First Look: Stephen Foster leads weekend graded stakes

First Mission and Skippylongstocking lead a talented field in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes on Saturday as Churchill Downs wraps up its spring meet with a host of weekend stakes, including two for juveniles.

Aqueduct hosts the Manila (G3) ahead of a packed stakes card next weekend, and Los Alamitos hosts its Derby on Saturday.

Here is an early look at the likely fields of graded stakes and other selected races.

Saturday

Stephen Foster (G1), Churchill Downs, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds and up, Breeders’ Cup Classic automatic qualifier

After poor showings in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), First Mission and Skippylongstocking both bounced back to win a Grade 3 race and then a Grade 2. In First Mission’s most recent start, he drew away to win the Alysheba by four lengths on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. Skippylongstocking’s latest score was a two-length win in the Oaklawn Handicap. Both retain their riders from those trips. Pyrenees is 3-for-3 this year and won the Pimlico Special (G2), his first stakes start, last out over odds-on favorite Kingsbarns, also entered here. In his first start since finishing second in last year’s Travers (G1), Disarm won an optional-claiming allowance with a four-horse field at Churchill Downs.

Fleur de Lis (G2), Churchill Downs, 1 1/8 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Scylla has a record of 6: 4-1-1 and got the best of Xigera, also entered here, last out in the Shawnee (G3). Shotgun Hottie’s win in the listed Allaire DuPont Distaff followed fourth-place finishes in the Azeri (G2) and Apple Blossom (G1). Free Like a Girl couldn’t catch Idiomatic in the La Troienne (G1), but she was best of the rest at 12-1.

Wise Dan (G2), Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Ottoman Fleet returned to the U.S. and finished second in the Fort Marcy (G2) on May 4 before scoring last out in the Arlington (G3), where Chasing the Crown rallied to finish second by a length. Exalted would make his first start since a second-place finish in the Sept. 2 Del Mar Mile (G2). Before that, he won four in a row, including the Shoemaker Mile (G1).

Manila Stakes (G3), Aqueduct, 1 mile (turf), 3-year-olds

Deterministic would try turf for the first time after four starts on dirt. After winning his debut and then the Gotham (G3), he was eighth in the Wood Memorial (G3) and fifth in the Peter Pan (G3). Neat is 2-for-3 this year, winning the Transylvania (G3) before finishing second in the American Turf (G2) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Los Alamitos Derby (listed), Los Alamitos, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds

Six nominees, six probables for this one. Imagination, winner of the San Felipe (G3) in March, is 0-for-3 since. After finishing second by a neck in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), he was seventh in both the Preakness and the Woody Stephens (G1). His stablemate Cornell broke his maiden in January on his third try, then took a break and returned to finish third in the listed Affirmed Stakes on June 9. Tapalo, fifth in the Santa Anita Derby, returned with a seven-length, gate-to-wire win in the listed Lazaro Barerra on May 12.

Sunday

Hanshin (listed), Churchill Downs, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up

Zozos, last year’s Hanshin winner, was third in the Churchill Downs (G1) on Kentucky Derby day, his first start since finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Charge It was fourth in the Dirt Mile and returned to finish third in the Westminster (G3). Tumbarumba opened the year with a win in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) then was second in both the Gulftream Park Mile (G2) and Ghostzapper (G3).

Bashford Manor (listed), Churchill Downs, 6 furlongs, 2-year-olds

Spiralizer, sold in March for $550,000, led at every call to win his five-furlong debut on June 13. Bodacious went gate to wire in winning his debut at Santa Anita by 5 3/4 lengths over the odds-on favorite. Ivan the Great also got his start at Santa Anita, where he rallied in his debut but missed by a nose.

Debutante (listed), Churchill Downs, 6 furlongs, 2-year-old fillies

Asmussen brings two after debuts at Lone Star Park. Adeera, an Authentic filly bought for $300,000 as a yearling, won by open lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs after dueling for the lead. Glee, a daughter of Honor A. P., scored at 4 1/2 furlongs. Daisy Duke, a Classic Empire filly, was fourth in her debut at Churchill Downs then rallied to win her next start, both at five furlongs.

Probables were not available for weekend graded stakes at Woodbine.