Notes on the Stephen Foster (G1) Program
January 14th, 2006By Jude T. Feld
This is the Saturday racing Thoroughbred racing aficionados live for. With six stakes at Churchill Downs and a National Pick Four there is tons of money on the line for horsemen and horseplayers – every race a great handicapping puzzle.
Brilliant looks like the horse to beat in Churchill’s 6th race, the Jefferson Cup (G2). Never out of the money in seven starts, the son of War Chant is perfect on the turf.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has them surrounded in the Northern Dancer Breeders’ Cup (G3), Churchill’s 7th race. High Cotton comes off a facile victory in the Sir Barton at Pimlico and Circle the World has yet to taste defeat. The hunch here is that the latter will get a perfect trip just behind his stablemate.
The Regret (G3), Churchill’s 8th race, is one of the toughest handicapping races of the day. Lady of Venice is my “gun to the head” selection off her impressive victory in the Appalachian at Keeneland. Jockey Julien Leparoux adds appeal.
La Reason runs best at Churchill Downs and could post a mild upset in the Fleur de Lis (G2), carded as the 9th race. Her main competition comes from Oonagh Maccool and Happy Ticket who are both in great form right now.
Churchill’s 10th race is the Stephen Foster (G1). Buzzards Bay might be the best handicap horse in the country. If he can run down Love of Money, who ran super off a year layoff in the Westchester (G3) at Belmont Park, he should be posing for pictures. Local favorite Brass Hat will need to contend with the “Nad al Sheba jinx” to make his presence felt.
The Early Times Mint Julep (G3), Churchill’s 11th race, is another head-scratcher. Louve Royale has been running in marathons but won a mile and a sixteenth race at Keeneland. More Than Promised always gives his best and can’t be ignored but several others – Special Grayce, Rich in Spirit, Anegada, Sky High Flyer – have a look.
I’m going to use In the Gold, Spun Sugar and Take D’Tour on my NTRA National Pick Four ticket in the Ogden Phipps (G1), Belmont Park’s 9th race and I’ll single Spellbinder in the Californian (G2), Hollywood Park’s 6th race. He ran well behind Surf Cat in his latest start and captured the San Antonio (G2) at Santa Anita for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
