Utah Beach invaded Churchill Downs from his Keeneland base and on Saturday night did in the Louisville Stakes what he’d done last month in the Elkhorn back on his home course – win a 1 1/2-mile grass stakes. Utah Beach, rallying from eighth under Vincent Cheminaud, got up by 1 1/2 lengths over Verstappen to land a spill-marred Grade 3, $250,000 Louisville. Idratherbeblessed, setting the pace along the rail going into the last of the Louisville’s three turns, slowed abruptly and drifted off the fence. Brian Hernandez Jr. on Missed the Cut, racing just behind the leader, steered right to avoid a collision, but crossed legs with Idratherbeblessed while being pushed out. Behind him, Missed the Cut’s Cherie DeVaux-trained stablemate Rebel Red clipped Missed the Cut’s heels and fell, Tapit Shoes running in to Rebel Red and also going down. Both horses got up and walked off the course, and DeVaux reported Sunday morning that Rebel Red was fine, as was Missed the Cut, who did come back with torn-up leg bandages. Rafael Bejarano on Tapit Shoes emerged relatively unscathed, according to his agent, Julio Espinoza, but Declan Cannon on Rebel Red wound up in the hospital. He texted DeVaux on Saturday night and will be all right, but did suffer consequential injuries. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Idratherbeblessed, according to the official chart, was found to have bled and was taken off the course in an equine ambulance. Utah Beach, who paid $8.44 as one of three 3-1 shots in the Louisville, had gotten up by a head last month to win the Elkhorn, his first stakes score, and while trainer Ignacio Correas acknowledged last week that his horse had benefitted from a perfect trip over his favorite course, he also said that Utah Beach was an improving 5-year-old. And Utah Beach, by English Channel out of My Own Story, by Lasting Approval, showed that Saturday. Staying outside of all the trouble into the final turn, Utah Beach commenced a steady rally culminating in a strong 23.18-second final quarter-mile to run down Verstappen. Also untroubled, Verstappen moved to the lead on the far turn and had a two-length advantage at the quarter pole, but by the furlong grounds Utah Beach had nearly caught him, and Verstappen could not match late stride with the winner. Missed the Cut, who had a further bit of trouble after being extricated from the mess into the third turn, managed third. Utah Beach campaigns for Jeffrey Amling, who co-bred the horse, and Merriebelle Stable, and he clocked 2:26.70 over firm turf while winning for the fifth time in just 15 starts. The raw time translated to a career-best 100 Beyer, and Correas is correct: Utah Beach, start by start, is getting better and better. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.