Itsinthepost Travels East for Wise Dan Stakes

The $250,000 Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) June 15 at Churchill Downs attracted a competitive field for the 1 1/16-mile grass feature, one of two stakes run on the Matt Winn turf course on the Stephen Foster Handicap (G2) undercard. 

Red Baron's Barn's Itsinthepost is set for his 7-year-old debut Saturday. The West Coast shipper ended 2018 with two off-the-board finishes following a victory in the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park last spring. He kicked off last season with three consecutive wins at the Arcadia, Calif., track in the San Gabriel, San Marcos, and San Luis Rey stakes—all grade 2 on turf—and was third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland.

Also looking to rebound is Woodford Racing's Hot Springs, who has won four of five starts on the Churchill Downs lawn. The Uncle Mo  colt scored his top victory over this course and distance last fall at 3 when he won the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (G3T) on yielding grass. He's had two starts this year since that effort but has been off the board both times, including a seventh-place finish in the May 2 Opening Verse Overnight Stakes at Churchill.

Other Opening Verse runners returning in the Wise Dan are Marc Detampel's Siem Riep and Team Valor International's First Premio. Siem Riep was runner-up in stakes races three times before breaking though in the Opening Verse. The 5-year-old Tapit  gelding led every step of the one-mile event and drew off by 1 1/2 lengths. First Premio entered the Opening Verse off a Keeneland allowance victory and was favored to win the stakes but was passed near the end after sitting off the pace and finished fourth.

The Wise Dan has also attracted Admission Office, runner-up to Catholic Boy in the May 18 Dixie Stakes (G2T) at Pimlico Race Course; Bourbon Resolution, the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) winner who is making his turf debut; and El Picaro, a multiple group 1 winner in Chile making his first start stateside.

The $150,000 Regret Stakes (G3T) drew a field of 11 sophomore fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the Churchill Downs turf. Coffeepot Stables and Phillips Racing Partnership's Winter Sunset has finished third behind Concrete Rose in her past two starts and gets away from that rival Saturday.

A daughter of Tapit out of grade 1-winning turf mare Winter Memories, Winter Sunset lived up to expectations by winning her first two outings at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, including the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Overnight Stakes at a mile. She stretched out an extra sixteenth in both the Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs, where she was beaten only a length after rating in second, and the Edgewood Stakes Presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) at Churchill.

Augustin Stable's Varenka enters the Regret off a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden win May 11 at Belmont Park. The Ghostzapper  filly was runner-up in the P. G. Johnson Stakes in her second career start last summer at Saratoga Race Course and a distant second to Newspaperofrecord in the Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) at Belmont. Varenka ended her juvenile season with a fifth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).

Entries: Wise Dan S. (G2T)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 15, 2019, Race 6

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/16m
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 8:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Get Western (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Charles Lopresti	50/1
2	2All Right (KY)	Adam Beschizza	121	John Alexander Ortiz	30/1
3	3First Premio (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Mark E. Casse	8/1
4	4Hot Springs (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1
5	5Holiday Stone (KY)	Florent Geroux	121	Eddie Kenneally	20/1
6	6Siem Riep (KY)	James Graham	121	Ben Colebrook	8/1
7	7Itsinthepost (FR)	Tyler Baze	121	Jeff Mullins	5/1
8	8Noble Commander (FL)	Gabriel Saez	121	Philip D'Amato	30/1
9	9Inspector Lynley (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Claude R. McGaughey III	6/1
10	10El Picaro (CHI)	Javier Castellano	121	Ignacio Correas, IV	12/1
11	11March to the Arch (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Mark E. Casse	6/1
12	12Admission Office (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	Brian A. Lynch	5/1
13	13Cullum Road (KY)	John R. Velazquez	121	Michael J. Maker	6/1
14	14Bourbon Resolution (KY)	Chris Landeros	121	Ian R. Wilkes	10/1
15	15Parlor (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Eddie Kenneally	10/1

Entries: Regret S. (G3T)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 15, 2019, Race 9

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 10:19 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Winter Sunset (KY)	Channing Hill	118	Wayne M. Catalano	7/2
2	2Delta's Kingdom (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	William I. Mott	8/1
3	3Crafty's Dream (KY)	Sonny Leon	118	Michael Evans II	50/1
4	4Varenka (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	H. Graham Motion	4/1
5	5Hard Legacy (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Norm W. Casse	8/1
6	6Hungry Kitten (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	12/1
7	7Belle Laura (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Norm W. Casse	8/1
8	8Choate Bridge (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Brendan P. Walsh	10/1
9	9Fortunate Girl (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Mark E. Casse	12/1
10	10Gamblin Train (KY)	Adam Beschizza	118	William B. Bradley	10/1
11	11Princesa Carolina (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	4/1