Majestic Harbor Breezes Toward Foster

Gallant Stables' 8-year-old Majestic Harbor, the 13-1 surprise runaway winner of the $400,000 Alysheba (gr. II) May 6 at Churchill Downs, readied for his engagement in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) coming up June 18 with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00 2/5 the morning of June 8 at the Louisville oval—fastest of 20 moves at the distance.

Churchill clockers timed Majestic Harbor in splits of :12 1/5, :24 2/5, and :36 1/5 before he galloped out to six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 and seven in 1:27 1/5.

Trainer Paul McGee had regular rider Corey Lanerie in the saddle for the breeze.

"He worked really good and did it all on his own without much asking," Lanerie said. "When I asked him to finish, he finished strong, and was just cruising."

The Kentucky-bred son of Rockport Harbor has won 10 races and $1,246,814 in 41 starts over the past six years. Majestic Harbor collected two of his four graded stakes wins during his 6-year-old campaign in California with trainer Sean McCarthy—the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) and $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) in 2014.

He returned to McGee's care in early 2015 and signaled his return to top form this winter with a game head victory over Eagle in the $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Two races later, he beat that rival again, this time by 2 1/2 lengths, in the Alysheba.

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"He's a millionaire and he showed his class," McGee said after the Alysheba. "He's been a very sound horse all along."

"I think he's gotten even better than he's ever been," Lanerie said. "He sure seems that way. Right now, he's a happy, happy horse."

Weights for the June 18 Stephen Foster Handicap will be released June 11. The field for the 1 1/8-mile race is expected to be led by $2,682,950-earner Effinex. The four-time graded stakes winner from the Jimmy Jerkens barn in New York who won last fall's Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (gr. I) after finishing second to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah   in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). The Stephen Foster is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Classic, and grants the winner a berth in the race with pre-entry and entry fees paid.