Last Samurai Drills Five Furlongs for New Barn

Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) contender Last Samurai  completed his final tune-up for Saturday's race with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01 2/5 at Churchill Downs.

A four-length winner of the April 23 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in his last outing, the Willis Horton runner recently was transferred to the barn of D. Wayne Lukas after making all 15 of his career starts for trainer Dallas Stewart.

According to Kevin Kerstein of Churchill Downs media, several of Horton's horses were moved to Lukas.

Last Samurai, a 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon, capped his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Park before finishing seventh there in the Razorback Handicap (G3) in his 2022 debut. He bounced back with a determined runner-up finish to route specialist Lone Rock  in the April 3 Temperance Hill Stakes ahead of his Oaklawn Handicap triumph.

The colt has been breezing consistently at Churchill Downs the last two months, clocking a sharp :47 4/5 two works back June 6.

Saturday’s $750,000 Stephen Foster, over 1 1/8 miles for older horses, is scheduled to be headlined by last year's Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner, Mandaloun , and Olympiad , who is 4-for-4 on the year after taking the Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Entries for the Stephen Foster will be taken Wednesday.