Churchill Downs Closing Day Stakes Advances: Grade I Winner Saudi Crown Headlines $300,000 Hanshin

Jun 22, 2025

FMQ Stables’ Grade I winner Saudi Crown is set to face an accomplished field of eight horses that entered next Sunday’s 72nd running of the $300,000 Hanshin presented by JRA (Listed), one of five stakes contests on closing day of the 43-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

The Hanshin, run at one mile as Race 8 of 11, will share the Sunday spotlight with the $250,000 Maxfield (Listed); $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed); $225,000 Debutante (Listed); and $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes.

Post time for the Hanshin is 4:23 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m.

Saudi Crown, a striking 5-year-old gray son of Always Dreaming, sports an impressive resumé with seven wins from 15 starts, banking more than $3.4 million in purses. Trained by Brad Cox, Saudi Crown enters the Hanshin following a gutsy victory over Kentucky Derby 150 hero Mystik Dan in the Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn. Prior to that victory, Saudi Crown was victorious as a 4-year-old in the Louisiana Stakes (GIII) and Tenacious Stakes (Listed) at Fair Grounds and the R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park. Arguably the biggest win of his career came as a 3-year-old when he won the Pennsylvania Derby (GI). Jockey Florent Geroux will have the mount in the Hanshin and the duo will break from post No. 4.

Also entered in the race is Lawrence Roman and David Jacobson’s seven-time winner Banishing. A 5-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper, Banishing scored a one-length victory earlier this year in the Oaklawn Mile (GIII) and ran a valiant second to Mindframe in the Churchill Downs Stakes (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day. Jose Ortiz will ride from post 1.

Wathnan Racing’s Cagliostro returned stateside this spring and will attempt to defend his title in the Hanshin Stakes. The 5-year-old gelding was campaigned in Dubai this winter where he finished third in the Firebreak Stakes (GIII) and fourth in the Burj Nahaar (GIII). In last year’s Hanshin, the son of Upstart scored a one-length victory over Tumbarumba. Cagliostro, back in the barn of Cherie DeVaux, will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. out of post 8.

The field for the Hanshin from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Banishing (Jose Ortiz, Jacobson)
Judge Miller (Antonio Fresu, Mark Glatt)
Best Actor (Mario Gutierrez, Ed Moger Jr.)
Saudi Crown (Geroux, Cox)
Tumbarumba (Luis Saez, Brian Lynch)
Extra Anejo (Flavien Prat, Steve Asmussen)
Will Take It (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)
Cagliostro (Irad Ortiz Jr., DeVaux)
With Sunday being the final day of the meet at Churchill Downs, there will be mandatory payouts in all wagers, including the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot which will span the final six races on the card.

Sunday’s wagering menu will also include a special $3 All Turf Pick 3 that includes the trio of turf stakes contests: a five-furlong allowance event in Race 5 with 11 fillies and mares; $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes in Race 9 with nine fillies and mares; and an over-subscribed field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight in Race 11. The bet will have a horseplayer friendly 15-percent takeout.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action at www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

GOTHAM WINNER FLOOD ZONE TOPS ULTRA-COMPETITIVE CAST IN $250,000 MAXFIELD – Wathnan Racing’s Gotham Stakes (Grade III) winner Flood Zone headlines an ultra-competitive field of 13 3-year-olds that entered next Sunday’s fourth running of the $250,000 Maxfield Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The seven-furlong Maxfield Stakes is one of five stakes on the closing day card that also includes the $300,000 Hanshin presented by JRA (Listed); $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed); $225,000 Debutante (Listed); and $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes.

Post time for the Maxfield Stakes is 5:27 p.m. (all times Eastern) as Race 10. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Flood Zone tested the Road to the Kentucky Derby this winter and won the one-mile Gotham by 3 ¼ lengths at odds of 17-1. Following that start, his connections shipped him to Dubai where he finished a disappointing seventh in the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby (GII). The 3-year-old son of Frosted was transferred to Cox’s barn earlier this year following his dominant 5 ¼-legnth score in a state-bred maiden special weight contest for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. The Florida-bred will be ridden in the Maxfield by Florent Geroux from post No. 8.

Cox also will saddle Resolute Racing’s undefeated Verifire in the race. The chestnut son of Authentic won his debut by 6 ¼ lengths on March 15 at Colonial Downs and followed up that victory with a first-level allowance score by 6 ½ lengths on May 16 at Pimlico. Flavien Prat has the mount and drew post 10.

The deep field for the Maxfield also includes Southwest Stakes (GIII) winner Speed King, Chick Lang Stakes winner Retribution, three-time stakes winner Kale’s Angel and Withers Stakes winner Captain Cook.

The complete lineup for the Maxfield Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Ancient World (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp)
Captain Cook (Irad Ortiz Jr., Rick Dutrow Jr.)
Normandy Coast (Ben Curtis, Eddie Kenneally)
Perfect Force (Nik Juarez, D. Wayne Lukas)
Retribution (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux)
Smoken Wicked (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)
Speed King (Junior Alvarado, Ron Moquett)
Flood Zone (Geroux, Cox)
Max Got Excited (Gabe Saez, Aaron Shorter)
Verifire (Prat, Cox)
Kale’s Angel (Ramon Vazquez, Peter Miller)
Dreaminblue (Cristian Torres, Randy Morse)
Furio (Jaime Torres, Joe Sharp)
With Sunday being the final day of the meet at Churchill Downs, there will be mandatory payouts in all wagers, including the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot which will span the final six races on the card.

Sunday’s wagering menu will also include a special $3 All Turf Pick 3 that includes the trio of turf stakes contests: a five-furlong allowance event in Race 5 with 11 fillies and mares; $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes in Race 9 with nine fillies and mares; and an over-subscribed field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight in Race 11. The bet will have a horseplayer friendly 15-percent takeout.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action at www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

SPEEDY GUN RUNNER COLT SPICE RUNNER TOPS SEVEN 2-YEAR-OLDS IN $225,000 BASHFORD MANOR – Winchell Thoroughbreds’ debut winner Spice Runner will face six fellow 2-year-olds for his stakes debut in next Sunday’s 124th running of the $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The Bashford Manor is one of five stakes contests on Sunday’s Closing Day card at Churchill Downs. The six-furlong contests goes as the sixth race at 3:18 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m. Along with the Bashford Manor, the program includes the $300,000 Hanshin presented by JRA (Listed); $250,000 Maxfield (Listed); $225,000 Debutante (Listed); and $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes.

Spice Runner scored a 2 ¼-length victory in a May 23 maiden special weight contest at Churchill Downs as the 1-5 favorite. Trained by seven-time Bashford Manor-winning conditioner Steve Asmussen, Speed Runner is a homebred son of Gun Runner out of the Cowboy Cal mare Simple Surprise. The colt is the full brother to the talented Gunite, who won the Hopeful Stakes (GI) as a 2-year-old and Forego Stakes (GI) as a 4-year-old. Jockey Jose Ortiz has the mount on Spice Runner and will break from the rail.

The field for the Bashford Manor from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Spice Runner (Ortiz, Asmussen)
Longstrider (Edgar Morales, Genaro Garcia)
Duke of Suggins (James Graham, Al Stall Jr.)
Romeo (Xavier Perez, John Robb)
Comport (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally)
Saul Elliott (Antonio Fresu, Doug O’Neill)
Password (Flavien Prat, Rodolphe Brisset)
With Sunday being the final day of the meet at Churchill Downs, there will be mandatory payouts in all wagers, including the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot which will span the final six races on the card.

Sunday’s wagering menu will also include a special $3 All Turf Pick 3 that includes the trio of turf stakes contests: a five-furlong allowance event in Race 5 with 11 fillies and mares; $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes in Race 9 with nine fillies and mares; and an over-subscribed field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight in Race 11. The bet will have a horseplayer friendly 15-percent takeout.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action at www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT WINNER PERCY’S BAR TESTS STAKES COMPANY IN $225,000 DEBUTANTE – Hat Creek Racing’s dominant four-length debut winner Percy’s Bar will test stakes company when she takes on eight 2-year-old fillies entered in next Sunday’s 124th running of the $225,000 Debutante Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

Run at six furlongs, the Debutante Stakes will go as Race 7 of 11 with a post time of 3:51 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m. The race is one of five stakes contests on the closing day program of the Spring Meet. The others are the $300,000 Hanshin presented by JRA; $250,000 Maxfield Stakes (Listed); $225,000 Bashford Manor; and $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes.

Trained by Ben Colebrook, Percy’s Bar rallied from 7 ¾ lengths off the early pace in her debut and stormed clear to an open-length victory against nine rivals. The daughter of Upstart will be ridden by Luan Machado and break from post No. 7.

The complete lineup for the Debutante from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Essential Coffee (Flavien Prat, Steve Asmussen)
Vajra (Irad Ortiz Jr., Rodolphe Brisset)
Light Won Up (Antonio Fresu, Doug O’Neill)
Americathegreat (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
Jaboss (Sophie Doyle, Chris Davis)
Mine Strike (Junior Alvarado, Carlos David)
Percy’s Bar (Machado, Colebrook)
Color Comin’ In (Luis Saez, Norm Casse)
Lilies N Paradise (Edgar Morales, Mike Maker)
With Sunday being the final day of the meet at Churchill Downs, there will be mandatory payouts in all wagers, including the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot which will span the final six races on the card.

Sunday’s wagering menu will also include a special $3 All Turf Pick 3 that includes the trio of turf stakes contests: a five-furlong allowance event in Race 5 with 11 fillies and mares; $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes in Race 9 with nine fillies and mares; and an over-subscribed field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight in Race 11. The bet will have a horseplayer friendly 15-percent takeout.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action at www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

TWO-TIME GRADE III WINNER PIN UP BETTY LEADS FIELD IN $175,000 ANCHORAGE OVERNIGHT STAKES – Three Diamonds Farm’s recent Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (Grade III) winner Pin Up Betty leads nine fillies and mares who entered next Sunday’s fourth running of the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile turf test will go as Race 9 on the 11-race card with a scheduled post time of 4:55 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post for the final day of the 43-day Spring Meet is 12:45 p.m. The Anchorage Overnight Stakes is supported by four other stakes contests: the $300,000 Hanshin presented by JRA (Listed); $250,000 Maxfield Stakes (Listed); $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed); and $225,000 Debutante (Listed).

Campaigned by Mike Maker, Pin Up Betty is a two-time Grade III winner with her other score coming last year in the Regret Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old daughter of Constitution began her season with a narrow runner-up effort to Simply In Front in the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day then swept past Charlene’s Dream to win the Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (GIII) by 1 ½ lengths on June 1. Jockey Luis Saez, who’s been aboard Pin Up Betty for all three of her career victories, will have the mount in the Anchorage Overnight Stakes from post No. 7.

Charlene’s Dream will attempt to avenge her loss to Pin Up Betty. Owned by Domeyko Taylor and trained by Ed Moger Jr., Charlene’s Dream sports a solid resumé with five wins from nine starts including victories in the Gallorette Stakes (GIII) at Pimlico and two stakes wins as a 2-year-old at Golden Gate Fields. Jockey Rafael Bejarano retains the mount for the Anchorage Overnight Stakes and will break from post 8.

The field for the Anchorage Overnight Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Faith Understood (Gabe Saez, Dana Hancock)
Sparkle Blue (Irad Ortiz Jr., Graham Motion)
Duvet Day (IRE) (Flavien Prat, Michael McCarthy)
Generous Lover (Jose Ortiz, Joe Sharp)
Long Ago (GB) (Ben Curtis, Bill Morey)
Everland (Luan Machado, Eric Foster)
Pin Up Betty (Saez, Maker)
Charlene’s Dream (Bejarano, Moger)
Adrasteia (Joe Ramos, Fergus Bogle)
With Sunday being the final day of the meet at Churchill Downs, there will be mandatory payouts in all wagers, including the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot which will span the final six races on the card.

Sunday’s wagering menu will also include a special $3 All Turf Pick 3 that includes the trio of turf stakes contests: a five-furlong allowance event in Race 5 with 11 fillies and mares; $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes in Race 9 with nine fillies and mares; and an over-subscribed field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight in Race 11. The bet will have a horseplayer friendly 15-percent takeout.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action at www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.