Churchill Downs Update: Grade I Winner Shred the Gnar Has Lynch Confident Heading Into Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis

Jun 26, 2026

Grade I winner Shred the Gnar has done everything Brian Lynch has asked of her since her Fasig-Tipton La Troienne (GI) victory on Kentucky Oaks Day and gives the veteran conditioner confidence heading into Saturday's $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (GII) at Churchill Downs.

The Flying Dutchmen-owned daughter of Into Mischief enters the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis off a one-length victory in the Fasig-Tipton La Troienne while improving her record to four wins from six starts.

“After the La Troienne, we gave her a little bit of time because she appreciates some spacing between her races,” Lynch said. “She’s done great. She looks terrific, her energy level has been exactly where we want it, and everything she’s done over the track tells us she’s heading into Saturday the right way. Now we've just got our fingers crossed.”

The La Troienne victory represented more than a Grade I win for Travis Boersma’s Flying Dutchmen. Lynch believes it also enhanced Shred the Gnar’s long-term value as a broodmare.

“That was massive,” Lynch said. “She’s an Into Mischief filly that’s on her way to hopefully becoming a blue hen mare for Flying Dutchmen. They’ve put a lot of money into their broodmare band and have a really good support group selecting horses and managing the farm. It’s a really good program that’s getting stronger and stronger, so to win a Grade I with a filly like her was huge.”

Shred the Gnar will break from post 5 in the Fleur de Lis, which is scheduled as Race 7 with a 4:04 p.m. ET post time. The race is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Distaff.

The field for the Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Splendora (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert, 4-5)
Regaled (Tyler Gaffalione, Whit Beckman, 10-1)
Immersive (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox, 8-1)
In Just My Heels (Keith Asmussen, Ron Moquett, 20-1)
Shred the Gnar (Luis Saez, Brian Lynch, 6-5)
Lynch will saddle six stakes runners over the closing weekend of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet. In addition to Shred the Gnar in Saturday’s Fleur de Lis, he will send out Thousandsticks in the $275,000 American Derby (Listed) and East Jabip (IRE) in the $275,000 Tepin Stakes (Listed). Sunday’s stakes contingent includes Hey Tuff Guy in the $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes, Prize Pick in the $250,000 Maxfield Stakes (GIII) and Owen Almighty in the $300,000 Hanshin Stakes presented by JRA (GIII).

CLOSING WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES – It was a rainy morning at Churchill Downs for the final training sessions of Saturday’s Stephen Foster contenders. Kentucky Derby winner and reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty galloped at about 5:45 a.m. with exercise rider Javi Cardona in the irons for trainer Bill Mott. Shortly after Sovereignty finished galloping, Magnitude had a light gallop with Roberto Howell in the saddle for trainer Steve Asmussen. In the next set of horses, at around 6 a.m., Cardona was aboard Baeza, who galloped. At 7:30 a.m. longshot Willy D’s galloped for trainer Mike Maker. “Since we claimed him, he’s never had a bad day,” Maker said. “It’s a step up in competition but running last would pay the same as it would going to Texas (for Saturday’s Texas Turf Classic).” Finally, at 9:20 a.m., White Abarrio jogged for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. … The season finale of “Inside Churchill Downs” airs Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. The one-hour horse racing program hosted by Churchill Downs’ Kevin Kertstein and Darren Rogers will preview the big Stephen Foster Day and closing day action. … TwinSpires will have a special $3,500 Stephen Foster Betting Challenge that awards prizes such as seats to the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge, National Handicapping Championship and Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge plus cash. For more information, visit www.twinspires.com/tournaments.