Stephen Foster Handicap Recap

by Patricia Woo | Jun 15 2009

He might be an early candidate for 2009's Horse of the Year, but Einstein had his hands full in the Gr. 1 Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday, June 13. Run at Churchill Downs in Lexington, Ky., the Stephen Foster Handicap is a 1 1/8 mile test for 3-year-olds and up over a conventional dirt track and was won last year by 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin. This year, eight horses lined up for the winner's share of the purse, including Einstein, Macho Again and Asiatic Boy.

Carrying 124 pounds, Einstein was sent off as the race favorite under jockey Julien Leparoux. However, he was hindered all race long by traffic problems, first finding himself trapped behind Bullsbay (under Jeremy Rose) down the backstretch and then behind Asiatic Boy and Researcher as the field entered the homestretch. The Spend a Buck 7-year-old then found himself unable to maneuver past Bullsbay and Researcher until late in the race when it was too late to catch frontrunners Macho Again and Asiatic Boy.

Helen Pitts acknowledged the difficult ride after the race: "They had him in a tough spot... it was hard for Julien to really do anything."

Prior to the Stephen Foster Handicap, Einstein had won two consecutive races. After kicking off his 2009 campaign with a third-place finish in the Donn Handicap, a $500,000 Gr. 1 race run at Gulfstream Park, Einstein wowed the horse racing world when he won the $1M Gr. 1 Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park on March 7 in his first race on a synthetic course over a deep field. He then demonstrated his versatility by switching to turf and eking out a win in the $500,000 Gr. 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 2. But Einstein was overshadowed by rival Macho Again in the Stephen Foster Handicap, who bypassed the traffic jam by going five-wide in the stretch run and coasting to victory.

Macho Again is a 4-year-old colt who has had a rollercoaster racing career. Just this year, he finished as low as seventh (in the $1M Sunshine Millions Classic on Jan. 24) and as high as first (in the $500,000 Gr. 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 14). His inconsistency has exasperated trainer Dallas Stewart but Stewart's patience was rewarded on Saturday when his charge crossed the wire first. Macho Again earned $396,924 for the win, and gave jockey Robby Albarado his third consecutive Stephen Foster Handicap win. "The race set up great for us today," Albarado said, who won aboard Curlin in 2007 and Flashy Bull in 2006. "We had an outside trip and got a clear run" [Macho Again] prevailed to be the best today."

Staving off Einstein for the runner-up finish by a nose was Kiaran McLaughlin's Asiatic Boy and was followed in order by Bullsbay and Arson Squad in a dead heat for fourth, Researcher, Finallymadeit and Alphabet Magic.

Look for Macho Again in the Gr. 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on August 8. And bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!