Gift Box brings 'grit and determination' to Churchill's Stephen Foster
Hronis Racing’s Gift Box arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday to begin preparing for Saturday night’s 38th running of the Grade 2, $600,000 Stephen Foster, the centerpiece of a stakes-packed program under the lights.
“He’s really taken to Churchill Downs well since he’s arrived,” said former jockey Juan Leyva, now the assistant to trainer John Sadler. “I absolutely love coming here. With 12 horses entering the Stephen Foster it didn’t come up easy by any means but we’re confident our horse is ready to run a big effort.
"It’s been great getting him in the (Churchill Downs Stakes) barn. He shows so much grit and determination every time he runs.”
The 6-year-old son of Tapit was transferred to Sadler’s care in mid-2018 from trainer Chad Brown. Since Sadler began training Gift Box, he’s reeled off a half-length score in the $300,000 San Antonio (G2) on Dec. 26 and on April 6 defeated McKinzie in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Most recently, finished second to Vino Rosso in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (GI) on May 27.
Sadler is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Saturday for the Stephen Foster, Leyva said.
Recent Belmont Stakes-winning jockey Joel Rosario is scheduled to fly into Kentucky to ride Gift Box, who drew post No. 6 in the field of 12 older horses. Rosario has been the regular rider of Gift Box since he was transferred to Sadler’s care.
Gift Box galloped about 1 ½ miles early Thursday morning at Churchill Downs prior to schooling in the paddock.
The 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster is the richest of six graded stakes races on Saturday’s special 11-race night racing card that begins at 6 p.m. (all times Eastern). Total purses on the evening are more than $1.8 million, which makes it the most lucrative racing day for horsemen at Churchill Downs outside of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks programs.
The Stephen Foster has been carded as Race 8 at 9:47 p.m.
The complete Stephen Foster field (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Thirstforlife (Miguel Mena, Wes Hawley, 15-1); Rated R Superstar (Rodney Prescott, Cipriano Contreras, 20-1); Runaway Ghost (Julien Leparoux, Joe Peacock, 20-1); Seeking the Soul (John Velazquez, Dallas Stewart, 4-1); Alkhaatam (Channing Hill, Danny Peitz, 30-1); Gift Box (Rosario, Sadler, 3-1); Tenfold (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 12-1); King Zachary (Javier Castellano, Graham Motion, 12-1); Tom’s d’Etat (Shaun Bridgmohan, Al Stall Jr., 5-1); Quip(Florent Geroux, Rodolphe Brisset, 10-1); Exulting (Tyler Gaffalione, Mike Maker, 20-1); and Yoshida (JPN) (Jose Ortiz, Bill Mott, 7-2).
All horses will tote 121 pounds with the exception of Gift Box (125 lbs.) and Quip (123 lbs.).