The featured race on the card is the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap for three-year-olds and up. This is a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ race. Successful Dan, a half-brother to Horse of the Year Wise Dan, has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite. He’ll face five competitors; including Ian Wilkes’ Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned and defending Stephen Foster champ Ron the Greek. Although Ron the Greek finished nearly 12 lengths behind Fort Larned in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, he beat Fort Larned by nearly the same margin in last year’s Stephen Foster. (Click here for a full analysis of this race).
The Grade III Regret for three-year-old fillies includes Bernie Flint’s Kentucky Oaks ninth-place finisher Seaneen Girl and Edgewood winner Kitten’s Dumplings. The field of 11 runners will tackle the 1 1/8 mile route over the turf course.
The stakes action concludes with the Grade 1 United Arab Emirates Cup for Arabians. The race first ran on the Stephen Foster undercard in 2011 when TM Fred Texas took the 1 ¼ mile race by 9 ¼ lengths. This year’s edition will be run at 1 1/16 miles and under the bright lights. It will be the second Arabian race ever run at Churchill Downs.
Plaza Party
The “White Party” encourages guests to ‘dress to impress’ in all white attire and dance amidst the elegance of white rose draping, palms, and crystal chandeliers. Live entertainment hits the Plaza Stage beginning at 4 p.m. with the Indiana-based band Pawnshop Guitar. Off the Hook, a cover band from Ohio, takes the stage at 8:45 p.m. and continues until midnight. Also on track to entertain is Tony and the Tanlines on the fifth floor balcony of the Clubhouse and a DJ at Gate 17.
