Churchill Downs Update: Blair Confident This Is Uscar Maturing at Right Time for Lukas Classic

Sep 24, 2026

Trainer Jordan Blair has the same confidence in 8-1 morning-line contender This Is Uscar as he would if the 5-year-old gelding were favored in Saturday’s $500,000 Lukas Classic (GII) at Churchill Downs.

“I know we’re 8-1, but I’m every bit as confident as I would be if he was the morning-line favorite,” Blair said. “That doesn’t mean I don’t respect the horses we’re running against. I just think our horse is doing as well as he can be doing, and I believe he can win the race.”

Owned by Table 38 Racing and KatieRich Stables, This Is Uscar has won four of 20 starts with six runner-up finishes, four thirds and earnings of $621,239. The son of Oscar Performance will break from the rail under Edgar Morales.

This Is Uscar schooled in the Churchill Downs paddock Tuesday and returned for another session Thursday.

“He hasn’t always been the easiest horse in the paddock,” Blair said. “We schooled him Tuesday and brought him back Thursday, and each time he was more relaxed and more professional. Those may seem like little things but they’re signs that he’s starting to put everything together.”

This Is Uscar earned his most recent victory June 28 at Churchill Downs when he defeated fellow Lukas Classic entrant and 2-1 morning line choice Chunk of Gold by 3 ¾ lengths in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race.

He returned Aug. 9 in the $200,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park where he finished second to Owen Almighty and earned a career-best 99 Brisnet Speed Rating.

“The mile-and-an-eighth is something he still has to prove but the way he’s learning to relax gives me confidence he’ll handle it,” Blair said. “It’s going to be a short field now with a couple of likely scratches but it’s still very competitive.”

McAfee and Original Sin are scheduled to scratch from the Lukas Classic and instead run in the $300,000 Goodwood Cup (GI) the same day at Santa Anita, according to their respective connections.

The Lukas Classic shares the afternoon spotlight with the $400,000 Ack Ack (GIII) and $300,000 Bourbon Flight. First post for the 11-race program is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Lukas Classic going as Race 10 at 5:29 p.m.

The field for the Lukas Classic in order of post position (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

This Is Uscar ( Morales, Blair, 8-1)
Dragoon Guard (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox, 9-2)
Tiztastic (Brian Hernandez Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
Banishing (Francisco Arrieta, David Jacobson, 6-1)
Original Sin (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh, 3-1)
McAfee (Luis Saez, George Weaver, 15-1)
Chunk of Gold (Jaime Torres, Ethan West, 2-1)
SAEZ CLOSES GAP ON ORTIZ FOR SEPTEMBER MEET LEADING JOCKEY; FOUR-WAY TIE FOR TOP TRAINER – With four days remaining in the September Meet, jockey Luis Saez trailed Jose Ortiz 11-8 in the standings following a two-win Wednesday.

Saez, a three-time leading rider at Churchill Downs, won Race 3 aboard Doctor Jeff for trainer Joe Sharp before taking Race 6 aboard the Brad Cox-trained Soul of the Night.

Tyler Gaffalione, Edgar Morales and Flavien Prat were tied for third with seven wins apiece.

Ortiz began serving a three-day suspension for careless riding Sunday. He is scheduled to ride at Belmont Park on Friday and Saturday before returning to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the trainer standings were in a four-way tie with Bob Baffert, Kenny McPeek, Sharp and Dallas Stewart each tallying seven wins.

The owner standings featured a seven-way tie, each with two wins, among Calumet Farm, David Jacobson, Juddmonte, Shamrock Stables, Steve Asmussen, Workman Ranch and Zedan Racing Stables.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Live racing resumed Thursday for the final Twilight Thursday of the calendar year. The evening featured $2 domestic beer at all concession stands, food from Lotsa Pasta and Big Nita’s Cheesecake and live music by Kevin Jaggers. College students had the opportunity to sign up at the information booth on the second-floor Paddock Terrace for a chance to win $6,000, courtesy of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky HBPA. First post was 5 p.m. and the eight-race card included a $383,178 carryover in the $1 Jackpot 8 and a $74,177 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City Jackpot.  … Guests traveling to Churchill Downs this weekend should expect heavier traffic due to multiple events in the area, including the four-day Bourbon and Beyond music festival at the Kentucky Exposition Center and Friday’s annual St. X and Trinity high school football game (8 p.m.) and Saturday’s University of Louisville and Wake Forest football game (12 p.m.) at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, and are encouraged to use I-264 and Southern Parkway or Taylor Boulevard to access the track’s frontside parking lots. … For the latest information about the Churchill Downs September Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.