Foster filled with Classic hopefuls

Saturday's $500,000

Stephen

Foster H. (G1) at Churchill Downs has attracted a stellar field of 11 that

includes most of the top older horses in training and it sets up to be a key

race for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) over the same track later this year. The

1 1/8-mile event served that purpose last year, with eventual champion Blame

parlaying his Foster score into a victory over Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup

Classic.

GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway), who captured the Clark H. (G1) under the Twin

Spires last fall via disqualification and opened 2011 with a two-length win in

the Donn H. (G1) at Gulfstream Park, is a slight 7-2 favorite on oddsmaker Mike

Battaglia's contentious morning line. Trained by Chris Block, the five-year-old

horse exits a fast-closing fifth, beaten less than a length, in the May 6

Alysheba S. (G3) at 1 1/16 miles, a distance that was probably too short for the

classy chestnut. Giant Oak is the 122-pound Foster highweight and will break

from post 10 with regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan.

Block is hoping for plenty of pace in the large field.

"We need a pace, and it seems that the shorter

the field the pace doesn't really set up well for us," Block said. "I don't

think a big field bothers me too much, because he comes around 'em and he's done

that here before. I've got a good rider and I feel good about it."

The Richard Mandella-trained horse had been pointed toward a couple

of major events at Churchill Downs previously, the 2008 Kentucky Derby

(G1) and last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), only to be derailed

by injury.

"He's a horse I've always been close to," Mandella said. "He's a very classy

horse to be around and has a very nice mind. He's got a ton of talent, but he's

accident-prone."

Crown of Thorns will keep Tyler Baze in the saddle while breaking from post 2

under a 121-pound weight assignment.

"It's a well-respected race with a lot of money, and you don't get too many

chances with this guy," Mandella said. "So you go for the gold. I think having a

run over this racetrack and seeing how he likes it is important."

MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled's Song) comes next on the morning line at 9-2.

Winner of the 2010 Louisiana Derby (G2), the Todd Pletcher-trained colt finished

a head second in the Mineshaft H. (G3) earlier this season before capturing the

New Orleans H. (G2), and will look to make amends for a seventh as the favorite

in the Alysheba. The gray four-year-old will pick up the services of Javier

Castellano while breaking from the far outside post.

Grade 2-winning millionaire DUKE OF MISCHIEF (Graeme Hall) will enter on an

encouraging note for conditioner David Fawkes, easily winning the $1 million

Charles Town Classic (G3) in his most recent outing. A close fourth in the

Gulfstream Park H. (G2) two back, the five-year-old chestnut is the 6-1 co-fifth

choice with a returning Joe Bravo. Multiple Grade/Group 2-winning millionaire

REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor) is also 6-1. The Saeed bin Suroor charge has just

missed in his two starts this year, finishing a neck runner-up in the Sir

Shackleton H. at Gulfstream Park before coming up only a nose short in the same

spot in the Alysheba. He'll keep Alan Garcia up.

EQUESTRIO (Elusive Quality), who gained notoriety when defeating stablemate

and subsequent Florida Derby (G1) winner Dialed In (Mineshaft) in a Gulfstream

Park allowance/optional claimer two starts back, merits consideration following

a commendable effort in his stakes debut, a head third in the Alysheba. The Nick

Zito runner will bring Jose Lezcano with him from New York and is a juicy 12-1

on the morning line.

EL CABALLO (El Corredor) (15-1), POOL PLAY (Silver Deputy) (20-1), FLAT OUT

(Flatter) (30-1) and WORLDY (A.P. Indy) (30-1) complete the Foster line-up.