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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bob Baffert will be on hand Saturday night at Churchill Downs to pick up his engraved trophy for winning the Kentucky Derby six weeks beforehand with American Pharoah.
While he’s at it, Baffert just might pick up another Grade 1 trophy when he sends out Hoppertunity and Cat Burglar in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, the annual post-Derby highlight of the Churchill spring meet.
Hoppertunity, the winner of the Grade 1 Clark Handicap as a 3-year-old here last fall, is the more accomplished of the Baffert pair. Last week, the colt was believed to be not quite ready to run after having missed nearly a month of training. But his last of six workouts, a five-furlong blowout in 58.40 seconds here Saturday, persuaded assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes to advise Baffert that the colt is sufficiently fit for the 1 1/8-mile Foster.
“I was hoping I had him far enough along,” said Barnes. “This last work convinced me we should run.”
Hoppertunity will break from post 5 and will carry the high weight of 121 pounds in a field of seven older horses in the 34th running of the Foster, which is carded as the eighth of 11 Saturday races. First post is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the Foster set for 9:39 and the last race for 11:10.
The Foster is the first Win and You’re In event this year toward the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
From the rail, and with weights and riders, this is the Foster lineup: Commissioner, 120 pounds, Javier Castellano; Lea, 120, Joel Rosario; Paganol, 114, Robby Albarado; Noble Bird, 116, Shaun Bridgmohan; Hoppertunity, 121, Mike Smith; Majestic Harbor, 115, Corey Lanerie; and Cat Burglar, 116, Victor Espinoza.
The Foster, the third of four straight graded stakes on the card, will be preceded by the traditional trophy presentations to the winning Derby connections. This year, that ceremony is being augmented by an appearance by Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, who will be paraded on the track and in the paddock starting at about 8:10.
Churchill is expecting a large crowd, and fans are being advised to arrive early. General admission is $10.
As for the supporting Saturday stakes:
◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (race 7, 9:05): Sheer Drama will carry the high weight of 120 pounds in a field of nine fillies and mares in the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis, a Win and You’re In event toward the Oct. 30 BC Distaff.
The winner of the Grade 2 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park, and more recently second as the favorite in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill, Sheer Drama will break from post 7 in a lineup that also includes Gold Medal Dancer, Yahilwa, and America.
◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn (race 9, 10:11): Eight 3-year-olds are entered in this 1 1/16-mile race. Fame and Power, the winner of the Sir Barton Stakes on the May 16 Preakness undercard for Baffert, figures to contend for favoritism with Bold Conquest.
◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Regret (race 6, 8:30): Seven 3-year-old fillies led by Prado’s Sweet Ride and Return to Grace will go 1 1/8 miles on turf in the first of the stakes.
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