Field Taking Shape for Stephen Foster
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Gallant Stables' grade I winner Majestic Harbor returns to the main track June 13 in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
The 34th running of the Stephen Foster is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" series, and the winner will earn an automatic spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Keeneland.
Last time out, Majestic Harbor, a 7-year-old veteran, ran a well-beaten ninth in the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) May 23, his third start on turf.
"I don't think he'll ever see the turf ever again," trainer Paul McGee said the morning after the race.
The Stephen Foster comes three weeks after Majestic Harbor's last race, but McGee said the shorter amount of time between races shouldn't bother the son of Rockport Harbor.
"He rebounded real good and came out of it fine—he's just not a turf horse," McGee said. "The Stephen Foster is right here at his home track and he's a grade I winner and the race has a big purse. I think he'll come back just fine. He has been eating well and came out of the Louisville Handicap good. He's relatively fresh."
Majestic Harbor won the 2014 Gold Cup (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
Also possible for the Stephen Foster are John Oxley's Noble Bird, second last time out in the Alysheba Stakes (gr. II), and Sky Captain, fourth via disqualification in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) May 2 at Churchill. The latter breezed a bullet five furlongs June 5.
Norman Casse, assistant to his father Mark, said no decision would be made on which horse would run until Noble Bird breezes June 6. He also said there is a possibility that both horses could run.
Trainer Todd Pletcher had planned to run a pair of horses in the Stephen Foster in pursuit of his first victory in the race, but a virus in his Belmont Park barn has taken one of those hopes out of consideration for the race. Sumaya U.S. Stables' Protonico, winner of theAlysheba and runner-up to Hoppertunity in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (gr. I), developed a fever and has been ruled out of the Stephen Foster.
That leaves WinStar Farm's Commissioner as Pletcher's lone Foster candidate. The 4-year-old son of A.P. Indy comes into the race off back-to-back wins in the Pimlico Special (gr. III) and the Skip Away (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.
He is best known for his runner-up finish in last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I), in which he finished a nose behind Tonalist and in front of fourth-place Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner California Chrome.
Also looming as major contender for the Stephen Foster is the Bill Mott-trained Lea, winner of the 2014 Donn Handicap (gr. I) on dirt at Gulfstream and runner-up to eventual Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the 2013 Firecracker (gr. IIT) on the grass at Churchill. The 6-year-old son of First Samurai has not raced since a third-place finish behind Prince Bishop and California Chrome in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) at Dubai's Meydan Racecourse.
Other possible starters for the Stephen Foster include Michael Lund Peterson's Cat Burglar, third in the Pimlico Special for trainer Bob Baffert, and James and Ywanchetta Driver's Paganol, an impressive allowance winner on Kentucky Derby day for trainer Chris Hartman.