Bango Tops Kelly's Landing, Heavenly Sunday Leads Tepin

Though Stephen Foster Day will have a new look to it this year due to the Churchill Downs meet moving to Ellis Park earlier this month, there will be plenty of stakes action on the July 1 card, including the Kelly's Landing Stakes and Tepin Stakes, along with the American Derby—each worth $225,000.

In the 6 1/2-furlong Kelly's Landing, the field of seven 3-year-olds and up is led by millionaire Bango , who arrives from a runner-up finish in the June 3 Aristides Stakes at Churchill. The homebred for Tamaroak Partners won the dirt event in 2021 and finished fourth last year.

For his other starts in 2023, the 5-year-old son of Congrats  was second in the Duncan F. Kenner Stakes in January and won the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes May 4. He is conditioned by Greg Foley.

Also entered is Whitmore Stakes (G3) victor Tejano Twist , 2022 Kelly's Landing runner-up Miles Ahead , multiple stakes winner Surveillance , lightly raced Marsalis , Doug O'Neill trainee Happy Jack , and stakes-placed Fortin Hill .

The one-mile Tepin over the Ellis turf has attracted a field of nine 3-year-old fillies and is topped by May 5 Edgewood Stakes (G2T) victress Heavenly Sunday . Trained by Brad Cox for Miacomet Farm, the Candy Ride   filly has only five starts under her belt from a career that began last September. 

Her other two starts in stakes company include third-place finishes in the Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) and Appalachian Stakes (G2T) this year.

Other entrants include last out Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap winner Safeen , stakes winners Klassy Bridgette , Santa Fe Gold , and Girl Named Charlie , stakes-placed Metaphysical , 2022 Breeders' Cup participant Xigera , last-out maiden special weight winner Sandra D , and Brendan Walsh trainee Wonderfull Lady  who will make her third start in North America.

Entered in the grassy 1 1/16-mile American Derby for 3-year-olds is Vicki Oliver trainee Mo Stash  who put in a solid winning effort at Keeneland's spring meet in the Transylvania Stakes (G3T).

He was fourth last out in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard behind Webslinger . The Mo Town   colt has earned $415,275 from a record of 2-2-0 in seven starts for owner BBN Racing. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher brings two entries with Hidden Path  and Sharar . The former comes in from back-to-back wins at Churchill while the latter arrived in the United States earlier this year after beginning his career in Dubai.

Rounding out the six-horse field is stakes winner Gigante  and stakes-placed Wadsworth  and Desert Duke .

CORRECTION: An earlier edition of this story misidentified the American Derby.