Churchill: Short field for William Walker Stakes

A field of just five 3-year-olds has been entered in the $100,000 William Walker Stakes, the opening-night feature of the Churchill spring meet Saturday.

Steve Asmussen, who won the inaugural Walker last year with Cinco Charlie, has a major threat for this running in Patton Proud, a last-out allowance winner at Oaklawn Park. Another contender is Sheikh of Sheikhs, the winner of the Juvenile Dirt Sprint last fall at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup weekend.

First post for the 11-race Downs After Dark card – the 37th since Churchill first ran under the lights in 2009 – is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the Walker (race 7) going at 9:05. There will be two pick five wagers, on races 2-6 and 7-11.

The six-furlong Walker replaced the anachronistic Derby Trial last year. The Trial became the Pat Day Mile, which is now run as a Grade 3 race on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

After Saturday night, there is no racing at Churchill the following day. A five-day Derby week then runs Tuesday through Saturday, with the track dark May 8, the Sunday after the Derby.

After Derby week, regular four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday) ensue through July 2.