Forever Unbridled changes course, going in Fleur de Lis

Trainer Dallas Stewart threw a curveball to the connections of the eight other fillies and mares in the Fleur de Lis Handicap by entering his stable star, Forever Unbridled, in the Grade 2 race on the Foster undercard Saturday night. Stewart initially had said he intended to have Forever Unbridled make her seasonal debut in the Chicago Handicap here June 24.

“This looked like a good spot to get started back,” Stewart said after entries were drawn Wednesday. “It’s where she needs to run.”

Forever Unbridled has breezed every Saturday at Churchill since May 13, including a five-furlong move last weekend in 1:01. In her most recent start, Forever Unbridled finished third behind the epic Beholder-Songbird duel in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

• Joe Kristufek, the Chicago native now in his third year as paddock analyst at Churchill, is becoming further entrenched on the Kentucky circuit after being hired for a similar role for the Ellis Park summer meet that runs July 1 to Sept. 4.

Kristufek said he is encouraged about how Ellis continues to attract an improved level of horses and horsemen. “You get more of a national focus with people betting your product,” he said. “Hopefully, I can help in that regard.”

Active in racing since the early 1990s, Kristufek also has served as a television analyst at the brief Kentucky Downs meet every September since 2013.