Turf Classic

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...

From his nine previous rides on the veteran New York-bred Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro), jockey Manny Franco had amassed an enviable record of seven wins and two second-place efforts, one of those defeats coming by a flared nostril. With Tyler Gaffalione--who rode the gelding to victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf two starts back--sidelined via injury,  Franco rekindled his relationship with the Chad Brown galloper in Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic and the partnership's 10th trip to the races resulted in their biggest score...

If Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had any qualms whether his star turf distaffer could hold her own against the boys, George Krikorian's War Like Goddess (English Channel) dispelled all doubts with an emphatic 2 3/4-length score over males in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, run this year at Belmont at the Big A. Pacesetter Bye Bye Melvin (Uncle Mo) was second with Astronaut (Quality Road) checking in third, and second choice Gufo (Declaration of War), third as the favorite in last year's renewal, a dull last of...

Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic brings together this country's best turf runners currently in training, and Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) has an opportunity to cement his status at the top of the heap in a race with several winning chances. The $50,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.2-million OBS April breezer is four-for-five on the grass, his lone defeat coming at the hooves of Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) when beaten a half-length into fourth in the Saratoga Derby last August. Given some rest following...