Gun Runner draws post 3, will face seven in Stephen Foster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gun Runner will break from post 3 when making his return to action as the highweight and heavy favorite in a field of eight older horses entered in the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, to be run Saturday night at Churchill Downs.

Florent Geroux has the mount back on Gun Runner, who finished second to Arrogate in his most recent start, the March 25 Dubai World Cup. The 4-year-old colt, an earner of more than $4.3 million, will carry 124 pounds when spotting his rivals five to nine pounds in the 1 1/8-mile Foster.

Bird Song and Honorable Duty, the one-two finishers last month in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill, are among the opposition, along with Stanford, shipping in from New York for trainer Todd Pletcher.

From the rail, and with weights and jockeys, this is the Foster lineup: Bird Song, 119, Julien Leparoux; Breaking Lucky, 117, Luis Contreras; Gun Runner, 124, Geroux; Honorable Duty, 119, Javier Castellano; Mo Tom, 115, Corey Lanerie; Hawaakom, 115, Miguel Mena; Texas Chrome, 117, C.J. McMahon; and Stanford, 117, John Velazquez.

:: Add a 5-card pack of PPs and save 55¢/card!

The Foster is a Win and You’re In race toward the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar and will be televised live on the NBC Sports Network. It is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race Downs After Dark program that starts at 6 p.m. Eastern. The Foster goes as race 8 at 9:39 p.m. and will be aired live on a 90-minute telecast (8:30-10).

The main supporting feature is the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (race 7, 9:05), which directly precedes the Foster as part of the NBCSN show and is a Win and You’re In toward the Nov. 3 BC Distaff.

The 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis marks the comeback of Forever Unbridled, the winner of the Grade 1 Apple Blossom and Grade 1 Beldame last year. Forever Unbridled, with Joel Rosario to ride, was assigned post 1 in a field of nine fillies and mares that also includes Big World and Romantic Vision, the one-two finishers last month in the Grade 1 La Troienne.

In the other Foster Night stakes:

◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn (race 6, 8:30): McCraken makes his first start since finishing eighth in the Kentucky Derby as a huge favorite in a field of just six 3-year-olds in this 1 1/16-mile race.

◗ Grade 2, $200,000 Wise Dan (race 5, 7:57): Pleuven, the 2016 winner, and Kasaqui, the 2016 Arlington Million runner-up, are among a field of eight older turf horses in this 1 1/16-mile race.

◗ Grade 3, $100,000 Regret (race 9, 10:11): A wide-open field of 11 3-year-old fillies is in this 1 1/16-mile turf race, including Summer Luck, Sweeping Paddy, Proctor’s Ledge, and Fizzy Friday.

The presentation of the engraved Kentucky Derby trophies to the connections of winner Always Dreaming will be made between races. General admission is $10.