Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone set for showdown in richest Stephen Foster ever

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – One horse won the Kentucky Derby. Another won the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A third took the Dubai World Cup. Saturday’s Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs won’t crown a champion — but it may feel like one already showed up.

The 44th running of the $1 million Grade I Stephen Foster is being hailed as the richest field in the race’s history. Seven older horses with more than $26 million in combined earnings are entered, headlined by Kentucky Derby 150 winner Mystik Dan, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and 3-year-old Horse of the Year Sierra Leone, and Dubai star Hit Show. Of the seven entries, six are millionaires.

The field boasts five grade one wins, 40 career wins (led by 6-year-old Skippylongstocking) and eight combined win at Churchill Downs – three of them by Mystik Dan.

The 1 1/8-mile race is also a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Among the heavy hitters:

Sierra Leone ($6 million career earnings) is the morning line favorite at 5-2 but is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade I New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds in March.
Mystik Dan (3-1), a fan favorite and recent Blame Stakes winner, is regaining his form and may be the horse for the course, with three wins in three starts at Churchill.
Hit Show (9-2), a Kentucky Derby alum (fifth in 2023) has won twice under the Twin Spires, including last year’s Lukas Classic.
Skippylongstocking (6-1), winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, has won 11 career races and brings the highest last-out Brisnet Speed figure, of 108.

The field also includes Mindframe (7-2), a Grade I winner at Churchill; First Mission (4-1), a four-time graded stakes winner coming off a win in the Oaklawn Handicap, and Ashcroft (30-1), out of the D. Wayne Lukas barn and now trained by Bas Nicholl.

The Foster headlines a 12-race card with six total stakes, including:

$500,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) featuring reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna seeking redemption after a troubled trip in the La Troienne.
$500,000 Wise Dan (GII) on turf.
$250,000 Kelly’s Landing (GIII) with sprinter Booth riding a four-race win streak.
Two $250,000 turf stakes: the American Derby and the Tepin.

Also scheduled — presentations of the engraved trophies for this year’s Derby and Oaks winners. Representatives for Sovereignty (trainer Bill Mott, jockey Junior Alvarado and a representative from Godolphin racing) will be honored after Race 9 (approximately 4:58 p.m.). Those of Oaks winner Good Cheer (trainer Brad Cox, jockey Luis Saez and a rep from Godolphin) will be honored after Race 8 at about 4:25.

First post is 12:45 p.m.

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