Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Gift Box, Tenfold lead large field for Foster
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A field of 12 older horses, one of the largest in years, has been entered for the Grade 2, $600,000 Stephen Foster, to be run Saturday night under the Churchill Downs lights.
The likely favorites, Gift Box and Tenfold, will start alongside each other in the 1 1/8-mile Foster in posts 6 and 7. The lineup also includes such accomplished runners as Seeking the Soul, Tom’s d’Etat, Quip, and Yoshida.
The Foster and another Saturday night stakes, the Fleur de Lis, both are Win and You’re In events toward the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup. Both will be shown live on a 90-minute broadcast (8:30-10 p.m. Eastern) on NBCSN. TVG also will provide on-site coverage throughout an 11-race Downs After Dark program that starts at 6.
Gift Box, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in March, arrived here Tuesday from California for trainer John Sadler. Joel Rosario, fresh from his Belmont Stakes upset with Sir Winston, has the mount. Rosario rode Accelerate to a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here last fall for Sadler.
Tenfold, winner of the Pimlico Special in his last start, was confirmed as a starter Monday after the colt breezed here the previous morning and trainer Steve Asmussen was assured he has remained in peak shape. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount.
From the rail, this is the field for the 38th Foster: Thirstforlife, Rated R Superstar, Runaway Ghost, Seeking the Soul, Alkhaatam, Gift Box, Tenfold, King Zachary, Tom’s d’Etat, Quip, Exulting, Yoshida.
This is the first year the Foster has not been a handicap; weight assignments range from 125 to 121 pounds on allowance conditions. It’s also the first running of the Foster since it was downgraded from Grade 1 status. It had been a Grade 1 since 2002.
“It’s a seriously tough field, which is kind of ironic, considering they just downgraded it,” said trainer Al Stall Jr., who sends out Tom’s d’Etat, most recently second to McKinzie in the Alysheba. “Our horse should be fine with the nine hole. He leaves there pretty nicely, and there’s enough run into the first turn.” In the other stakes: ◗
Grade 2, $250,000 Fleur
de Lis (race 7, 9:05): Half of the field of six fillies and mares is composed of Grade 1 winners – Elate, She’s a Julie, and Blue Prize. Joining them in their 1 1/8-mile journey are Skeptic, Go Google Yourself, and Auspicious Babe.
Blue Prize, winner of the Spinster last fall, will have Javier Castellano aboard for the first time.
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Grade 2, $250,000 Wise
Dan (race 6, 8:30): An oversubscribed field of 15 older horses was entered in this 1 1/16-mile turf race, including Hot Springs, Itsinthepost, Inspector Lynley, Admission Office, and Bourbon Resolution. As many as 14 can start.
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Grade 3, $150,000 Matt
Winn (race 5, 7:57): Mr. Money, the runaway winner of the Pat Day Mile, was assigned post 6 in a field of seven 3-year-olds in this 1 1/16-mile race. Other notables include Signalman, Nolo Contesto, and Knicks Go.
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Grade 3, $150,000 Regret
(race 9, 10:11): A well-matched field of 11 3-year-old fillies was entered in this 1 1/8-mile turf race. Winter Sunset, third behind Concrete Rose and News paperof record in the Edgewood, could be a slight favorite from her rail post.
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Grade 1 (Arabian), $100,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup
(race 10, 10:42): Paddys Day and Easter Man are likely favorites in a field of 10 in this 1 1/16-mile race. This is the seventh time since 2011 that this Arabian showcase has been held at Churchill.
Between races Saturday, the connections of 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House will be presented with their engraved trophies, including trainer Bill Mott, who will saddle Yoshida for the Foster and Elate for the Fleur de Lis.