tokyo Horse Racing Co.’s Red Desire (JPN) had an easy morning on her first day at the track at Churchill Downs as she began local preparations for the Breeders’ Cup.

With exercise rider Takashi Saito up, Red Desire had an easy canter once around the main track accompanied by a pony after spending five minutes in the mile chute.

“She will do the same tomorrow, but a little faster,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for the 4-year-old filly’s ownership. Red Desire is expected to work Saturday and Kent Desormeaux will have the Breeders’ Cup mount.

Red Desire, who was cross-entered in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) as well as the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) which was the first preference, has had success against colts before. She broke her maiden at first asking against males and then ran third in the Japan Cup (GI) to close out 2009.

“She ran so well against the colts in the Japan, beating among others (two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf winner) Conduit, that we decided to go to Dubai,” Tada said. “We thought about a prep on turf against fillies, but she would have had to carry a lot of weight, so we tried the all-weather track and beat them all (in the Group II Maktoum Challenge’s third round).”

Red Desire finished 11th in the Dubai World Cup (GI) and then returned to Japan.

“She was not herself in the World Cup,” Tada said. “Her next race in Japan, she ran OK (finishing fourth), but was not in good condition. She was getting ready for a race in June and she bled in a workout and we gave her some time off.

“It was decided to bring her to the United States so she can be treated with Lasix,” Tada added.

Red Desire arrived at Belmont Park on Sept. 16 and two weeks later ran third as the favorite in the Flower Bowl Invitational (GI) under Desormeaux. She arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning after training hours.

HOBBY HAS TELLING READY FOR SECOND BC TURF TRY – Trainer Steve Hobby has one wish for the Breeders’ Cup regarding Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Telling.

“I just wish they’d run this at Saratoga,” Hobby said with a laugh as he prepared to take Telling to the track Wednesday morning.

It is understandable, given that Telling has won twice in two years with both victories coming in the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga.

Telling completed 2009 with a seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) last year at Santa Anita. On Monday, Telling arrived at Churchill Downs from Delaware Park for a run in this year’s renewal of the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“I think he is a little better this year,” Hobby said. “He came out of the Belmont Park race (the Grade I Turf Classic Invitational) really well. He was more tired this time last year.”

After the Breeders’ Cup, Telling got a five-month break.

“That break was good for him,” Hobby said. “That was something he had not had before and he started this year fresh.”

Telling, who will be ridden in the Breeders’ Cup by Javier Castellano, finished fifth in the Louisville Handicap (GIII) over the Matt Winn Turf Course in May.

“The turf was soft (yielding) that day and he wasn’t fit yet,” Hobby said of Telling’s second start of the year. “You really have to watch the weather here, because he is much better on firm ground.”

Hobby plans to work Telling on Saturday.

BARN TALK – How strong is the field pre-entered for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic? Try these figures on for size: There are eight Grade I winners among the 16 pre-entrants and nine millionaires. Combined, the field has won 49 percent of its starts, cumulatively winning 65 graded stakes including 34 Grade I events. Zenyatta, who will be seeking to close out her career with a spotless 20-for-20 record when she goes in the Classic, tops all pre-entrants in earnings ($6,404,580), victories (19), graded stakes wins (17) and Grade I wins (13). Only two-time Mile winner Goldikova (IRE) has double-figure totals in graded-stakes wins (12) and Grade I wins (11) among the other Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants. …
Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy worked a bullet half-mile in :47.40 over a track labeled as fast after the morning renovation break. Fractions on the work, best of 32 at the distance, were :11:80, :23.40 and out five furlongs in 1:02.80. Trained by Ronny Werner, Secret Gypsy will enter the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) on a three-race win streak. Robby Albarado has the mount. …

Horses for the Breeders’ Cup continued to make their way to Churchill Downs on Wednesday. Arriving shortly after noon from Keeneland were Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame (Classic) and Columbine Stables’s J. B.’s Thunder (Juvenile) for trainer Al Stall Jr. Next to arrive from Keeneland was Darrell and Evelyn Yates’ Jordy Y (Juvenile Fillies or Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Gary and Mary West’s Major Gain (Juvenile Turf) for trainer Wayne Catalano. Slated for an early evening arrival from California was the Craig Family Trust’s Sidney’s Candy (Mile) for trainer John Sadler.

ESPOIR CITY GETS FIRST FEEL OF TRACK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Two days after arriving at Churchill Downs from Japan, Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) hopeful Espoir City (JPN), got the opportunity to set foot on the track beneath the Twin Spires.

Leaving the quarantine barn at 9 o’clock Thursday morning, Espoir City was accompanied to the track by a pony. The two jogged in the mile chute for about 20 minutes before Espoir City galloped 1 ¼ miles under exercise rider Toshiyuki Abematsu.

“We just wanted to get him out for some light exercise because he was climbing the walls in the barn,” said Mikki Tsuge, West Coast representative for the Japan Racing Association. “He will probably go out about the same time tomorrow when there is not as much traffic on the track.”

Tsuge said that trainer Akio Adachi, who was here for the 5-year-old horse’s arrival Tuesday, returned to Japan on Wednesday and would be back in Louisville the first part of Breeders’ Cup week. Jockey Tetsuzo Sato, who has been aboard Espoir City for 16 of his 20 starts, would arrive in Louisville on Friday night and be at the track on Saturday and Sunday before returning to Japan.

“Mr. Adachi has some horses in races over the weekend,” Tsuge said. “He has a lot of trust in Sato. Espoir City has been a project for both Mr. Adachi and Sato and it was Sato who recommended that Espoir City go on dirt.”

A winner of 10 of 13 races on dirt, Espoir City has earned $5,963,979 but never has raced at the Classic distance of 1 ¼ miles during his career in Japan. While Sato is in town, he is expected to work Espoir City either Saturday or Sunday.

BLAME USED TO CHURCHILL DOWNS LIGHTS; APART HEADED TO ACK ACK – The lights will be on for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, Nov. 6, but the scene will be nothing new for Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame, one of the favorites for the race.

“The third night they ran here last year under the portable lights, he won,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “He handled them fine, no problems at all.”

The Classic is not scheduled to be run under the track’s permanent lights, which were installed this year.  But the scheduled post time of 6:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and sunset on that day will be at 6:38 p.m., so the lights are likely to be on for the Classic as a precaution – especially if the day is cloudy.

Stall plans to work Blame on Sunday at Keeneland and then bring the 4-year-old to Churchill Downs on Wednesday “to let him hang out. He will have six training days here.”

Blame is scheduled to have his lone Churchill Downs work on Sunday, Oct. 31, with jockey Garrett Gomez up.

Also coming with Blame is Columbine Stable’s J. B.’s Thunder, winner of the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

“He will work tomorrow morning at 8:15 at Keeneland,” Stall said. “He will go back to the track Sunday and Monday and if everything is perfect, we will pull the trigger and pre-enter (in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile).”
Stall also said that Super Derby (GII) winner Apart, also owned by Dilschneider, will run in the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 5 instead of the Fayette (GII) at Keeneland on Oct. 30.

“We are going to pass the Fayette,” Stall said. “The dirt is good for him and I didn’t want to face older horses in a Grade II (on Polytrack). We will stay with dirt.”

PROCTOR EYES BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF WITH BANNED – The most recent time trainer Tom Proctor saddled a horse in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs it was a 6-year-old mare named One Dreamer, who scored a shocking 47-1 upset win for Glen Hill Farm in the 1994 Distaff (GI).

Proctor hopes to have another runner for Glen Hill in this year’s Juvenile Turf (GII) in Banned, a five-length allowance winner at 1-2 odds on Oct. 17 at Keeneland.

“He should get in,” Proctor said of Banned, who is 2-for-2 on the turf. “He broke his maiden the same way at Saratoga.”

One Dreamer led all the way under Gary Stevens, defeating a Distaff (now Ladies’ Classic) field that included the likes of Heavenly Prize, Hollywood Wildcat and Sky Beauty.

"She never should have been 47-1,” Proctor said. “She won (the Louisville Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap) here that spring and the year before in the fall she ran second to Miss Indy Anna (in the Churchill Downs Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap). I had run her on turf all that summer before the Breeders’ Cup.”

Proctor said a decision has not been made on pre-entering Keertana, owned by Barbara Hunter, in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI). The $100,000 Cardinal Handicap (GIII) is also a possibility for the 4-year-old Keertana, winner of the 2009 Regret (GIII) here and most recently fourth in the Flower Bowl Invitational (GI) at Belmont Park on Oct. 2.

Keertana’s half-sister, Snow Top Mountain, is being pointed to the $175,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs on Nov. 20 according to Proctor. Snow Top Mountain ran fifth in last Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland.

CHURCHILL DOWNS TO HONOR BRASSEAUX WITH RACE -- Churchill Downs will honor the late outrider Shawn Brasseaux with a memorial race in his honor on Wednesday, Nov. 3. A native of Louisiana, Brasseaux, 42, died suddenly on Sept. 18.

An outrider for 18 years, Brasseaux had been at Churchill Downs for two years. The first race on Nov. 3 will be designated as the Shawn Brasseaux Memorial.

BARN TALK – Westrock Stables’ Tidal Pool, hoping for a berth in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI), worked a half-mile in :48.80 after the renovation break over a fast track Thursday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Fractions for the work were :12.80, :24.60 and out five furlongs in 1:03.40. …

Several Breeders’ Cup hopefuls had works Thursday morning at Keeneland headlined by Here Comes Ben (Dirt Mile) for trainer Charles Lopresti. Here Comes Ben worked six furlongs in 1:12 with fractions of :25, :49.20, out seven furlongs in 1:24 and the mile in 1:38.40. Cash Refund (Sprint) worked five furlongs out of the gate in :58.80 with fractions of :23 and :46 with a gallop-out time of 1:13 for six furlongs. Due Date (Turf Sprint) worked a half-mile in :47.20 with a first quarter in :24. Both horses are trained by Steve Margolis. Cozy Kitten (Juvenile Turf) worked five furlongs on the turf in company with Great Attack in 1:04.20 for trainer Wesley Ward. Also working on the turf in company were the third- and fifth-place finishers in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, respectively, Willcox Inn for Michael Stidham and Major Gain for Wayne Catalano, in 1:03.60. …

Traffic will begin to pick up in the stable area on Friday with an arrival of horses from California for the Breeders’ Cup. Coming in from California on Friday via a Tex Sutton charter are Smiling Tiger (Breeders’ Cup Sprint) and a handful of horses for trainer John Sadler to join the four horses he has in Barn 39. Five charters are scheduled in next week, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 26 with a contingent from New York that will include a number of horses for trainer Todd Pletcher. Sutton also has flights coming in Friday, Oct. 29 from California and Saturday, Oct. 30 from New York. Also next Saturday, Godolphin runners are expected in from Europe on one charter with a second charter bringing other European-based horses. Sutton has charters arriving in Louisville from California and New York on Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. Irish-based horses are scheduled to arrive on Monday, Nov. 1.    

Memorable renewals of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), won by WinStar Farm’s homebred Super Saver, and the Kentucky Oaks (GIII), won by a nose by Blind Luck: brilliant performances by reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and rising star Blame; and four exciting evenings of “Downs After Dark” night racing were among the most magical moments of the 42-day Spring Meet at Churchill downs that concluded on Sunday, July 4.

The central human figure in many of the meet’s brightest moments moments was jockey Calvin Borel, who not only achieved his 1,000th career victory beneath the Twin Spires during the meet, but also won his first Spring Meet riding title.  He piloted Super Saver to victory in the Run for the Roses, an unprecedented third Kentucky Derby victory in four years, and was aboard for Rachel Alexandra’s return to form as the 2009 Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner took the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) by 10 ½ lengths for her first victory of the year.

“Our renewals of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, run under vastly different weather conditions, were among the most successful in history and American racing’s greatest weekend continues to display the best of the sports and entertainment aspects our industry offers,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs. “Our ‘Downs After Dark’ night racing is now clearly established as an entertainment option that is attractive to a wide range of age groups and all segments of the population in our city and region.  We were disappointed that overall field sizes during the meet were not as large as our fans would prefer, but that is an industry-wide concern and we thank our horsemen who worked hard to participate in our Spring Meet.  We look ahead to our Fall Meet and the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to our track for the next two years.”

Borel guided Super Saver to a 2 ½-length victory over Ice Box over a sloppy track in the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) before a crowd of 155,804, sixth-largest in Derby history and easily the largest attendance for a renewal of the Derby run over a wet track. The huge crowd that endured nearly day-long rains was rewarded when the clouds parted as the field stepped onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade and the sun was shining for both for the traditional singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” and the famed race itself.

Super Saver provided trainer Todd Pletcher with his first victory in the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher, who sent four runners in this year’s Run for the Roses, started his first Kentucky Derby runner in 1990 and prior to this year had saddled 24 starters without getting a sniff of the roses.

On the sun-splashed day before the Derby, Blind Luck rallied to defeat Evening Jewel by a nose in the 136th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) before a record crowd of 116,046. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Blind Luck gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his third victory in America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies.    Wagering on the 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Derby race totaled $112.7 million, a 7.8 percent gain on all-sources betting from the 104.6 million wagered on the 2009 Derby.   Total betting on the 13-race Kentucky Derby Day card rose to $162.7 million, a 4.3 percent increase from the $158.0 million wagered on all Kentucky Derby Day races in 2009.

The 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Oaks was the most successful in history.  A record crowd of 116,046 watched the race and all-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks race was $10.6 million, an increase of 55 percent over 2009.  Total wagering on entire 12-race Kentucky Oaks Day racing program reached a record $36.0 million, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year.

The success of Kentucky Derby and Oaks Days allowed Churchill Downs to raise purses for its overnight races for the final three weeks of the Spring Meet by 10 percent.  It was the first in-meet increase in purses at Churchill Downs since a similar 10 percent purse hike in June, 2003.  This increase raised purses by about $3,000 per race.

But continued competitive pressure from tracks in racing states that supplement purses with casino and slot machine revenues or other purse subsidies contributed to a decline in average field size for the meet’s races.  The average field in the 439 races run during the 42-day Spring Meet consisted of 7.75 horses, down from 7.85 in 2009.

“Downs After Dark” night racing continued to be an immensely popular product as this year’s four sessions were conducted under Churchill Downs’ new permanent lights, which were installed over the winter at a cost of approximately $4 million.  The 2009 experiment with night race included three sessions under temporary lights.

An average of 27,139 patrons attended the evening programs, ranging from 24,625 to June 18 to 32,481 on July 2. Two more night programs are scheduled for the Fall Meet: Sunday, Oct. 31 and Friday, Nov. 19.   There was added luster to the June 11 launch of “Downs After Dark” racing under permanent lights retired U.S. Army General Tommy Franks, the one-time Commander of the United States Central Command, visited the track and turned on those lights to usher in the new era at Churchill Downs.

The 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Oaks marked it second year as part of a fundraising partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.  Because of that partnership Komen for the Cure later received a check for $118,346 to help fund the search for a cure for breast cancer.  Another Kentucky Oaks fundraising partnership resulted in a check for $30,000 to benefit Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear’s Horses and Hope breast cancer outreach initiative in Kentucky’s horse industry.

Stonestreet Farm and Harold McCormick’s Rachel Alexandra, the Churchill Downs-based Horse of the Year during her 3-year-old season that included a record-smashing 20 ¼-length victory in the 2009 Kentucky Oaks, made two appearances during the Spring Meet.  The first was a narrow loss to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne (GII) on the 2010 Kentucky Oaks undercard, but the champion followed that effort on June 12 with her dominant victory in the Fleur de Lis.

Four races after Rachel Alexandra’s return to the winner’s circle, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame established himself as a major player in the handicap ranks and a contender for this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs by erasing a four-length deficit in midstretch to defeat Battle Plan by three-quarters of a length in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).

Other Grade I winners during the meet were owner-trainer Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, who captured the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic under Bejarano, and Mona de Momma, who defeated eight rivals including Eclipse Award winner Informed Decision, in the Humana Distaff.

Borel, who won the 1999 Fall Meet riding title outright and shared titles in the 2006 and 2009 Fall Meets, rode 52 winners during the Spring Meet to easily outdistance Corey Lanerie for his first Spring Meet title. One of those winners was Gray Hart’s Girl on June 4 to give the 43-year-old Borel his 1,000th Churchill Downs victory. Only Hall of Famer Pat Day (2,482) has ridden more winners at Churchill Downs.

Borel was reunited during the Spring Meet with his 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who returned to the races on July 4 in the Firecracker Handicap Presented by Thorntons (GII). Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird became the first Kentucky Derby winner to race at Churchill Downs since 2005 winner Giacomo returned to run fourth in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).  Mine That Bird finished a disappointing eighth in his 2010 debut, but new trainer D. Wayne Lukas continues to hope that the 2009 Derby winner will progress in the coming months and return to Churchill Downs in the fall for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Steve Asmussen won his third consecutive training title, saddling 24 winners. It was the fourth Spring Meet title for the two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, who also has won leading trainer honors four times during the Fall Meet. Asmussen’s roster of winner’s included Stonestreet Stable’s Kantharos, an impressive 9 ½-length winner of the 109th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (GIII) for 2-year-olds on Saturday, July 3.  The victory by the unbeaten colt stamped him as an early contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) in November and the 137th Kentucky Derby (GI) next May.

Trainer Dale Romans, who finished second in the trainers’ race with 19 victories, hit the 500-victory milestone at Churchill Downs when Skipadate won the eighth race on June 17. Romans, a 43-year-old Louisville native, saddled his first winner at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12, 1987.

Maggi Moss earned her second leading owner title as she collected nine winners to edge Ken and Sarah Ramsey.  Moss’ other Churchill Downs title came in the 2007 Spring Meet.

CHAMPION RACHEL ALEXANDRA WELL AFTER FLEUR DE LIS VICTORY – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was reported by trainer Steve Asmussen to be doing well on Sunday following her 10 ½-length victory in the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (Grade II) on the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard.

The win by the 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick was her first in three races in 2010.  Her previous victory had been a narrow win over older males in the Woodward (GI) at Saratoga to complete her championship campaign at three.  It was the first victory by a female of any age in that prestigious race, but she opened this year with narrow losses to Zardana (BRZ) in the New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds and Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

While Rachel Alexandra appeared to come out of the race well, Asmussen was concerned about whether there was any lingering impact from Saturday’s sultry weather conditions.  Temperatures on the humid day climbed to above 90, and the heat index hovered around 100 degrees.

“It was a very humid, oppressive type of afternoon,” Asmussen said.  “We’ll see if she shows any residual effect from the weather when she goes back to the track.”

If all continues to go well, Rachel Alexandra should resume her training on Wednesday. 

Rachel Alexandra covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in a faster time than the winning time for Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame in the 4-year-old colt’s three-quarter length victory in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap.  The winning time for Rachel Alexandra was 1:48.78, while Blame covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.37.

The win improved the career record for Rachel Alexandra 12-4-0 in 17 races and she has earned $3,206,730.  The champion has a record of 4-3-0 in eight races at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA AWAITS STEPHEN FOSTER WINNER BLAME – Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame got to spend an extra day at Churchill Downs on Sunday as his Keeneland workmate Apart was entered in Sunday’s eighth race.

“They will both go back to Keeneland on Monday,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said Sunday morning as he watched Blame walk the shedrow at Barn 47.

Blame rallied to overcome a four-length deficit on Battle Plan to win the Stephen Foster and give Stall his second Grade I victory at Churchill Downs. Joyeux Danseur won the Turf Classic for Stall here in 1998.

“He overcame a slow pace and a bad post (11) yesterday,” Stall said of Blame, now a winner of seven of 10 starts. “There was only mild pressure on the leader (Battle Plan), but he started to bear down and when Battle Plan switched leads at the eighth pole, I figured that was it.”

Stall said he was not sure how long he would keep Blame at Keeneland before shipping to Saratoga, where the next objective for Blame is the $750,000 Whitney (GI) at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 7.

“Right now, we are just thinking about the Whitney,” Stall said. “It is tough to run two races like that at Saratoga (with the Woodward on Sept. 4 being the other). You can throw the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) into the mix. That’s a mile and a quarter on the same day (Oct. 2) as the Jockey Club Gold Cup (at Belmont Park) and we could ship up from Keeneland and back and that sets you up for November (and the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs).”

Despite the Stephen Foster victory, Stall found out that Blame was not the big story of Saturday.

“A friend of mine on the East Coast sent me a text saying that I win a Grade I, but Rachel Alexandra is on the cover of Monday’s Daily Racing Form,” Stall said.

PLETCHER ENJOYS ALMOST PERFECT 24 HOURS IN LOUISVILLE – Trainer Todd Pletcher flew into Louisville from New York shortly before noon on Saturday and was headed back to the Big Apple before noon Sunday. In that time span, his horses won three races at Churchill Downs, including two stakes, and trainer also picked up his trophy for winning the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver.

So, on a scale of one to 10, how did the brief stay in Louisville rate?

"It was a nine,” Pletcher said with a laugh. “If Battle Plan wins the Stephen Foster it is a 10. It was just about perfect.”

In his first Grade I test, Battle Plan surrendered late to Blame in losing by three-quarters of a length to have his four-race win streak snapped.

“I thought he gave a big effort yesterday for his first race over the surface,” Pletcher said. “The track had dried out a bit from earlier in the day and it was a bit cuppier. At the five-sixteenths pole, (jockey) Javier (Castellano) asked him for a bit more and the ground broke out from under him.”

Pletcher said that Battle Plan would return to New York on Wednesday and a schedule would be mapped out to keep Battle Plan and stable star Quality Road on separate paths.

Pletcher, whose day started with a victory by the 2-year-old maiden Blue Orleans in the fifth race, said that Northern Dancer (GIII) winner Colizeo and Regret (GIII) winner Caminadora would remain at Churchill Downs for the time being.

Regarding the 2-year-old Razmataz, a winner Friday night who gave Pletcher his 100th victory at Churchill Downs, the trainer said the July 3 Bashford Manor (GIII) “is a possibility. I want to see how he bounces back from Friday.”

BARN TALK – Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy said that third-place Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) finisher General Quarters remained on track for a return to the turf this summer at Arlington Park. “That’s the plan right now,” McCarthy said of the Arlington Handicap (GIII) on July 17 and the Arlington Million (GI) on Aug. 21. McCarthy said General Quarters was affected by the heat Saturday. “(Jockey) Alex (Solis) said the heat got him at the sixteenth pole,” McCarthy said. “He always finishes up well, but he got back here and ate all his supper last night and his breakfast this morning.” …

Trainer Tony Reinstedler reported all was well with Jefferson Cup (GIII) winner Gleam of Hope on Sunday morning. “Arlington Park is next,” Reinstedler said referring to the American Derby (GII) on July 17 and then the Secretariat (GI) on Aug. 21. Gleam of Hope signaled his readiness for the Jefferson Cup with a work last Sunday in company with Giant Oak, who ran fourth in Saturday’s Stephen Foster Handicap. “We changed things up a little bit because he can be lackadaisical and he worked in blinkers,” Reinstedler said. “The idea was to get him to settle and finish up well. He worked well in them and that gave us confidence going in.” …

    Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block, said that Giant Oak would head back to Arlington Park on Wednesday. “He’s fine this morning,” Coontz said of Giant Oak, who finished 4 ½ lengths behind Blame. “He ran great for the company he was with.” …

    Trainer Paul McGee said that Demarcation, fifth in the Stephen Foster, and Worldly, runner-up in the Northern Dancer, were doing well Sunday morning. “I was pretty happy with him and so were the owners (Mr. and Mrs. John Amerman),” McGee said of Demarcation, who was a head behind Giant Oak. “He ran well in the Clark here last fall beaten only 6 ½ lengths, but he is just a cut below those horses.” McGee is not sure when Worldly, beaten a neck by Colizeo, would run next. “I will be running quite a bit at Arlington Park, but I would prefer to keep him on dirt rather than the Polytrack.” …

    Trainer Wally Dollase said he would have an idea “in a day or two” as to what would be next for Distinctive Dixie, runner-up to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Fleur de Lis (GII). Distinctive Dixie got to within a half-length of Rachel Alexandra nearing the top of the stretch, but could get no closer as Rachel Alexandra drew off to a 10 ½-length victory. “For a fleeting moment there …” Dollase said of the upset possibility. “Did you hear my wife (Cincy) scream? I know I sure did! I’m proud of my filly. She hadn’t run in some time (six weeks) and she held on to get second over Jessica Is Back, who is a nice filly.”

WORK TAB – Tap Tap Tapping, runner-up in the Dogwood (GIII), worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 over a fast track. … Backtalk, winner of last spring’s Bashford Manor (GIII) and unraced since finishing last in the Kentucky Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:12.60.