Churchill Downs is set to host a thrilling Stephen Foster Preview Day on May 24, 2025, featuring the highly anticipated return of Kentucky Derby 150 winner Mystik Dan. The colt will headline the sixth running of the $275,000 Blame Stakes (Grade III), one of six stakes races on the day. This event serves as a crucial prelude to the prestigious $1 million Stephen Foster (Grade I) on June 28, drawing top contenders from across the racing circuit.
The day’s racing action will commence at 12:45 p.m. ET, with the Blame Stakes scheduled as Race 10 at 5:27 p.m. ET. Fans can look forward to a packed stakes schedule, including the $275,000 Aristides (GIII), $275,000 Arlington (GIII), $275,000 Regret (GIII), $275,000 Shawnee (GIII), and the $275,000 Audubon (Listed). Betting enthusiasts will have access to an all-stakes sequence for the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot, Late Pick 5, and Late Pick 4, with wagers available at www.twinspires.com.
Mystik Dan Leads the Blame Stakes Field
Mystik Dan, who captured the imagination of racing fans with his dramatic rail-skimming victory in the Kentucky Derby, returns to the Churchill Downs track for the first time since his triumph. Although he hasn’t won in five starts since the Derby, Mystik Dan demonstrated his class with a determined second-place finish to Saudi Crown in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn on May 3.
Owned by 4 G Racing, Valley View Farm, Lance Gasaway, and Daniel Hamby III, Mystik Dan will be reunited with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and will break from post position No. 4 in the competitive 10-horse field for the Blame Stakes.
Among the other notable contenders in the Blame Stakes is Gary and Mary West’s Most Wanted. This talented colt comes into the race off a runner-up performance to Fierceness in the Alysheba (GII). Earlier in his career, Most Wanted secured victory in the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (GIII) and a second-place finish in the $600,000 Clark (GII) as a 3-year-old. Trained by Brad Cox, Most Wanted will be guided by jockey Florent Geroux from post 7.
The field for the Blame Stakes, from the rail out, includes:
- Katonah (Gerardo Corrales, Doug O’Neill)
- Alexander Helios (Irad Ortiz Jr., Saffie Joseph Jr.)
- Antiquarian (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)
- Mystik Dan (Hernandez, McPeek)
- Best Actor (Rafael Bejarano, Ed Moger Jr.)
- Hall of Fame (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen)
- Most Wanted (Geroux, Cox)
- Banishing (Flavien Prat, David Jacobson)
- Post Time (Sheldon Russell, Brittany Russell)
- Tennessee Lamb (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold II)
Gin Gin Headlines the Shawnee Stakes
Calumet Farm’s Gin Gin, the impressive winner of the Grade III Doubledogdare Stakes, is set to lead a field of seven fillies and mares in the sixth running of the $275,000 Shawnee Stakes (GIII). This 1 1/16-mile race serves as the local preparation for the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (Grade II) on June 28.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, Gin Gin made a stunning 5 ¼-length victory in the $350,000 Doubledogdare at Keeneland last month, defying odds of 38-1. The 4-year-old daughter of Hightail boasts a consistent record of 10-3-2-2, with earnings totaling $461,596. The homebred filly will have Jose Ortiz in the saddle, departing from post 7.
Other notable entrants in the Shawnee Stakes include Gerald Bruno Jr., Carl Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier, and Jerry Caroom’s 2024 Louisiana Horse of the Year, Free Like a Girl; Gold Standard Racing Stable’s millionaire Hoosier Philly; and Michael McMillan’s Apple Blossom (GI) third-place finisher, Where’s My Ring.
The field for the Shawnee Stakes, from the rail out, is:
- Where’s My Ring (Luis Saez, Peter Miller)
- Corningstone (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
- Royal Spa (Flavien Prat, Rodolphe Brisset)
- Hoosier Philly (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss)
- Wild Bout Hilary (C. J. McMahon, Tanner Tracy)
- Alpine Princess (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)
- Gin Gin (Ortiz, Walsh)
- In Just My Heels (Joel Rosario, Ron Moquett)
- Free Like a Girl (Julien Leparoux, Chasey Deville Pomier)
Skelly Aims for Victory in the Aristides Stakes
Red Lane Thoroughbreds’ Skelly, a seasoned sprinter with 12 career victories, is the leading contender in the 37th running of the $275,000 Aristides Stakes (Grade III). This six-furlong sprint is a key prep race for the $250,000 Kelly’s Landing (GIII) on June 28 and is scheduled as Race 6 at 3:18 p.m. ET.
Skelly, who finished a close second in last year’s Aristides, is coming off a dominant 10 ½-length victory in the $200,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes at Oaklawn under his regular rider, Ricardo Santana Jr. The 6-year-old gelded son of Practical Joke has amassed over $1.9 million in earnings and is a two-time winner of the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (GIII) in 2023-24. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Skelly will start from post 6 with Santana aboard.
WinStar Farm and BBN Racing’s Grade II winner World Record is another formidable sprinter in the field. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, World Record delivered an impressive 6 ¾-length victory in last year’s $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (GII). After concluding his 3-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint, World Record made a triumphant return in a six-furlong allowance race at Churchill Downs, winning by 2 ½ lengths in a swift 1:07.84. Jockey Flavien Prat will ride World Record from post 7.
The Aristides field, in post position order, is:
- Champlin (Luis Saez, Greg Foley)
- Durante (Jose Ortiz, David Jacobson)
- Giant Mischief (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
- Happy Is a Choice (Rey Gutierrez, John Ortiz)
- Here Mi Song (Alex Achard, Billy Stinson Jr.)
- Skelly (Santana, Asmussen)
- World Record (Prat, Brisset)
The Aristides Stakes is also a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series race, offering credits towards the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Mercante and Brilliant Berti Set for Arlington Stakes
Carl Pollard’s homebred Mercante, a recent narrow runner-up in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (Grade I), will compete in the 89th running of the $275,000 Arlington Stakes (GIII). The 1 1/16-mile turf race is scheduled as Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. ET and serves as the local prep for the $500,000 Wise Dan (GII) on June 28.
Trained by Brian Knippenberg, Mercante achieved a 13-1 upset victory in the $300,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (GIII) at Turfway Park in late March. He will be ridden by Joe Ramos from post 8.
Facing Mercante is Klein Racing’s Brilliant Berti, the winner of the Opening Verse Stakes. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Brilliant Berti has a perfect four-for-four record over the Churchill Downs turf course. The son of Noble Mission (GB) secured a determined half-length victory in the $350,000 Opening Verse Stakes last month, improving his overall record to 9-6-1-0 with $1.8 million in earnings. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride Brilliant Berti from post 9.
Other strong contenders include L and N Racing and Clark Brewster’s multiple stakes-winning Virginia-bred Gigante; HRH Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud’s Commonwealth Turf (GIII) winner Lagynos; and Jordan Wycoff’s impressive allowance winner Call Protection.
The field for the Arlington Stakes, from the rail out, is:
- Event Detail (Joel Rosario, Will Walden)
- Cameo Performance (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh)
- Gigante (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen)
- Herchee (Edgar Morales, Hellen Pitts)
- Lagynos (Flavien Prat, Steve Asmussen)
- Call Protection (Irad Ortiz Jr., Mike Maker)
- Silent Heart (Luis Saez, Brian Lynch)
- Mercante (Ramos, Knippenberg)
- Brilliant Berti (Hernandez, DeVaux)
Lush Lips (GB) Seeks Graded Stakes Glory in the Regret Stakes
The talented 3-year-old filly Lush Lips (GB) will aim for her first graded stakes victory in the 56th running of the $275,000 Regret Stakes (Grade III). Facing 10 other 3-year-old fillies, the 1 1/8-mile turf race is the final stakes event of the day, carded as Race 11 at 5:58 p.m. ET.
Owned in partnership by Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Stewart Hoffman, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Mrs. M. V. Magnier, Lush Lips has achieved back-to-back second-place finishes to Nitrogen in the $200,000 Florida Oaks (GIII) and the $600,000 Edgewood (GII). Trained by Brendan Walsh, the daughter of Ten Sovereigns (IRE) made her North American debut last fall and has since recorded a dominant seven-length maiden special weight win and a first-level allowance victory at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Flavien Prat will ride Lush Lips from post 7.
The field for the Regret Stakes, from the rail out, is:
- Jalila (Rey Gutierrez, Gustavo Delgado)
- Hereforagoodtime (Irad Ortiz Jr., Walsh)
- Aterradora (IRE) (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker)
- Fixin to Bee (John Velazquez, Rusty Arnold II)
- Classic Q (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
- Totally Justified (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold II)
- Lush Lips (GB) (Prat, Walsh)
- Fionn (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)
- Mechaya (Brian Hernandez Jr., Jimmy DiVito)
- Golden Sunshine (Vincent Cheminaud, Eoin Harty)
- Deloraine (Jaime Torres, Eoin Harty)
Charlie’s to Blame Returns to Turf in the Audubon Stakes
Charlie’s to Blame, the winner of the Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park, will return to turf racing in the sixth running of the $275,000 Audubon Stakes (Listed). This 1 1/8-mile race is scheduled as Race 7 at 3:53 p.m. ET and is part of the six-stakes card on Stephen Foster Preview Day.
Owned by BG Stables, Roadrunner Racing, SAF Racing, West Coast Stables, Barbara Evenson, and Jeffrey Lambert, Charlie’s to Blame enters the Audubon off a ninth-place finish in the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) on March 22. Prior to that race, the son of Blame secured a determined gate-to-wire victory in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes on February 1 at Gulfstream Park. Charlie’s to Blame will be ridden by Ben Curtis from post 5.
The Audubon field also features recent allowance winners Early Adopter (GB) and Tomasello, along with Transylvania Stakes (GIII) runner-up Scipio.
The complete lineup for the Audubon Stakes, from the rail out, is:
- Tomasello (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
- Discreet Dancer (Cristian Torres, Antonio Sano)
- Scipio (Luis Saez, Richard Baltas)
- Mesero (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans)
- Charlie’s to Blame (Curtis, Peter Eurton)
- World Beater (Jaime Torres, Riley Mott)
- King of Ashes (Frankie Dettori, Brendan Walsh)
- Early Adopter (GB) (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown)
Stephen Foster Preview Day at Churchill Downs promises a day filled with high-stakes racing, featuring a mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent. The return of Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan adds significant star power to the event, making it a must-watch for horse racing enthusiasts.
