Churchill Downs Update: Grade I Winner Usha Set to Tackle Monday's $250,000 Winning Colors

May 21, 2026

Grade I winner Usha is set to face seven rivals when she headlines the 23rd running of the $250,000 Winning Colors (GIII), the featured event on Monday’s special Memorial Day card at Churchill Downs.

Run at six furlongs, the Winning Colors goes as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m. (all times Eastern). The first of nine races will get underway at 12:45 p.m.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, and trained by Bob Baffert, Usha most recently finished third in the Derby City Distaff (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day in her first start as a 4-year-old. Last season, the daughter of Tiz the Law crushed the La Brea (GI) field by 5 ¼ lengths. Jockey Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post No. 7.

The Winning Colors field also includes John Gallegos’ Roxelana Stakes (Listed) winner One Magic Philly; Paradise Farms Corp., P Shooter Stable and Medallion Racing’s multiple stakes winner Foie Gras; and Godolphin’s Kapoor, who enters the race on a four-race win streak.

The complete field for the Winning Colors in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Foie Gras (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker)
Dare to Fly (Rafael Bejarano, John Ennis)
Zeitlos (Brian Hernandez Jr., Steve Asmussen)
Spring Dancer (Jaime Torres, Randy Morse)
Kapoor (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott)
One Magic Philly (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)
Usha (Geroux, Baffert)
Jersey Pearl (Francisco Arrieta, Darrin Miller)
The race is named in honor of Winning Colors, who became the third filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988. Winning Colors is one of five Kentucky Derby victors, and the second filly winner, to have a Churchill Downs stakes race named in her honor. She joins Alysheba, Aristides, Regret and Street Sense to have Churchill Downs events in their names.

DERBY CITY 6 JACKPOT STANDS AT $121,789 FOR THURSDAY’S CARD – The 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot has reached six figures Thursday with a $121,789 carryover to the eight-race card.

The Derby City 6 Jackpot has a 20-cent minimum denomination with low 15% takeout and requires bettors to have the only winning ticket to take down the jackpot. If there are multiple winning tickets, 90% of the day’s pool is paid out with 10% carrying to the next race day. If there are no winning tickets, the entire day’s pool is carried to the next race day.

Thursday’s wager covers Races 3-8, beginning at 5:58 p.m. (all times Eastern):

Race 3 (5:58 p.m.), Mdn 120k, 2yo, 5 F (T) (12 entries, 10 eligible to run)
Race 4 (6:27 p.m.), Alw 30000s, 3yo and up, 7 F (eight entries)
Race 5 (6:56 p.m.), Clm 32000, 4yo and up, 6 ½ F (11 entries)
Race 6 (7:25 p.m.), OC 175000b, 3yo and up, 1 1/16 M (T) (eight entries)
Race 7 (7:54 p.m.), OC 175000b, 3yo and up, 7 F (eight entries)
Race 8 (8:23 p.m.), MC 20000, f&m, 3yo and up, 7 F (13 entries, 12 eligible to run)
THIS WEEK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – A five-day week began Thursday at Churchill Downs that includes a special Monday program in honor of Memorial Day.

Thursday’s festivities for Twilight Thursday include $2 domestic draft beer, live music from Bourbon Straights and local food trucks Burger World, Celtic Pig, Lil Cheezers, Mr. C’s Cheesecakes and Ramiro’s Cantina. The eight-race program begins at 5 p.m. and includes an allowance optional claiming event in Race 7 that features multiple stakes winners Dresden Row, Encino, Ole Crazy Bone and Wadsworth.

The nine-race program on Friday features the 4-year-old debut of Verifire, who scored a 2 ¾-length victory in last year’s Maxfield Stakes. The day is also dubbed as Senior Day with discounted admission for guests 60 and older.

Saturday’s 11-race card is headlined by the $250,000 Keertana Stakes (Listed) in Race 9 at 4:56 p.m. where Haymarket Farms’ Ayra Stark is the 9-5 morning line favorite among eight turf marathoners.

Ten races are on the docket for Sunday’s program, which includes competitive allowance contests in Races 8 and 9.

The racing week will close with Monday’s nine-race program featuring the $250,000 Winning Colors (GI) in Race 8. The day will honor active and retired military members with discounted admission for service members with a valid ID.

First post Friday through Monday is 12:45 p.m.

For more information about the Churchill Downs Spring Meet and to purchase tickets, visit www.churchilldowns.com.