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Horse Racing News and Commentary |
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Master Command leads Stephen Foster Handicap |
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Written by Gohorsepower.com
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Monday, 11 June 2007 |
 The $750,000 Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap headlines six graded races Saturday, June 16 at Churchill Downs. For three-year-olds and up, the distance contested is 9 furlongs. Todd Pletcher, winning trainer of Rags to Riches in this past weekend's Belmont Stakes, will run Graded winners Master Command and Magna Graduate, while Rick Dutrow Jr. will run the undefeated Diamond Stripes. A field of eight is set.
Master Command is the winner of the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap and Grade 3 National Jockey Club Handicap. A five-year-old son of AP Indy, Master Command has won eight of 15 starts. John Velazquez will ride.
Magna Graduate has won his last two races, the Grade 3 Excelsior Breeders Cup Handicap, and the Grade 3 Razorback Breeders Cup Handicap.
Diamond Stripes is a four-year-old gelded son of Notebook, and the winner of the Grade 3 Pegasus at the Meadowlands. He has won four straight lifetime starts. Edgar Prado will have the mount for the third time.
Wanderin Boy is a six-year-old son of Seeking the Gold, and winner of the Grade 3 Alysheba at Churchill Downs. Wanderin Boy is trained by Nick Zito. Corey Nakatani is the jockey.
Flashy Bull, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, is coming into this race off of three straight wins. Robby Albarado will be in the irons.
Jonesboro is winner of the Grade 3 Essex at Oaklawn, and took third to Magna Graduate in the Razorback BC. Last time out, Jonesboro set the pace and finished third to Bob and John and Sweetnorthernsaint in a muddy Lone Star Park Handicap. The five-year-old horse trained by Randy Morse breezed five furlongs in :50 on Tuesday, and was the fastest of five over the grass course. Yes, the Stephen Foster is still over dirt this time. Calvin Borel will be up for his fifth consecutive ride.
Five-year-old Grade 1 Turf winner Einstein is out with a bruise. Trainer Helen Pitts says the son of 1985 Kentucky Derby winner Spend A Buck has a bruised splint bone in his right foreleg.
The other five graded stakes are the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup, the Grade 3 Regret Stakes, the Grade 3 Northern Dancer, and the Grade 3 Mint Julep.
Churchill Downs - June 16th, 2007 - Race 10
Stephen Foster H. - Grade: 1
Estimated Local Post Time: 5:51 PM Eastern |
Race Type: Stakes
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age Restriction: Three Year Old and Upward
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Purse: $750,000
Distance: One And One Eighth Miles
Surface: Dirt |
| Post |
Horse Name |
Age |
Sex |
Weight |
Jockey Name |
| 1 |
Diamond Stripes (FL) |
4 |
Gelding |
116 |
Edgar S. Prado |
| 2 |
Master Command (PA) |
5 |
Horse |
123 |
John R. Velazquez |
| 3 |
Magna Graduate (KY) |
5 |
Horse |
118 |
Garrett K. Gomez |
| 4 |
Mr. Umphrey (FL) |
5 |
Gelding |
112 |
Phil Teator |
| 5 |
Wiggins (IL) |
7 |
Gelding |
114 |
Rafael Bejarano |
| 6 |
Wanderin Boy (KY) |
6 |
Horse |
120 |
Corey S. Nakatani |
| 7 |
Flashy Bull (KY) |
4 |
Colt |
115 |
Robby Albarado |
| 8 |
Jonesboro (KY) |
5 |
Horse |
114 |
Calvin H. Borel |
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