With five days remaining in the 2021 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs, next Saturday's closing day stakes spectacular is beginning to take shape. The 11-race program is scheduled to be headlined by Godolphin's Grade I winner Maxfield in the featured $600,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster Handicap, one of seven stakes events on the card.
Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, recorded his final work prior to the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster on Saturday at Churchill Downs with an easy half-mile move in :48.80 at 5:30 a.m. Maxfield enters the Stephen Foster following a convincing 3 ¼-length win in the $400,0000 Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet.
The talented son of Street Sense is slated to be joined in the gate by fellow graded stakes winners Chess Chief (trainer Dallas Stewart), Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun), and Warrior's Charge (Brad Cox). All three horses completed their major Stephen Foster preparation Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Virginia-bred Chess Chief, owned by the Estate of James Coleman Jr., worked a half-mile in :48.20. The four-time winner is scheduled to be ridden by John Velazquez in the Stephen Foster.
Owned by Tom Durant, Silver Dust breezed a half-mile in :49 under regular rider Adam Beschizza. The striking gray son of Tapit continued to gallop out past the wire and completed five furlongs in 1:01.20.
Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables' Warrior's Charge worked a half-mile in :48.20 at 7:30 a.m. Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride.
Other runners expected to take part in the Stephen Foster are Empty Tomb (Mike Maker) and possibly Visitant (Bill Morey), according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.
The Stephen Foster is a “Win and You're In” race for the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. The winner receives an all entry fees paid berth to the season-ending championship event.
Here are the other probable runners for the six undercard races to the Stephen Foster, according to Bork:
$300,000 Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up, Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Distaff Division: Dreamalildreamofu (Brad Cox); Envoutante (Kenny McPeek); Point of Honor (Shug McGaughey); Singita Dreams (Phil Bauer); Spice Is Nice (Todd Pletcher); and Vault (Brad Cox).
$300,000 Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up: Field Pass (Mike Maker); In Love (BRZ) (Paulo Lobo); Ride a Comet (Mark Casse); Set Piece (GB) (Brad Cox); and Somelikeithotbrown (Mike Maker). Possible: Spooky Channel (Jason Barkley)
$150,000 Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-olds: Double Thunder (Todd Pletcher); Glacial (Norm Casse); Kavod (Jimmy Chapman); Landsdowne (Dallas Stewart); Red Run (Steve Asmussen); Vodka N Water (Steve Asmussen); Whatstheconnection (John Ennis); and Whistlewhileyoumow (Jon Arnett).
$150,000 Debutante Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies: Bandits Warrior (John Robb); Classiness (Jason Barkley); Mi Estrella (Genaro Garcia); Mollie Kate (John Ennis); Ontheonesandtwos (Norm Casse); She'sgotattitude (John Ennis); Sommer Velvet (Kevin Boniface); Take the Backroads (Tom Amoss); Tizplenty (Steve Asmussen); and Wicked Halo (Steve Asmussen).
$150,000 Tepin Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies: Adventuring (Brad Cox); Arm Candy (Steve Asmussen); Barista (Jimmy Baker); Bullseye Beauty (Andrew McKeever); Commanders Palace (Mark Casse); Fairchild (Mark Casse); Invincible Gal (GB) (Graham Motion); and New Boss (Bret Calhoun).
$150,000 War Chant Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-olds: Accredit (Pavel Matejka); Dyn O Mite (Keith Desormeaux); Helium (Mark Casse); and Royal Prince (Brad Cox).
Entries for Saturday's card take place Wednesday.
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