Churchill Downs Stakes

There is no truth to the rumor that T O Elvis (Volatile) stepped onto the Churchill Downs main track last Saturday to the Theme from 2001 Space Odyssey, the instrumental to which the horse's namesake took to the stage for wildly popular concerts in the 1970s. But when Elvis--T O, that is--'left the building' following a defeat of no fewer than seven last-out graded winners in a renewal of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes that was widely heralded as one of the best races of the year, there will have...

There were plenty of people who liked the chances of Japanese shipper T O Elvis (Volatile) in Saturday's GI Churchill Downs Stakes. He had won four straight races, was on the improve, and the word out of Japan was that this horse might be as good as any sprinter in the world. That he was 30-1 on the morning line made the idea of placing a large wager on the 4-year-old even more enticing. He was never going to be 30-1. The linemaker whiffed badly on that one. But as...

An additional quartet of Grade I contests and a Grade I-quality renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile highlight Saturday's Kentucky Derby undercard races at Churchill Downs. Knightsbridge Rates Top Billing In Churchill Downs S. A field of 11 comes together for yet another compelling renewal of the $1-million GI Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong contest in which Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Knightsbridge (Nyquist) goes in search of a maiden top-level success while looking to extend his current winning streak to five. A half-brother to Grade I-winning...

Tomoya Ozasa's T O Elvis (Volatile), a five-time winner and never worse than third in his eight career appearances at home, will make his next start in the $1-million GI Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 2, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi told the Japanese website Sanspo.com on Wednesday. Bred in Kentucky by Jeff and Melissa Prunzik, the 4-year-old son of the eight-time stakes winner Stopshoppingdebbie (Curlin) is currently on a four-race winning streak at home, most recently streaking clear to take out the G3 Capella Stakes (1200 meters)...

Coolmore and partners have acquired an interest in 'TDN Rising Star Presented by Hagyard' and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist). Upon his retirement from racing, the colt will stand at Ashford Stud in 2027, the farm announced Friday. A no-brainer 'Rising Star' in his 10 1/2-length Santa Anita romp in October 2023, Nysos then picked up two straight graded stakes wins before enduring a significant break in training from Feb. 2024 through to May 2025. He returned in a thrilling edition of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes...

Mindframe (Constitution--Walk of Stars, by Street Sense), most recently winner of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes, will take up stud duties at Claiborne Farm at the conclusion of his racing career, the farm announced Sunday evening. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 13 3/4-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park last March, the dark bay colt was second--beaten just a half-length by Dornoch (Good Magic)--in the GI Belmont Stakes in just his third trip to the post. He was second again after recovering from a stumbling start in the GI...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A frustrating runner-up in last year's GI Belmont Stakes and GI NYRA Bets Haskell S., 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) put it all together for a much-deserved first Grade I victory in a heart-stopping and completely stacked renewal of the GI Churchill Downs S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Favored 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist), making his first start for Bob Baffert since running his record to three-for-three in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes some 15 months ago, dead-heated for second with the David Jacobson-trained, co-owned...

Making his first start since taking out last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Cody's Wish (Curlin) became the third Grade I winner of the weekend for Godolphin--each for a different trainer--with a worst-to-first victory in Saturday's GI Churchill Downs S. He completed a sweep of the day's seven-furlong events after Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) caused a minor upset in the Derby City Distaff and was adding to the wide-trip success of 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. Back markers had been facing...

It's not often you come across a 13-horse Grade I sprint with no confirmed frontrunner, but the Churchill Downs S. Saturday is just that, with only lightly raced 20-1 shot Get the Prize (Candy Ride {Arg}) having gotten the first call last out. Stalker Flagstaff (Speightstown) gets the tepid 3-1 nod on the morning line coming off a victory over three of these foes in Keeneland's GIII Commonwealth S. going the same distance Apr. 3. He shipped into Oaklawn after that to fire a pair of quick bullet breezes, and...