Churchill Downs: Cox saddles 5 for Saturday stakes

Trainer Brad Cox will bring a powerful quintet of contenders to Saturday’s Stephen Foster preview day at Churchill Downs, led by Grade 1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show and Eclipse Award-winning filly Immersive.

Saturday’s 11-race program features seven stakes races worth $1.975 million in purses, including the Blame (G3) and Shawnee (G3), which feature Hit Show and Immersive, respectively.

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“It’s a big weekend to look forward to,” Cox said. “I think they’re all competitive in their given races, and hopefully we can have a good day.”

Hit Show will headline the Blame as the classy 6-year-old returns to Churchill Downs after a fifth-place finish in his attempt to repeat in the Dubai World Cup. Hit Show captured the 2025 Dubai World Cup and has eight graded-stakes victories from a 25-race career. Last year, he returned from Dubai to finish fifth in the Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“He’s a classy older horse,” Cox said. “Obviously, he’s well-traveled being a Dubai World Cup winner. Last year we went from the Dubai World Cup to the Foster, and this year we decided to run him in this race coming back from Dubai. He’s had a solid string of works since returning to the U.S., and I think he’s ready to run a top effort on Saturday.”

Hit Show drew post no. 3 in the field of eight and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Godolphin’s three-time Grade 1 winner Immersive will make her second start of the season on Saturday. The 2024 champion 2-year-old filly opened her campaign with a runner-up finish in the Distaff Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct after a decorated 2- and 3-year-old career that included victories in the Spinaway (GI), Alcibiades (G1), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

“She had a solid run to begin her season going seven-eighths,” Cox said. “She’ll stretch back out around two turns Saturday, which is where she’s proven herself against some top competition in the past.”

Immersive drew the outside post in the field of seven and reunites with Ortiz in the irons.

Cox also will saddle improving 3-year-old Touch of Fire in the listed Audubon Stakes. The lightly raced colt has won two of three starts, including a dominant seven-length debut victory at Fair Grounds and a recent allowance score at Keeneland.

“He’s a nice horse with only three starts,” Cox said. “We stepped him up into stakes company second out at Fair Grounds and he ran a credible second. He’s still improving, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he handles this spot.”

Touch of Fire drew post 7 in the field of 10 and also will be ridden by Ortiz.

Cox’s Saturday stakes contingent also includes West Hollywood in the Arlington Stakes (G3) and Sweet Treasure in the Mint Julep Stakes (G3).

First post for Saturday’s Stephen Foster Preview Day card is 12:45 p.m. EDT.