The recently completed Triple Crown season ended with Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets champ Golden Tempo establishing himself as a rising star whose wins bolstered the success of history-making trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Magnitude. (Coady Media)

In addition to the emergence of talented 3-year-olds like Golden Tempo and Derby runner-up Renegade, a handful of last year’s best 3-year-olds from 2025 are still competing at age 4 with this fall’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic as the ultimate target. Three of them – reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty, Magnitude, and Baeza – are scheduled to run in the Stephen Foster Stakes June 27 at Churchill Downs.

Held at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, the Stephen Foster has long been one of the most prestigious stakes races for horses 4 years old and up, having been won by the likes of Black Tie Affair, Victory Gallop, Saint Liam, Curlin, and Gun Runner over its 44-year history. This year’s Stephen Foster field is extra-exceptional, with the abovementioned 4-year-old stars competing along with a couple of older horses that have combined earnings of over $17.5 million in White Abarrio and Hit Show and another 4-year-old, Original Sin, who is a late bloomer that is seeking a momentous upset.

The Stephen Foster 10 days out has the buildup of a classic heavyweight boxing match, with the belt in this case being a “Win and You’re In” berth into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Let’s take a look at the prospective Foster field, and be sure to check back June 30 after the race draws for ABR’s complete Cheat Sheet preview:

Knockout Punchers:

Sovereignty, White Abarrio, Magnitude

White Abarrio defeated Sovereignty in Oaklawn Handicap. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve winner Sovereignty will put his 2-for-2 record at Churchill Downs on the line as he meets White Abarrio again after finishing second to that foe in the Oaklawn Handicap back in April when making his 4-year-old debut. That race did not go according to plan for Sovereignty as he ended up setting the pace hounded by Journalism instead of taking his customary stalking position. With speedy Magnitude entered in the Foster, look for Sovereignty to revert to his most successful running style. He’s been training fantastic at Saratoga and a wet track on June 27 would help him.

White Abarrio keeps racking up big stakes victories at age 7, and if he were to defeat this group in the Foster he’d lock down favorite status for the BC Classic heading into the Saratoga meet in July. He’s the type of hard-knocking racehorse that’s easy to root for, and he has been especially productive when ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who should again be aboard in this spot. White Abarrio is 0-for-2 at Churchill Downs but hasn’t raced here since the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Magnitude is the Foster’s wild card. He projects as the lone speed in the race and is in career-best form, having defeated international superstar Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup back in March. He led from start to finish in that race under Jose Ortiz, who like his brother Irad is excelling during the current Churchill Downs meet. Magnitude missed the 2025 Kentucky Derby and later in the summer was no match for Sovereignty in the Travers Stakes and then lost to Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby, but that was all last year. Perhaps now he’s up to the task.

Aiming to Take the Belt:

Baeza. (Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)

Baeza

Now in Bill Mott’s barn following the passing of former trainer John Shirreffs last winter, Baeza still has an aura of untapped potential and his 4-year-old bow May 1 in Churchill’s Alysheba Stakes presented by U.S. Army should encourage his supporters that the best is yet to come. He hesitated and lunged at the start of the Alysheba but made up ground in the far turn and charged home to finish third by three-quarters of a length. It will be interesting to see who rides him in the Foster, as jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard in the Alysheba, will of course keep the mount on stablemate Sovereignty. A move forward in his second start of 2026 puts Baeza right in the mix.

The 12-Round Vet:

Hit Show. (Candice Chavez/Eclipse Sportswire)

Hit Show

Like fellow gray White Abarrio, the “Hit” just keeps coming. Both will make their 27^th career starts in the Foster. Hit Show had traffic trouble late in Churchill’s prep for the Foster and finished third as the favorite behind Original Sin in the Blame Stakes May 30. Last year, he defeated Forever Young in the 2025 Dubai World Cup but wasn’t a threat in this year’s renewal won by Magnitude. At his best, the 6-year-old may be a notch below the top three Foster foes and he’ll need a replacement rider (possibly Florent Geroux) as Irad Ortiz Jr. should be assigned to White Abarrio.

Ready for the Big Time?

Original Sin

This colt had an eye-opening win in the Blame Stakes last month at odds of 5.42-1 and now moves squarely into the spotlight against a formidable bunch. The Blame was his stakes debut, and aside from his 2024 debut and one rough-trip outing earlier this year, he’s answered the bell in each of his six other starts. The pedigree is solid and he’s 3-for-4 with Tyler Gaffalione aboard, but let’s face it, a win in the 2026 Stephen Foster would evoke Buster Douglas memories.