The Grade I Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs this Saturday, the biggest race on American soil over the weekend, figures to be a wide open affair with thirteen horses likely to break from the starting gate under the Twin Spires.
With the Bob Baffert trained First Dude, winner of the Grade III Alysheba, deciding to skip the Stephen Foster, favoritism could fall on Alysheba second-place finisher Regal Ransom. A winner of over .8 million, Regal Ransom has four victories and four second place finishes out of fourteen lifetime starts. The Godolphin runner, who does his work close to the lead, could be very difficult to beat if his three works at Belmont Park in anticipation of this, including a four furlong bullet in 46.6 on May 8, is any indication of his readiness.
Giant Oak, the Chris Block trainee sired by Giant’s Causeway, will garner plenty of attention from horseplayers. Giant Oak was terrific over the Churchill Down’s racing strip last November when taking home top honors in the Clark Handicap. The horse solidified his top older horse status when winning the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in February. Since then, Giant Oak has finished third in the Grade II New Orleans Handicap and fifth in the Alysheba. A bounce back to the winner’s circle on Saturday is not out of the question for the multiple Grade I winner.
Todd Pletcher’s Mission Impazible, the 00 Louisiana Derby winner, took a decided step back with a sixth place finish in the Alysheba in his last. Two races ago, the Unbridled’s Song progeny, took home top honors at the New Orleans Handicap over Apart and Giant Oak. As one of the favorites in the Alysheba, Mission Impazible was run off of his feet by First Dude and Regal Ransom. Because of Pletcher’s incredible reputation, Mission Impazible figures to receive plenty of backing on June 8.
Duke of Mischief, winner of the million Grade III Charles Town Classic in his last, has plenty of long shot appeal. The pace will need t
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Not many fans saw this one coming. At least not before the tournament kicked in two weeks ago. Brazil and Argentina are now officially out of the tournament. They were the two favorite teams to win it all.