Foster (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
July 1, 2023

The highlight of the weekend happens here at CD on Saturday, as the 21st running of the Grade 1 Foster takes place with a coveted spot in the BC Classic being there for the taking. The $1,000.000 purse that comes along with it is not too bad either, and we will see ten horses going to post to try and claim these rewards. It may be a mild surprise that this race did not fill to capacity, since this type of race usually will, but we still got quite a crowd ready to take part. The Foster may be remembered as being a handicap back in the day, but the last year for that was 2020. It also used to allow three-year-olds to join in the fun, but that would end in 2019. For the longest time, this was a Grade 1, but from 2019 through 2022, it was downgraded to a Grade 2, but sees itself get promoted again to its traditional Grade 1 status. We will also be running for the largest purse in the history of the race, with $750.000 being the previous high. Last year, the late Saturday Khartoum won this race at the age of eight, but he did not fare well in the BC Classic. We have all the makings of a great race here on Saturday, and here are those that will be lined up in the starting gate!

#1- All Take (Alydar Stables, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Last year, All Take made history by winning the PRK, but did not have another strong outing against top company until he ran second in the PA Derby. He would later run in the BC Classic and finished in the middle of the field. So far in 2023, he has made three starts, but has not hit the board in any of them. He has not been completely shut out, though, as there are two fourth place finishes there, including in late May at SA for the Triple Bend Stakes. He seems like an inconsistent type, and this may be part of the reason that he has run at double digit odds for ten races in a row.

#2- Sexy Back (Night Rider Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Three weeks ago, we saw Sexy Back turn in a fabulous effort up at BEL as he went on to win the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and earn a career high 103 SRF. For the six-year-old gelding, this was his eighth win out of 41 starts. Right now, he may be running as good as he ever has, with three of those wins coming in his last five races with wins also in the Grade 3 Hooper and the Grade 2 GP Mile. I find it interesting that none of these wins have come at distances which were greater than a mile, as getting a ninth furlong would not seem to be a problem for him.

#3- Papa Nature (Night Rider Stables, ridden by V Espinoza)- The majority of this five-year-old’s career have been running in long sprints, but after winning the $100.000 Say Florida Sandy in January, Papa Nature had been in a cold funk, and that led to Night Rider Stables changing things up. He would be entered into the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes up at WO at the start of June, and that proved to be an excellent decision, as he went on to finish second in that mile and a sixteenth race. Had a great mile work at AQU back in March, which may suggest that the horse has been privately begging to finally start going long.

#4- G O O B A (Fractious, ridden by F Geroux)- After he made his first two starts, G O O B A has not failed to hit the board, showing a particular liking for finishing second. While running in the silks of Mb Stables, he finished in the spot in five of six races (no wins), and that led to him being placed in the December auction. He’s been better with Fractious, after he picked him up for $31.320, with a pair of wins, and two more seconds, over his four starts. Most recently, he ran up at WO in the Grade 3 Blame and narrowly missed in a photo finish in what was his graded debut. This is a big step up, but you have to like his tendency to always be in the mix at the end.

#5- Puppet Master (Spankys Barn, ridden by M E Smith)- This seven-year-old gelding will be looking to extend his winning streak to four here in the Foster. After struggling at SA in January, Puppet Master’s wins began in an open allowance, and if that was meant as a confidence booster, it has definitely paid off. Off of that, he would head to AQU for the Grade 1 Carter Handicap and won the race by two lengths while being at the second highest weight in the field. He then won here in May at the Grade 1 CD, and in both of those races, he scored a 103 SRF. The questions are not about his form, but it may be about running nine furlongs. He’s gone long plenty of times and has had success, but is this his preferred distance?

#6- Quality Art (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- He doesn’t always win, but Quality Art is another one of those horses that you can count on to be in the picture late in the race. Seven of his last nine races have earned him a triple digit SRF, and that includes his last time on this racetrack, which was two back in the Grade 2 Alysheba, where he won with a 104 SRF. He would be tested at a mile and a half after that and would only finish in the middle of the field, which is a little atypical for him. Quality Art will be glad to not have to run quite as long here in the Foster, and he is 2-for-2 at CD.

#7- Scott The Cherokee (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by M Franco)- We can take the glass is half empty or half full approach with this one. The half empty side will point out that he had only won once over his first 28 career starts, although he was third a total of ten times. The half full side will then counter by saying he is one of his last one, winning right here, and doing it by grabbing the head bob at the wire in an optional claimer. Prevailing in a tight finish could mean he is about to get some positive momentum, but this is a pretty tough assignment. If I wanted to be a believer, his last work at SA tempers that enthusiasm.

#8- Individuation (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- One of the top active horses in the game today, and looking to return to the BC Classic, a race that he won last year. It was part of an incredible run where he won the Dandy, Travers, PA Derby, and BC Classic all in a row, which is really a tremendous feat to achieve. Since the Classic, he has made five starts, and won two of them, the first being the Grade 1 Malibu in late December, and then an open allowance at the start of May, which was a surprise to see him entered into. He resurfaced to run second at the Grade 2 Gold Cup and worked well at SA in anticipation of this race.

#9- Lets Celebrate (Riggins Racing, ridden by A Beschizza)- This five-year-old gelding had a great April, winning the $150.000 SUN Handicap at the start of that month before moving on to the Grade 2 Californian Stakes, which he won in a tight photo. In each of those races, he was way back early on, including trailing by sixth at first call in the Californian. Those results earned him a spot in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at SA, where he again looked to come from well off the pace. This time, he would be unable to get all the way there, but still ended up a respectable third. Everyone should be looking for him in the stretch here, unless a different tactic gets tried.

#10- Hard To Forgive (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- Well, we’re going to have to do what his name says, perhaps, as his last race was a dud. That came three weeks ago at BEL for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, where all he could do is finish in a dead heat for tenth place. Overall, he wasn’t badly beaten in the race, but also never got involved. His two races before that were a lot better, winning the Grade 3 Ghostzapper and placing second in the Grade 2 Alysheba. Looking back deeper, you can see that Hard To Forgive is susceptible to bad races like he had in the Metropolitan on occasion, but he usually bounces back. Probably will here, but will that be too hard to forgive when up against these?

Prediction: 2-5-8-4

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES