RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike, the 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), headlines a deep field of seven for the 20th running of the $600,000 Alysheba (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
The Alysheba will be the first of seven stakes races Friday at Churchill Downs, and will go as the fifth race with a 12:43 p.m. post time.
Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike will be making his first start of 2023 after closing his 2022 campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Clark (G1). Sonny Leon retains the mount and will break from post three.
While Rich Strike may be the sentimental favorite, the betting public figures to key in on a trio of established older runners – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, Gary and Mary West's West Will Power, and Willis Horton's Last Samurai.
Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector was a 4 ½-length winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) prior to running second in the New Orleans Classic (G2). The earner of more than $4 million, Art Collector will be ridden by Junior Alvarado and break from post one.
Second in the Clark last fall and recent winner of the New Orleans Classic, West Will Power has earned more than $1 million in compiling a 15-6-7-0 record. Trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Flavien Prat and break from post four.
Last Samurai, an earner of more than $2 million and a three-time graded stakes winner, comes into the Alysheba off a narrow defeat in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 22. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Last Samurai will break from post two and be ridden by Luis Saez.
The field for the Alysheba, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:
- Art Collector (Alvarado, 123 pounds),
- Last Samurai (Saez, 118),
- Rich Strike (Leon, 118),
- West Will Power (Prat, 120),
- Smile Happy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118),
- Milliken (Julien Leparoux, 118),
- Giant Game (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).
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