Stephen Foster features 4 Grade 1 winners including Mystik Dan

Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone will square off against Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, Grade 1 Dubai World Cup hero Hit Show and Grade 1-winning sprinter Mindframe in a showdown of North America’s top older horses in next Saturday’s 44th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Stephen Foster headlines a 12-race program that also includes the $500,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), a win and you're in race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Supporting stakes include the $500,000 Wise Dan (G2), $250,000 Kelly’s Landing (G3), $250,000 American Derby and $250,000 Tepin.

First post is 12:45 p.m. EDT with the Stephen Foster scheduled as race 11 at 6:03 p.m. EDT.

The Stephen Foster will mark the first meeting between Sierra Leone and Mystik Dan at Churchill Downs since their dramatic three-horse photo finish in the 2024 Kentucky Derby where Mystik Dan edged Sierra Leone and Forever Young by a scant nose.

Sierra Leone, owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg Limited and Brook T. Smith, concluded his 3-year-old season with a 1 1/2-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. The 4-year-old son of Gun Runner has trained for the Stephen Foster throughout the spring at trainer Chad Brown’s New York base and is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs early next week. Flavien Prat, who has ridden Sierra Leone in five starts since the Derby, will be aboard from post 4.

Mystik Dan, campaigned by 4 G Racing, Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III and Valley View Farm, returned to the winner’s circle last month with a 1 1/4-length score in the Blame Stakes (G3), the local prep for the Stephen Foster. The Kenny McPeek-trained colt has won three of his four career wins beneath the historic Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. Brian Hernandez Jr. retains the mount from post 5.

Mindframe, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, has been a model of consistency in his six-race career with four wins and two seconds. The Todd Pletcher trainee enters off a victory in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on Derby Day. Mindframe will stretch out around two turns for the first time since his 3-year-old season while breaking from post 2 under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Hit Show, winner of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) on April 5, will make his first start since that career-defining performance. Owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of Candy Ride also sports victories in the Lukas Classic (G2) and Fayette Stakes (G2). He drew post 6 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

Cox also will saddle First Mission, a 4-year-old son of Street Sense owned by meet leaders Godolphin, who won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April. First Mission will break from the rail with jockey Luis Saez aboard.

Another top older horse entered in the race is Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Skippylongstocking finished third in last year’s Stephen Foster to Kingsbarns and Pyranees. More recently, the 6-year-old son of Exaggerator won the Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita and the Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet leading rider Jose Ortiz has the call from post 3.