In U.S. Return, Lea Targets Stephen Foster

About two and a half months after finishing third in the world's richest race, grade I winner Lea will return to racing and a U.S. campaign, when the 6-year-old son of First Samurai   starts in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 13 at Churchill Downs. 

After a spectacular Triple Crown series that started with American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) victory at Churchill, older horses return to the spotlight in Louisville with the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster.

The field of seven in the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race to the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), features three grade I winners in Lea, Hoppertunity, and Majestic Harbor; as well as Commissioner, who just missed winning last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I). NBCSN plans live coverage of the race during an 8-10 p.m. (EDT) broadcast that will include the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) and American Pharaoh parading at the Louisville track.

Lea, who won last year's Donn Handicap (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park and finished second in this year's edition, will be making his first start since finishing third in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) at Meydan. Lea finished four lengths behind winner Prince Bishop and 1 1/4 lengths behind 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, who has stayed overseas for a planned start in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I) June 17 at Royal Ascot.

On Saturday, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Lea will be making his fourth Churchill Downs start and second on the main track. He easily won his only previous main-track Churchill start, a 2013 allowance-optional claiming race originally scheduled for the turf that was moved to the dirt. On the Churchill turf, Lea won the 2012 Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) and finished second to Wise Dan in the 2013 Firecracker Handicap (gr. IIT).

Starting from the rail Saturday will be Commissioner, who has won two straight, including an easy victory in the May 15 Pimlico Special Stakes (gr. III). WinStar Farm's Commissioner, who lost last year's Belmont by a head to Tonalist, will try to nail down the first grade I victory of his career Saturday. 

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Hoppertunity will return to Churchill for the first time since winning last year's Clark Handicap (gr. I). After opening the season with a clear victory in the San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Antia Park, the son of Any Given Saturday received some time off after finishing third in the San Antonio Invitational Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita, behind Shared Belief and California Chrome.

Hoppertunity is trained by Bob Baffert, who also will send out Michael Lund Petersen's Cat Burglar, who enters off a third in the Pimlico Special. 

The other grade I winner in the field is Gallant Stables' Majestic Harbor, who scored a 14-1 upset in last year's Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (gr. I). In April,P the 7-year-old son of Rockport Harbor won a pair of allowance races that were moved from turf to dirt, one at Keeneland and one at Churchill.

Rounding out the field are Noble Bird, who just missed upsetting the Alysheba Stakes (gr. II), finishing second in that May 1 race at Churchill; and Paganol, who cruised to an allowance-optional claiming race win May 2 at Churchill.