Churchill Downs bustling again as stakes probables line up

The new Churchill Downs Stable Gate was bustling with activity Thursday as trainers continue to fill the backstretch of Churchill Downs and line up probables for next weekend's Stephen Foster Preview Day.

As of 11 a.m. ET, there were more than 720 horses on the grounds with trainers such as Chad Brown, Norm Casse and Ian Wilkes all expected to nearly fill their stalls by the end of the day.

Training continued this morning, including the first published workouts over the track since late December. Five horses donned the work tab, among them the Larry Jones-trained Istan Council going a swift :47.80 seconds for a half mile move under jockey Gabriel Saez.

“I never realized how much I missed Churchill,” Saez said. “The track feels great and I’m so happy to be back home. It’s going to be a good meet. It’ll be competitive, but I’m ready to go.”

Jockey James Graham made his first spin around the Churchill Downs oval in nearly six months as he worked a horse out of the gate for trainer Tom Amoss. Graham and Saez are two of 49 jockeys expected to ride on opening weekend of the Spring Meet.

Three-time Churchill Downs leading trainer Brad Cox’s Barn 22 continues to fill with nearly all of his horses arriving on the grounds, including champion Monomoy Girl. The Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner trained at 7:30 a.m. Thursday alongside of Monnie Goetz, who was aboard arguably the most famous racetrack pony in the world, Harley.

“This is one of the many reasons why it is so great everyone is home,” Goetz said.

Brown, one of the nation’s top training outfits, will be based in Barn 25 with a string of 24 horses under the watch of assistant trainer Whit Beckman, a Louisville native who graduated St. Xavier High School in 2000.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert originally was scheduled to have a small string of horses at Churchill Downs but plans to stay in California and ship entrants to fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas as need be, according to senior director of the stable area Steve Hargrave.

Training will resume Friday at 5:30 a.m.

Trainers plan for Stephen Foster Preview Day

Stephen Foster Preview Day on Saturday, May 23, at Churchill Downs is highlighted by five stakes, including the $150,000 Matt Winn (G3) worth 50-20-10-5 points to the Top 4 finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Other stakes on the card are the $100,000 Blame (4-year-olds and up at one-mile); $100,000 Shawnee (fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles); $100,000 War Chant (3-year-olds at one-mile on turf) and $100,000 Tepin (3-year-old fillies at one-mile on turf).

Here are some of the early probable entrants, according to Churchill Downs’ assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork (with trainers):

$150,000 Matt Winn (3): Crypto Cash (Kenny McPeek); Major Fed (Greg Foley); Max Player (Linda Rice); Maxfield (Brendan Walsh); Necker Island (Stanley Hough); and Shake Some Action (Brad Cox).

$100,000 Blame: Alwaysmining (Kelly Rubley); Backyard Heaven (Mike Maker); Bourbon Resolution (Ian Wilkes); Global Campaign (Hough); Long Range Toddy (Dallas Stewart); Mr. Money (Bret Calhoun); Owendale (Cox); and Wind of Change (Efren Loza Jr.).

$100,000 Shawnee: Awe Emma (Stewart); Dunbar Road (Chad Brown); and Motion Emotion (Richard Baltas).

$100,000 War Chant: Fenwick Station (Kenneally); Field Pass (Maker); Hieronymus (Cox); Shared Sense (Cox); Street Ready (Wilkes); and Turned Aside (Rice).

$100,000 Tepin: Abscond (Eddie Kenneally); Dominga (Cox); Heir of Light (Norm Casse); Jezebel’s Kitten (Cox); Outburst (Kenneally); Pass the Plate (Paul McGee); Queen of God (Maker); and Sharing (Graham Motion).

Several of these horses are expected to put in their final works this weekend, including Godolphin’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Maxfield who will remain at Keeneland for his final breeze prior to shipping to Churchill for the Matt Winn, trainer Brendan Walsh said. Maxfield recorded a five-furlong bullet move in :59.20 out of the gate on May 10 at Keeneland with Jose Ortiz aboard.

A full list of nominations is available on the Churchill Downs website.

Asmussen poised for all-time training total

Dale Romans’ all-time leading trainer reign at Churchill Downs could be up for grabs in the Spring Meet as Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen trails by only seven wins (737-730).

Jockey, Trainer, Owner races

The Spring Meet Leading Jockey, Trainer and Owner races typically have included the same names over the last decade. That could change this meet as each of the races are expected to be as competitive as ever with many new faces gunning for titles.

Here are the Spring Meet leading jockey, trainer and owners over the last 10 years:

Jockeys

2019 – Corey Lanerie
2018 – Brian Hernandez Jr.
2017 – Lanerie
2016 – Lanerie
2015 – Lanerie
2014 – Lanerie
2013 – Shaun Bridgmohan
2012 – Lanerie
2011 – Julien Leparoux
2010 – Calvin Borel

Trainers

2019 – Steve Asmussen
2018 – Asmussen
2017 – Asmussen
2016 – Mark Casse
2015 – Mike Maker
2014 – Asmussen
2013 – Asmussen, Maker
2012 – Dale Romans
2011 – Asmussen
2010 – Asmussen

Owners

2019 – Calumet Farm, Maggi Moss, Ken and Sarah Ramsey
2018 – Ramsey
2017 – Moss
2016 – Ramsey
2015 – Ramsey
2014 – Moss
2013 - Ramsey
2012 – Midwest Throughbreds
2011 – Midwest Thoroughbreds; 2010 – Moss