Blofeld Tops Lineup for William Walker Stakes

Blofeld, perfect in three career starts that include two stakes wins, tops a field of six 3-year-olds for the first running of the $100,000 William Walker Stakes, April 25, opening night of Churchill Downs spring meet.

 

The new six-furlong race named for African American jockey William Walker, winner of the 1877 Kentucky Derby aboard Baden-Baden. The race highlights the launch of Kentucky Derby Week and the 38-day spring meet.

 

The William Walker will go as the seventh race on Saturday's 11-race program that has a first post time of 6 p.m. ET. Post time for the William Walker is approximately 9:05 p.m.

 

Trained by Todd Pletcher for Glencrest Farm and JSM Equine, Blofeld owns wins in last year's Nashua (gr. II) and Futurity (gr. II), but he has not raced since his Nashua victory in November. John Velazquez, who has ridden the Quality Road   colt in all of his starts, has the mount Saturday and will break from post 2.

 

Two other stakes winners are in the field: Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Cinco Charlie and Starsky Weast's Weast Hill.

 

Cinco Charlie—who is undefeated in two starts in Churchill, including a victory in last June's Bashford Manor—is trained by Steve Asmussen. In addition to his Bashford Manor victory, Cinco Charlie has posted stakes victories at Delaware Park, Laurel Park, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and Sunland Park, and was third to Blofeld in the Futurity.

 

Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Cinco Charlie and will break from post 4.

 

Brad Cox trains Weast Hill, who is undefeated in two starts. Winner of the Rainbow at Oaklawn Park in his most-recent start, Weast Hill will break from post 5 and be ridden by Jesus Castanon.