Perfect Drift preps for Stephen Foster

Perfect Drift is a former winner of the Stephen Foster  (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer), winner of the 2003 Stephen Foster H. (G1) and a top contender for this year's edition, breezed four furlongs in :50 1/5 over a fast track at Trackside Louisville Training Center on Tuesday. The $750,000 Stephen Foster is the main event on a roster of six stakes races worth a total of $1.75 million on Churchill Downs' "Stephen Foster Super Saturday." "He worked really well, was happy and keen, and finished like a bullet," trainer Murray Johnson said. "He went the first three-eighths in :39 and then flew home." Perfect Drift has finished third in the Stephen Foster is each of the past two years. The seven-year-old, who will be ridden by Mark Guidry, exits a last-place effort in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1) on Kentucky Derby (G1) Day. Donn H. (G1) winner BRASS HAT (Prized) had a strong two-mile gallop at Trackside Louisville that will serve as his final major training move prior to the nine-furlong Stephen Foster. "He went two miles and the last three-eighths he went in about :39 and change," trainer William "Buff" Bradley said. Brass Hat finished second in the March 25 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), but was later disqualified after a post-race drug test. That ruling is being appealed. Regular rider Willie Martinez will be astride Brass Hat on Saturday.

Queen's Plate winner WILD DESERT (Wild Rush) breezed an easy four furlongs in

:52 2/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs on Tuesday in preparation for the Stephen Foster. The Richard Dutrow trainee finished a

close second in the Alysheba S. on Kentucky Oaks (G1) Day in his seasonal debut.

The field for the Stephen Foster picked up another candidate on Tuesday when

trainer Patrick Biancone informed Churchill Downs officials that Golden Gate

Fields H. (G3) winner COSMONAUT (Lemon Drop Kid) would run in Saturday's race.

The four-year-old is coming off a fourth-place effort in the muddy Lone Star

Park H. (G3) on Memorial Day.

Cosmonaut will be ridden by apprentice jockey Julien Leparoux, the leading

rider at the Churchill Downs Spring Meet and the national leader by number of

wins.

In other "Stephen Foster Super Saturday" news:

The $100,000 Mint Julep H. (G3) has attracted a new contender in LOUVE ROYALE

(Ire) (Peintre Celebre), an impressive winner of the 1 1/2-mile Top Corsage H.

over the Matt Winn Turf Course on May 28. The Biancone-trained mare breezed five

furlongs in 1:02 4/5 on the all-weather Polytrack surface at Turfway Park on

Tuesday.

Louve Royale may be best known as the final career mount for Hall of Fame jockey Gary

Stevens. She finished second in an allowance race under Stevens at Churchill

Downs on November 26.

Two contenders for the 1 1/6-mile Mint Julep -- RICH IN SPIRIT (Repriced) and

SPECIAL GRAYCE (Smart Strike) -- each breezed around the dogs on the Churchill

Downs turf course on Tuesday.

Rich in Spirit, winner of last year's Regret S. (G3), breezed five furlongs

in 1:04 3/5. The Tom Proctor-trained filly won an allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths

at Churchill Downs on May 27.

Special Grayce, runner-up in the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile S. (G3) in

her last start, breezed five furlongs in 1:03 4/5. Trainer Helen Pitts said the

gray was "likely" for the Mint Julep.

Another Mint Julep probable, SKY HIGH FLYER (GB) (Anabaa), breezed five

furlongs in :51 3/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs on Tuesday for trainer

Bobby Frankel.

Trainer Ronny Werner said he is undecided whether multiple Grade 3 winner

FLYING GLITTER (Glitterman) would run in the Mint Julep or compete in the

seven-furlong Chicago Breeders' Cup H. (G3) on the main track at Arlington

Park. Robby Albarado will ride Flying Glitter if she runs in the Mint Julep.

Three contenders for the $200,000 Jefferson Cup S. (G2) each had their final

major training moves on Tuesday.

Blue Grass S. (G1) runner-up STORM TREASURE (Storm Boot), who finished 11th

in the Kentucky Derby, is scheduled to make his turf debut in the 1 1/8-mile

Jefferson Cup. The Steve Asmussen charge breezed four furlongs around the dogs

in :51 2/5 on the Churchill Downs turf course on Tuesday under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.

BRILLIANT (War Chant), who is unbeaten in two starts on the turf, breezed

a grassy five furlongs around the dogs in 1:03 1/5. The Neil Howard trainee will make his

stakes debut in the Jefferson Cup.

"What encourages me about him is that the colt's demeanor and temperament is

really exactly what you look for," Howard said. "I guess the best way to say it

is that if he turns out to be a pretty serious horse on the grass, it wouldn't

shock me."

The Frank Brothers-trained OBI WAN KENOBI (Skywalker), who finished second to

Brilliant in his most recent outing, breezed a grassy half-mile around the dogs

in :52 2/5.

The $200,000 Regret S. (G3) for three-year-old fillies on the turf picked up

a serious contender with the addition of LADY OF VENICE (Fr) (Loup Solitaire),

who has won three of four career starts, including a impressive 2 1/4-length

tally in the Appalachian S. at Keeneland in her U.S. debut.

The Biancone pupil breezed four furlongs in :47 1/5 on the Polytrack surface

at Turfway Park on Tuesday. Leparoux, Biancone's regular rider, will be aboard

Lady of Venice in the nine-furlong Regret.

In addition, Leparoux will ride HAPPY TICKET (Anet) for trainer Andy Leggio

Jr. in the $300,000 Fleur de Lis H. (G2) and SIMON PURE (Silver Deputy) for

trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the $200,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup S. (G3).

Entries for "Stephen Foster Super Saturday" will be drawn on Wednesday.