HorseCenter: Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis top picks

By Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman
Photo:

This week on HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman handicap and offer top picks for a pair of big races from Churchill Downs on Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Stephen Foster and the Grade 2, $500,000 Fleur de Lis.

The Stephen Foster drew a field of nine horses from the older male division who will race 1 1/8 miles. First Mission from the barn of Brad Cox and Godolphin is listed as the morning-line favorite after a pair of graded-stakes victories this year that pushed his career earnings beyond the $1 million mark. The long shot Classic Causeway is the only Grade 1 winner in the Foster field.

The Fleur de Lis has a small but interesting field of six, led by the royally bred Scylla, also a heavy favorite. The Bill Mott runner was sired by Tapit and her dam is the Grade 1 winning Close Hatches, who also produced last weekend’s Ohio Derby (G3) winner Batten Down. Scylla was victorious in the Shawnee (G3) at Churchill recently.

Matt and Brian are trying to beat the favorites in this week’s featured races in Kentucky. Good luck on Saturday, and thanks for watching the show.

Read More

Zipse: Retiring Post Time leads the age brigade on Saturday
Forget the youth, at my rapidly advancing age I can’t help but to root for the old guys....
Santa Anita postpones opening day to Sunday because of rain
Blame it on the rain that is forecast to fall all week in Southern California. The forecast led...
Turfway: Encino much the best in Sunday's Prairie Bayou
Encino seized control from the break and never looked back, powering to a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday's 30th...
Turfway: Caitlinhergrtness wins 1st of 3 undercard stakes
Caitlinhergrtness rallied late to win Sunday's 37th running of the $219,000 My Charmer at Turfway Park. The 4-year-old...
Saturday's speed figures: Wolfie's Dynaghost leads top 10
Wolfie's Dynaghost led all performers with a 141 Horse Racing Nation speed figure at Gulfstream Park in the...