Photo Blog: Stephen Foster Night at Churchill Downs

On Churchill Downs’ biggest day (or rather, night) other than Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby Days, a crowd of more than 20,000 filed in beneath the twin spires for a special edition of Downs After Dark: Stephen Foster night. With five graded stakes on the card, featuring top horses like Gun Runner, McCraken, and Forever Unbridled, the atmosphere was electric as the sun began to set on Louisville, Kentucky.

The first stakes of the action-packed card was the Matt Winn Stakes (gr. III) for three-year-old colts – a race won last year by Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) favorite Gun Runner. This year's edition featured standout McCraken, who won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) over this very track to cap off his undefeated juvenile season and recently finished eighth as one of the top choices in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Making his first start since the first Saturday in May, McCraken showed why he had been one of the Derby favorites. Despite a troubled start, he rallied to edge clear in a professional manner, winning by 2 1/4 lengths.

The stakes jumped to the turf course for the next stakes race of the night: the Wise Dan Stakes (gr. II). Originally the Firecracker Handicap, the mile and one-sixteenth grass contest was renamed to honor two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who captured the race twice in his career. 

Pleuven was sent off as the favorite, but it was second choice Kasaqui (ARG) who stole the show.

Coming from off the pace, Kasaqui made a powerful move to swallow the field and kick clear with an impressive turn of foot as he coasted to an easy 2 3/4-length triumph. This gave the hard-knocking seven-year-old his first win since last July's Arlington Handicap (gr. III).

Stephen Foster night isn’t known solely for its strong racing card; it is also the night on which the winning Kentucky Derby connections are presented their official trophies. The winning breeder, trainer, jockey, and owners of Derby winner Always Dreaming were present to accept their trophies, and the emotion on their faces were evident as they were honored for their victory in this year’s Run for the Roses.

Older fillies and mares took the stage next in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II), led by multiple grade one winner Forever Unbridled, making her first start since finishing third to the great race mares Beholder and Songbird in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I). She did not disappoint, coming from off the pace to overtake her competitors with a confident ride from Joel Rosario to score by 1 3/4 lengths.

The electricity in the air became even more apparent as the horses for the Foster arrived on the grandstand side. Nighttime had fully set in, leaving the lit up track a stark contrast against the black night sky. All eyes were on Gun Runner, one of the top-rated horses in the world, who was making his return to the races after finishing second to the richest racehorse in history and the top-rated horse in the world – Arrogate – in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).

Like he does so well, Gun Runner claimed the lead early and never looked back. Through quick fractions of 23.59, 47.23, 1:10.69, and 1:34.86, Gun Runner led his seven rivals throughout. Graded stakes winner Stanford made a run at him around the far turn, but Gun Runner quickly erased any doubt onlookers may have had, shaking away the challenge as he effortlessly drew off to a 7-length victory with minimal asking from Florent Geroux.