The Northern Dancer is being run as a stakes event for the first time and Derby Trial (gr. III) winner Sky Terrace heads the list of 25 3-year-olds nominated to its inaugural running. Others on the list include Danthebluegrassman, winner of the Golden Gate Derby (gr. III) and a late scratch from Kentucky Derby 128, and Stephentown, runner-up to Sky Terrace in the Northern Dancer Prep allowance.
Macho Uno, who just last weekend won the grade II Massachusetts Handicap, is among the nominees to the June 15 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs (gr. I). Other notable nominees who could contest the $500,000 event are Congaree, Street Cry, and Unshaded. The 1 1/8-mile handicap for 3-year-olds and up is the centerpiece of four stakes races offered by Churchill Downs on "Stephen Foster Super Saturday." Also on the Foster card are the $300,000-added Fleur de Lis (gr. II) for fillies and mares three & up; the $150,000-added Regret (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies on the turf; and the $100,000-added Northern Dancer Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile. The $1.3 million in stakes purses offered on "Stephen Foster Super Saturday" make it the second richest day of stakes competition at Churchill Downs, trailing only Kentucky Derby Day. The Stephen Foster Handicap will be televised live by CBS Sports as part of the inaugural telecast of the "NTRA Summer Racing Tour," which is scheduled to air from 5-6 p.m. (EDT).
