Backyard Heaven, Irish War Cry to meet in Stephen Foster
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A field of nine older horses led by Backyard Heaven and Irish War Cry has been entered for the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, the highlight of a Downs After Dark card Saturday night at Churchill Downs.
Irad and Jose Ortiz, the New York-based riding stars, have the respective mounts on highweights Backyard Heaven and Irish War Cry in the 1 1/8-mile Foster, which will be shown live on NBC Sports Network from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern. First post is 6 p.m., with the Foster set for 9:39 as the eighth of 11 races. Four other graded stakes are on a terrific card, including the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap, which also will be televised.
The Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis are Win and You’re In qualifiers for divisional races at the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs.
Backyard Heaven, trained by Chad Brown, emerged as a potential major player in the North American handicap division with a 4 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 4 at Churchill. Irish War Cry rebounded in his last start, the May 18 Pimlico Special, with a 4 1/2-length romp.
From the rail, and with weights and jockeys, this is the lineup for the 37th Foster: Honorable Duty, 118 pounds, Corey Lanerie; Patch, 116, Luis Saez; Hawaakom, 117, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Uncle Mojo, 114, John Velazquez; Matooh, 115, Santo Sanjur; Backyard Heaven, 121, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Lookin At Lee, 115, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Irish War Cry, 119, Jose Ortiz; and Pavel, 117, Mario Gutierrez.
The five graded stakes will be run consecutively as races 5-9 and will be linked in a pick-five wager. Here is a look at those supporting events:
◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn (race 5, 7:57): Ax Man, an easy winner of the Sir Barton for trainer Bob Baffert last out in the race directly preceding the Preakness, figures as a solid favorite under Mike Smith when he faces six other 3-year-olds in this 1 1/16-mile race. Funny Duck, the winner of the Pat Day Mile, and Combatant, 18th in the Kentucky Derby, are among his chief threats.
◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Wise Dan (race 6, 8:30): World Approval, the 2017 champion turf horse in North America, will break from post 4 under John Velazquez as a solid favorite over seven other older horses in this 1 1/16-mile turf race.
◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis (race 7, 9:05): Farrell, the 119-pound topweight, will break from the outside post in a field of nine fillies and mares in this 1 1/8-mile race. Three others are weighted at 118: Mopotism (post 2), Blue Prize (post 3), and Valadorna (post 7).
◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Regret (post 9, 10:11): A bulky field of 13 3-year-old turf fillies will go 1 1/8 miles in perhaps the deepest race of the night. Finess Bere, switching back to turf for Baffert, is among the many contenders.
