Churchill Downs Stakes Advance and Claiming Crown Preview: Joseph Graded Stakes-Winning Trio Leads $300,000 Dream Supreme

Nov 07, 2026

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s graded stakes-winning trio of Haulin Ice, Indy Bay and Mystic Lake leads a compact field of six filly and mare sprinters entered in next Saturday’s 21st running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

Contested at six furlongs, the Dream Supreme goes as Race 3 at 1:58 p.m. (all times Eastern). The race is one of the featured events on the 12-race card that includes the 28th Claiming Crown. First post is 1 p.m.

C2 Racing Stable, WSS Racing and Agave Racing Stable’s Haulin Ice enters the Dream Supreme following a third-place effort in the $150,000 Liberty Bell on Sept. 19 at Parx. In her previous start, Haulin Ice finished second to Maida in the $250,000 Honorable Miss (GII) at Saratoga. The 5-year-old daughter of Coal Front holds the record for most earnings by an Arkansas-bred of $1,307,300. Francisco Arrieta, who rode Haulin Ice to back-to-back wins in the $250,000 Matron at Oaklawn Park, has the mount from post No. 2.

Agave Racing Stable and Miller Racing’s Indy Bay will make her Churchill Downs debut with Jose Ortiz aboard from post 5. The 4-year-old daughter of Take Charge Indy won last year’s $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (GII) and $150,000 Jersey Girl at Saratoga.

Miller Racing, BAG Racing Stables and Stefania Farms’ Mystic Lake finished second to Maida in the $200,000 Endine on Oct. 17 at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old daughter of Mo Town won the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (GII) in 2024 and $215,000 Inside Information (GII) last year. She has won 13 of 28 starts and earned $1,704,102. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and drew the rail.

The complete field for the Dream Supreme from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Mystic Lake (Gaffalione, Joseph)
Haulin Ice (Arrieta, Joseph)
A.Z. Wildcat (Florent Geroux, John Sadler)
Echo Sound (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold II)
Indy Bay (Ortiz, Joseph)
Justinqueso (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)
CLAIMING CROWN FEATURES TOP BLUE COLLAR HORSES FROM ACROSS NORTH AMERICA – Some of North America’s top blue-collar horses will converge at Churchill Downs next Saturday for the 28th Claiming Crown, which features nine supercharged starter allowance races worth a combined $1.2 million in purses.

First post is 1 p.m. for the 12-race card, which also includes the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed). The Claiming Crown begins in Race 4 at 2:28 p.m.

Inaugurated in 1999, the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association chose to bring back the Claiming Crown to Louisville for a fourth time and third year in a row.

Horseplayers responded to last year’s Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs with $12.8 million in wagers on the program.

One of the headliners this year is Morris Kernan Jr. and Jagger Inc.’s Kerness K, who will seek his 12th straight victory when he faces nine rivals in the $100,000 Ready’s Rocket Express. The 4-year-old gelding, who trainer Jamie Ness claimed back for $7,500 in March, leads all North American Thoroughbreds in wins this year, 11-10 over Hurricane Lassie.

Here are the fields for all nine Claiming Crown races:

The $100,000 Ready’s Rocket Express, which goes as Race 4 at 2:28 p.m. (with jockey and trainer):

Swirvin (Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Dancin for Gold (Cristian Torres, Terry Eoff)
Jimmies Big Day (Martin Garcia, Steve Manley)
Kerness K (Martin Chuan, Jamie Ness)
Lord Majesty (Francisco Arrieta, Cameron Milligan)
Dontbesoogrouchy (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp)
Delta Tau Chi (Joe Ramos, Randy Klopp)
Furious Anger (Guillermo Rodriguez, Marcelino Salas)
Raymond (Jaime Torres, Tim Martin)
Concrete Glory (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Saffie Joseph Jr.)
The $150,000 Tiara (Race 5 at 2:57 p.m.):

·      Smiling Ellie (Luis Saez, Mark Casse)

·      Polka Polenta (Fernando De La Cruz, Rene Cazares Jr.)

·      Notable Exchange (Junior Alvarado, Mike Maker)

·      Bijou Baby (Emmanuel Esquivel, Jamie Grubbs)

·      Nerazurri (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)

·      Lady Iona (Cristian Torres, Darwin Banach)

·      Wandering Kirby (Jaime Torres, Leonard Powell)

·      Goats On a Tree (Tyler Gaffalione, Kinnon LaRose)

·      Asteria (Santo Sanjur, Anna Navarrete)

The $100,000 Glass Slipper (Race 6 at 3:26 p.m.):

·      Larksong (Rafael Mojica Jr., Becky Johnston)

·      Zafyre (Dylan Machado, Jerry Antonuik)

·      Ginger Girl (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Joanne Shankle)

·      Stay Beautiful (Albin Jimenez, Yoni Orantes)

·      Coquito (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp)

·      Two Hearted (Alexander Bendezu, Gene Sandrowski)

·      Mad About Marie (Cristian Torres, Steve Keplin Jr.)

·      No Other Like You (Tyler Gaffalione, David Fawkes)

·      Argan (Walter Rodriguez, Jose Camejo)

·      Little Martha (Mario Gutierrez, Tamara Housel)

·      Evalina (Kevin Jimenez, Sal Guerrero)

The $100,000 Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse (Race 7 at 3:55 p.m.):

·      Ironsides (Jaime Torres, Fausto Gutierrez)

·      Bill of Rights (Martin Chuan, Joanne Shankle)

·      Cowboy Mike (Ruben Silvera, Ernesto Padilla-Preciado)

·      Metatron’s Muse (Junior Alvarado, Norm Casse)

·      Rhymes Like Dimes (Rafael Bejarano, Randy Morse)

·      Swiss Guard (Martin Garcia, Steve Manley)

·      Blast Radius (Axel Concepcion, Luis Ramirez)

·      Striking Sparks (Francisco Arrieta, Jose Rodriguez)

·      Little Trouble (Guillermo Rodriguez, Isaiah Ortiz)

·      Freedom Road (Jose Ortiz, Richard Sillaman)

·      Rock N Roll Bolt (Tyler Gaffalione, Jose Camejo)

·      Nixon Joy (ARG) (Eliseo Ruiz, Jose Santaella-Calderon)

·      AE: Money Run (Cristian Torres, Robertino Diodoro)

·      AE: Camp Daddy (Santo Sanjur, Steve Manley)

·      AE: Fire Bryan (E.T. Baird, Fernando Bahena)

·      AE: Alinao Forever (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Dante Zanelli)

The $100,000 Empress (Race 8 at 4:25 p.m.):

·      Frango Electrico (J.J. Meza, Ismael Bahena)

·      Charlee Mae (Jose Ortiz, Kelli Martinez)

·      Talkin in Cursive (Jaime Torres, Matt Shirer)

·      Progeny (Rafael Bejarano, Jason Cook)

·      Miracle Ball (Luis Saez, Ruben Fuentes)

·      Tizntshelovely (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)

·      Lady Annabelle (Silvestre Gonzalez, Ernesto Padilla-Preciado)

·      Arrasou (Joe Ramos, Randy Klopp)

·      Warda (Francisco Arrieta, Jose Rodriguez)

·      Blazing Affair (Rafael Mojica Jr., George Bush)

·      Awesome Pic (Daniel Centeno, Enrique Hernandez)

·      So Far So Good (Carlos Jimenez, Anna Decker)

The $125,000 Rapid Transit (Race 10 at 5:25 p.m.):

·      Military Road (Rafael Bejarano, Chris Hartman)

·      Try to Make Cents (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Joe Sharp)

·      Five o’ Somewhere (Luis Saez, Matt Shirer)

·      Bold Diversion (Martin Chuan, Joanne Shankle)

·      Global Sensation (Jaime Torres, Carlos Santamaria)

·      Sprint Out Pass (Cristian Torres, Kelli Martinez)

·      Just Asap (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)

·      Air of Defiance (Francisco Arrieta, Jade Cunningham)

·      Dr. Storm (Summer Pauly, Ismael Bahena)

·      Nation (Luan Machado, Bob Hess Jr.)

·      Zero Blitz (Manny Esquivel, Rodolfo Sanchez)

·      Evening News (Luis Hernandez, Hugo Andrade)

·      Coach Cronin (Brian Hernandez Jr., Bob Hess Jr.)

·      Defending Albert (Tyler Gaffalione, James Watkins)

The field for the $200,000 Jewel (Race 11 at 5:54 p.m.):

·      Expect the Best (Rafael Bejarano, Ron Moquett)

·      Margie’s Fun Son (Luis Saez, Ron Abrams)

·      Papa Yo (Tyler Gaffalione, Linda Rice)

·      Urban Planner (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Mike Maker)

·      Carolo Rapido (Cristian Torres, Norm Casse)

·      Groveland (Francisco Arrieta, Eddie Kenneally)

·      Indy Charges On (Jose Ortiz, Lacey Gaudet)

·      Break Out (Junior Alvarado, Mike Campbell)

·      Freedom Principle (Jaime Torres, Gerard Ochoa)

The field $175,000 Emerald (Race 12 at 6:23 p.m.)

·      War Officer (Yomar Ortiz Jr., Mike Maker)

·      Unit Economics (GB) (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown)

·      In a Jam (Rafael Bejarano, Jason Cook)

·      Hall Monitor (Mario Gutierrez, Blake Kelly)

·      McCullough (Martin Chuan, Jamie Ness)

·      Magical Ways (Ruben Silvera, Ernesto Padilla-Preciado)

·      Westside Tide (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp)

·      Free Advice (Victor Carrasco, Tommy Humphries)

·      Pike Place (Francisco Arrieta, Tom Van Berg)

·      Light the Way (Cristian Torres, Matt Shirer)

·      Sing Sing (Jaime Torres, Matt Kordenbrock)

·      Funny Uncle (Jose Ortiz, Joe Sharp)

·      AE: Sand Bagger (William Antongeorgi III, Sean McCarthy)

·      AE: Battle Call (Junior Alvarado, Mike Maker)

·      AE: Jus Too Fly (Orlando Bocachica, Anna Decker)

·      AE: Ur Benja (James Graham, Jose Aranha)