Gift Box Returns East for Stephen Foster

Hronis Racing's Gift Box, the gift that keeps on giving for his connections, has made the journey to Kentucky and rates as one of the top threats among a field of 12 in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) June 15 at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/8-mile Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

The son of Twirling Candy  arrived at Churchill June 11 in the care of former jockey Juan Leyva, now the assistant to trainer John Sadler. 

"He's really taken to Churchill Downs well since he's arrived," said Leyva. "I absolutely love coming here. With 12 horses entering the Stephen Foster it didn't come up easy by any means, but we're confident our horse is ready to run a big effort. It's been great getting him in the (Churchill Downs Stakes) barn. He shows so much grit and determination every time he runs."

Gift Box, the 3-1 morning line favorite and 125-pound highweight for the Stephen Foster, won both the Dec. 26 San Antonio Stakes (G2) and the April 6 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1), beating McKinzie by a nose, before finishing second to Vino Rosso in his last start, the May 27 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1).

A winner of five of 16 lifetime starts, Gift Box landed post six under Joel Rosario.

"He's had three good races for us and came out of the Gold Cup in such good shape that we called an audible and sent him to Churchill," Sadler said. "It's a 'Win and You're In,' we like that, and it's a good spot for him."

Sadler still sees the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) Aug. 17 at Del Mar as a main goal for the 6-year-old Gift Box, but after Hronis Racing's Catalina Cruiser won the June 7 True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in his 2019 debut, Sadler penciled in the chestnut son of Union Rags  for the July 20 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar and arranged a plane ride for Gift Box.

"It's a three-week turnaround," Sadler said about the timing since Gift Box's three-quarters-of-a-length loss to Vino Rosso in the Gold Cup, "but he looked bright after the race and I liked his work Sunday (five furlongs in 1:00 2/5) and the way he came out of it."

Gift Box was on Sadler's radar for a while since he was from the first crop by Twirling Candy, whom Sadler trained. But the opportunity to acquire him didn't materialize until he was sidelined with some minor issues following an 8 3/4-length allowance optional claimer win at Aqueduct Racetrack March 24 of 2018.

"In his last start in New York, he ran a 5 on the Ragozin Sheets, which is a very serious number. He was on the farm with some minor issues but he was getting older, so they were looking to move along with him," Sadler said. "I saw him as a good, Chad Brown-trained horse at a time when we were looking to replace Accelerate  and I've been happy since we've had him. He a big, strong horse who looks like a monster."

Bred by Machmer Hall and Carrie and Craig Brogden in Kentucky out of the Unbridled's Song mare Special Me, Gift Box originally sold for $135,000 from the Select Sales consignment at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale.

The Stephen Foster also features the return to U.S. racing for Yoshida, the versatile grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Owned by China Horse Club, WinStar Farm, and Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners, Yoshida was sixth in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) March 30, and before that was sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, just 1 3/4 lengths behind Sadler's victorious Accelerate.

"He came back from Dubai in good order. He spent a few weeks at WinStar and freshened up a little bit and has been doing well since," Mott said.

While Yoshida captured the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) and competed in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on turf last year, Mott says a dirt campaign is in the cards for the son of Heart's Cry, who was bought by WinStar for $765,160 at the 2015 Japan Racing Horse Association Sale of Yearlings and Weanlings from his breeder, Northern Farm.

"We'll probably zero in on the dirt races," said Mott, whose 5-year-old drew the outside post in the field of 12, "but he's a pretty good turf horse, too. He beat Bricks and Mortar when they were 3."

Regardless of what happens in the Stephen Foster, the evening card promises to be memorable for Mott as he and the connections of Country House will be honored for their 3-year-old's victory in the Kentucky Derby Sponsored by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Among the other main threats in the Stephen Foster are Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Tenfold, who returned to top form with a victory in the Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) May 17; Charles Fipke's Seeking the Soul, who was second in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in January and won the 2017 Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs; Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner Quip; and Joe Peacock's 2018 Sunland Derby (G3) winner Runaway Ghost.

The Stephen Foster will be the eighth race on an 11-race card with post time scheduled for 9:47 p.m. ETD. NBCSN will televise the race from 8:30-10 p.m. as part of its 2019 "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In presented by America's Best Racing" television schedule. Also, Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) will air live coverage on SiriusXM 156 from 8-10 p.m. and TVG will provide live on-site updates throughout the evening.

Entries: Stephen Foster S. (G2)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 15, 2019, Race 8

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 9:47 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Thirstforlife (KY)	Miguel Mena	121	Wesley E. Hawley	15/1
2	2Rated R Superstar (KY)	Rodney A. Prescott	121	Cipriano Contreras	20/1
3	3Runaway Ghost (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Todd W. Fincher	20/1
4	4Seeking the Soul (KY)	John R. Velazquez	121	Dallas Stewart	4/1
5	5Alkhaatam (KY)	Channing Hill	121	Daniel C. Peitz	30/1
6	6Gift Box (KY)	Joel Rosario	125	John W. Sadler	3/1
7	7Tenfold (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
8	8King Zachary (KY)	Javier Castellano	121	H. Graham Motion	12/1
9	9Tom's d'Etat (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	121	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	5/1
10	10Quip (KY)	Florent Geroux	123	Rodolphe Brisset	10/1
11	11Exulting (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Michael J. Maker	20/1
12	12Yoshida (JPN)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	William I. Mott	7/2