One of the summer’s biggest races is set for Saturday under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, where a high-quality field will compete in the Stephen Foster Stakes for a purse of $1 million and a guaranteed spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The world of Thoroughbred racing was taken by surprise June 22 with the announcement that legendary Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas would be stepping away from training after being hospitalized in Louisville, Ky.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, one of the most prolific trainers and influences in horse racing history, has been hospitalized in Louisville, Ky. and will not return to training, according to Lukas family members.
Never traveling beyond a mile before June 21, Mo Plex handled his first two-turn test with aplomb to win the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby June 21 at Thistledown.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s dominance of the Royal Ascot juvenile contests continued with Charles Darwin’s dominant victory in the June 19 Norfolk Stakes.
The No Nay Never colt was sent off odds-on and was briefly challenged by American Sandal’s Song and longshot Ameeq, but he exerted his class over the pair to pull clear under Ryan Moore by 2 1/4 lengths over a Godolphin’s rallying juvenile Wise Approach.
