First Mission winning the Alysheba. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Update/Edited
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A total of 42 horses schooled in the paddock following training Thursday morning including Stephen Foster favorite First Mission and Hanshin Stakes top contenders Tumbarumba, Zozos and Cagliostro.
Combined, the nine Stephen Foster entrants have won 41 of their 139 starts (29.5%), including 21 stakes events and $9,083,938. … Classic Causeway (2022 Belmont Derby) is the lone Grade I winner in the field. … First Mission (Alysheba), Kingsbarns (2023 Louisiana Derby), Skippylongstocking (Oaklawn Handicap and 2023 Charles Town Classic) and Steal Sunshine (Gulfstream Park Mile) are Grade II winners. … Disarm (2023 Matt Winn), Happy American (2023 Louisiana) and Pyrenees (Pimlico Special) are Grade III winners. … Dreamlike (runner-up in the GI Pennsylvania Derby in 2023) seeks his first stakes win. … First Mission is ranked No. 3 on the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll behind National Treasure and Senor Buscador. … Classic Causeway (11th in 2022), Disarm (4th in 2023) and Kingsbarns (14th in 2023) are Kentucky Derby alumni. … Happy American finished third in last year’s Stephen Foster at Ellis Park behind West Will Power and Rattle N Roll.
Four horses used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of their résumés in Horse of the Year campaigns: Black Tie Affair (1991), Saint Liam (2005), Curlin (2008) and Gun Runner (2017). In addition, two Foster runner-ups were crowned Horse of the Year: Mineshaft (2003) and Wise Dan (2012).
Victory Gallop owns the stakes and track record for 1 1/8 miles of 1:47.28 established in 1999.
Pat Day and Robby Albarado have won the Stephen Foster three times to lead all riders. Day’s Foster victories came in 1985 (Vanlandingham), 1998 (Awesome Again) and 2003 (Perfect Drift). Albarado won the race three consecutive years in 2007 (Flashy Bull), 2008 (Curlin) and 2009 (Macho Again). Jockeys in this year’s field with previous Foster wins: Florent Geroux (2017 Gun Runner), Brian Hernandez Jr. (2013 Fort Larned) and Jose Ortiz (2021 Maxfield).
Eight trainers have won the Stephen Foster twice: Forrest Kaelin (1982-83 with Vodika Collins); Jere Smith Jr. (1994-95 with Recoup The Cash); Pat Byrne (1997-98 with City by Night and Awesome Again); Mark Casse (2011 with Pool Play and 2015 with Noble Bird); Steve Asmussen (2008 with Curlin and 2017 with Gun Runner); Dallas Stewart (2009 with Macho Again and 2019 with Seeking the Soul); Al Stall Jr. (2010 with Blame and 2020 with Tom’s d’Etat); and Bill Mott (2012 with Ron the Greek and 2023 with Olympiad). Trainers in this year’s field with previous Foster wins: Asmussen and Brad Cox (2023 West Will Power).
The 43rd running of the $1 million Stephen Foster (Grade I) is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series. The winner of the 1 1/8-mile race for 4-year-olds and up will earn a spot in the starting gate for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 2. Also, the winner’s entry fees to the Classic will be paid and will receive a travel stipend if based outside the state of Kentucky. The Foster is the first domestic “Win and You’re In” prep race for the Classic and has been a part of the “Win and You’re In” series since 2013. Four horses have won the Stephen Foster and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year. Black Tie Affair (1991) and Awesome Again (1998) won both races at Churchill Downs. Saint Liam (2005) won his running of the Classic at Belmont Park. Gun Runner (2017) won his Classic at Del Mar. Additionally, Fort Larned won the Classic in 2012 at Santa Anita and returned to his home base to win the 2013 Stephen Foster.
