Asymmetric to Battle Big Invasion in William Walker
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Asymmetric wins the 2021 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood
Rebecca Hillen's Asymmetric and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Big Invasion top a field of nine 3-year-olds entered April 29 for the seventh running of the $200,000 William Walker Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs over the refurbished Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs May 4.
The William Walker will go as the ninth race on Wednesday's 10-race program with a 4:52 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post on Wednesday is 12:45 p.m.
A group 2 winner at Goodwood last year in the Unibet Richmond Stakes (G2), Asymmetric will be making his 2022 debut for trainer Wesley Ward, who won this race in 2019 with Jo Jo Air . Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post position four.
The 3-year-old colt by Showcasing is 3-1-1 from 6 starts and has earnings of $203, 907. His last time out was a seventh-place finish in the 2021Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Big Invasion has won two of three starts with his most recent victory coming by 3 lengths as the 4-5 favorite in the Texas Glitter Stakes going five furlongs at Gulfstream Park March 26. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position five.
The field for the William Walker, with riders from the inside, is: Magnolia Midnight (Jose Ortiz), Candy Landing (Umberto Rispoli), B D Valeski (James Graham), Asymmetric (IRE) (Ortiz Jr., 122), Big Invasion (Rosario, 118), Run Curtis Run (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Sooley (Flavien Prat), Millennial Moon (GB) (Tyler Gaffalione) and Lucci (John Velazquez).
Malibu Stakes Runner-Up, Baby Yoda, to Contend St. Matthews Overnight Stakes
Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable, Gary Barber and Jerold Zaro's Baby Yoda tops a field of 10 4-year-olds and up entered Friday for Wednesday's inaugural running of the six-furlong $160,000 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes.
The St. Matthews will go as the eighth race on Wednesday with a 4:19 p.m. post time.
Trained by Bill Mott, Baby Yoda enters Friday's race off a 3 3/4-length score at Keeneland April 14. He closed 2021 with a runner-up finish to the undefeated Flightline in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Baby Yoda wins a starter allowance race at Keeneland
Joel Rosario has the mount Wednesday and will break from post position seven.
The field for the St. Matthews, with riders from the inside, is: Just Might (Rafael Bejarano), A C Expressway (Flavien Prat), Bango (Tyler Gaffalione), Top Gunner (Reylu Gutierrez), Sir Alfred James (Jose Ortiz), Tulane Tryst (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Baby Yoda (Rosario), Tiger Dad (David Cohen), Manny Wah (Florent Geroux) and Quick Tempo (Luis Saez).