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Star-studded undercard on tap for Stephen Foster Super Saturday The $750,000 Stephen Foster H. (G1) is the feature event on Saturday at Churchill Downs, but the five graded undercard races could prove just as exciting with such top runners as ASI SIEMPRE (El Prado [Ire]), CHELOKEE (Cherokee Run) and DREAMING OF ANNA (Rahy) set to compete. The highlight of the undercard events is the $300,000 Fleur de Lis H. (G2), which has drawn a field of eight distaffers going nine furlongs. Asi Siempre is the 122-pound highweight in the Fleur de Lis, having captured the Doubledogdare S. (G3) on Keeneland's Polytrack before just missing by a head in the Louisville Breeders' Cup H. (G2) last out over the track. The Patrick Biancone-trained five-year-old was also second in last season's Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) on Churchill's dirt, and will get Garrett Gomez back in the saddle for Saturday's foray. Among those hoping to spoil Asi Siempre's first win under the Twin Spires are INDIAN VALE (A.P. Indy) and ERMINE (Exchange Rate). The former mare, trained by Todd Pletcher, returned off a 10-month vacation to take the Next Move H. (G3) at Aqueduct by 5 1/2 lengths. She didn't get her usual front-running spot in the Louisville Breeders' Cup last out, eventually finishing fourth, and will be looking to extract a measure of revenge on Asi Siempre and the winner of that race, FIERY PURSUIT (Carson City), here. Ermine was last seen taking the Apple Blossom H. (G1) in early April, but the Ronny Werner-conditioned four-year-old is used to returning off layoffs. The chestnut lass won the Falls City H. (G2) at Churchill in her final start as a sophomore and came back three months later to run second in the Santa Maria H. (G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1). She'll get a jockey switch to Robby Albarado for the Fleur de Lis. The complete field for the Fleur de Lis is ROLLING SEA (Sefapiano), Shaun Bridgmohan, 118; LEAH'S SECRET (Tiger Ridge), Mark Guidry, 116; KETTLEONEUP (Victory Gallop), Calvin Borel, 117; Asi Siempre; BAGHDARIA (Royal Academy), Rafael Bejarano, 116; Indian Vale, John Velazquez, 119; Fiery Pursuit, Edgar Prado, 117; and Ermine, 119. Beginning the undercard stakes action will be the $200,000 Jefferson Cup S. (G2) for turf sophomores. DUVEEN (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) broke his maiden in February on Gulfstream Park's turf prior to taking the grassy Palm Beach S. (G3), with both events coming at Saturday's 1 1/8-mile distance. He cutback a sixteenth of a mile when taking on nine rivals last out in the American Turf S. (G3) at Churchill, but was still a half-length better than his closest competitor at the line on that day. He'll face six other runners in the Jefferson while toting the top weight of 123 pounds. Champion Dreaming of Anna earned her first win since taking the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with a 1 1/4-length, front-running score in the Double Delta S. over Arlington Park's turf two weeks ago. That came about a month after her off-the-board effort on Churchill's dirt in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and the chestnut miss may not leave the grass again if she takes Saturday's $200,000 Regret S. (G3) with E.T. Baird in the saddle for the first time. Fantasy S. (G2) queen HIGH HEELS (E Dubai), third in the Kentucky Oaks last out, is also entered in the 1 1/8-mile grass event. Trainer Michael Matz bypassed all three Triple Crown races with Chelokee, a move that paid off when the dark bay sophomore posted an emotional 4 3/4-length victory in the Barbaro S. on the Preakness S. (G1) undercard. The colt will try to give his conditioner another win while taking on seven rivals in the $200,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup S. (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. To do so, he'll have to hold off PROM SHOES (Include), who led late in the Peter Pan S. (G2) before just missing by a nose on the line, as well as SAM P. (Cat Thief), third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) two back. QUITE A BRIDE (Stormy Atlantic) heads a field of seven in the $150,000 Mint Julep H. (G3) as the 121-pound highweight under Albarado. The Bill Mott trainee captured her four-year-old debut two back, posting a 2 1/4-length victory in the Florida Cup Turf Distaff S. and then cut back in distance to a mile when trying the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. (G3) last out. Quite a Bride just missed in a bobbing finish in that test, and could return to the winner's circle by returning to 1 1/16 grassy miles here.
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