First time since Always dreaming run fifth in Churchill Downs in 2018 at the age of 4, the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner returned to racing underneath the Twin Spiers as Juddmonte’s Mandaloun faces six competitors in the $750,000 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) prize on July 2.
Mandaloun, elevated to first place in the 2021 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve in February after Medina Spirit was disqualified for a drug offence, will now look to add Churchill’s richest spring race for older men to his list of achievements. A Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” challenge race, Stephen Foster offers a paid landing for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) this fall at Keeneland.
Mandaloun and at least a few others in the race appear to have Breeders’ Cup credentials. Sharing the spotlight in the 1/8 mile dirt road race is the 1st place winner Americanrevolution and streaks Olympiad , who is unbeaten in four games starting this year. Both have a recent advantage over Mandaloun.
Mandaloun, son of Into Mischief coached by Brad Cox, raced twice when a kid was 4 years old. He’s outran Midnight Bourbon won the Louisiana Stakes (G3) on his season debut on January 22 at Fair Grounds & Slots before a disappointing ninth win at the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in Saudi Arabia on February 26.
When he got stuck in traffic during the early part of a one-turn, 1/8-mile race, he entered the gap for a three-lap wide pace before starting to retreat from the first leg. He finished 18 3/4 of the length after local hard work Icon line.
“Obviously we don’t race there much, not sure if that’s the track he likes. It’s a bit deeper – I don’t know how to describe it,” Cox said. “But anything close-up that night, especially in that race, doesn’t finish anywhere. So that’s one of you drawing a line.”
Cox reports that Mandaloun has recovered well during his training that led to the foal’s first start in over four months. The 4-year-old pulled six keychains at Churchill Downs at 1:12 2/5 on June 19 before returning with a 1:00 4/5 breeze on June 25 there.
“He’s quite the fit,” said Cox, who also runs Shortleaf Stable’s. River Caddo in Foster. “I think we did as much as we could with him in the morning. It’s time for him to race.”
Florent Geroux, Mandaloun’s rider during the foal’s 10-race career, is back in the irons.
Americanrevolution and Olympiad — placing first and fourth respectively in the Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets (G1) last December, raced against each other for the first time since that meeting.
WinStar Farm’s Chinese Horse Club and Americanrevolution have raced just once since the Cigar Mile, finishing fourth in the 1 1/8 km Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs on his season debut. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher brought him back there as a replacement after a shorter, easier race with New York crosses at Belmont Park failed to attract a sufficient number of entries. Enter to be played.
The Structure 4-year-old boy races competitively in Blame but goes up a bit ahead, losing to stable friend by three lengths Move one .
Pletcher told Ren Carothers in a June 28 video interview hosted by Breeders’ Cup and circulated on social media. “Anyway, we need to start. He was just a little tired at the end, quit, went a mile and an eighth and he had a pretty wide ride that day too.
“Hopefully that race and some good breeze after that set him up for performance improvement, which he’ll need. Foster looks like he’s coming up to a very competitive race, but he’s Super training.”
Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stakes and LNJ Foxwoods’ Olympiad have not lost since the Cigar Mile, with Hall of Fame coach Bill Mott keeping him focused in the two-turn events. After entering a allowable option race in January, he won a pair of classified races in quick time at Fair Grounds before adding the Alysheba do Sentient Jet (G2) Bet presented on the Churchill strip on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) card.
Topped by the comeback Happy Saver During the early period, the Olympiad (Sightstown ) respawned to win over the long 2 and a half. Happy Saver then ran away for a second to Flight route in Capital Handicap Hill ‘n’ Dale (G1).
Of the remaining participants, Willis Horton Racing’s The ultimate samurai warrior looks like a player, having just won Oaklawn Handicap (G2) by four points against the next winner Brooklyn Stakes (G2) Fearless.
He started Saturday for Hall of Fame coach D. Wayne Lukas after previously being coached by one of his former assistants, Dallas Stewart. Horton transferred many horses from Stewart to Lukas.
The Last Samurai and the Olympiad were tied at 124 pounds, spotting opponents between three and five pounds.
Stewart runs Charles Fipke’s Title is ready third in Alysheba, while coach Mike Stidham started Godolphin’s Authority runner-up in The Blame.
Stephen Foster and other races from Churchill Downs will be televised by NBC in a two-hour program airing 4-6 p.m. ET.
Item: Stephen Foster S. (G2)
Churchill DownsSaturday, July 2, 2022, Race No. 10
- Level II
- 1 1/8 minutes
- Dust
- $750,000
- 4 years or more
- 5:47 pm (local)
