By Sam Turner -
Improving Godolphin colt First Mission is reported to be “training great” ahead of his bid for a breakthrough G1 victory in the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
The Brad Cox trainee impressed when comfortably beating Japanese raider T O Saint Denis to take the G2 Alysheba Stakes by four lengths on Kentucky Oaks Day, supplementing a five-length success in the G3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park back in March.
The son of Street Sense, strongly favoured in the US markets on Saturday, has been targeted at the Churchill feature for some time according to his handler who issued an upbeat bulletin regarding his colt’s chances.
“We’ve had this race on our schedule for a long time now,” said Cox.
“The plan has been if he ran well in the Alysheba to run him in the Stephen Foster. He came out of the Alysheba very well and has been training great at Churchill.
“The Stephen Foster is always a tough race year in and year out. It’s a Grade 1, so that’s expected. This year’s field is no different but we like our chances to try and get him his first Grade 1 win.
“Florent (Geroud) has been aboard him his last two starts and has been working him in the mornings,” Cox added.
“They get along very well and Florent knows how to ride him.”
FLEET READY TO ENGAGE
Ottoman Fleet also bids for back-to-back Graded wins at Churchill Downs when he tackles the G2 Wise Dan Stakes on the same card.
The Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old comfortably scored by a length in the G3 Arlington Stakes at the start of June, adding to his previous North American victory in last season’s G2 Fort Marcy Stakes.
A hopeful Appleby said: “Ottoman Fleet heads into this in great order on the back of his win in the Arlington Stakes, which is a trial for this race. He has enjoyed a little break since and looks a worthy favourite in a small but competitive field.”
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