Expert Pick of the Week: 2023 Stephen Foster Stakes

Jun 29, 2023

A strong field of eight will go 1 1/8 miles on the Ellis Park dirt surface in Saturday’s $1 million Stephen Foster S. (G1). Conditioner Kenny McPeek holds a strong hand in the race with a pair of in-form stars, including the impressive Alysheba S. (G2) victor Smile Happy, who defeated a top field at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. He is the Expert Pick of the Week.

The $185,000 yearling purchase was unbeaten as a juvenile when posting a pair of dominant tallies, led by a romp in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2). By Runhappy, the colt finished second best in both the Blue Grass S. (G1) and Risen Star S. (G2) in his first pair of assignments as a sophomore, prior to concluding his 2022 season with an eighth-place result in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Smile Happy was a smart allowance winner to commence this campaign, and he preceded his Alysheba score with a third in the Oaklawn Mile S. (G3) two prior. The dark bay Kentucky-bred was prominent from the outset beneath the Twin Spires in his latest performance and was especially visually impressive en route to earning a lifetime-best 106 Brisnet Speed figure. He has posted five solid morning drills in the interim, and I expect the top pick to track the pace from the second flight early prior to taking command in the stretch. Corey Lanerie will be in the stirrups.

Rattle N Roll, also from the McPeek shedrow, has rallied to victory in three consecutive Grade 3 tilts as of late and figures to receive a swift pace to rally into on this occasion. The talented son of Connect has never run on the Ellis main strip, but he has been impressive in coming from behind in events with moderate early tempos recently, and the four-year-old will get a more favorable set-up in this spot. The Kentucky-bred chestnut will be fit making a fifth route run since March, and he has enticed Brian Hernandez, Jr. to stay in the silks for this storied contest.

Brad Cox’s West Will Power was third as the 3-5 favorite in the Alysheba and can surely rebound on this occasion at a better post-time number. The Bernardini six-year-old has been in fine form since joining this outfit in August of 2022 and also has the early pace to force the action from the break in his second local appearance. Flavien Prat coming in to guide the bay is a plus, too.

Expert Pick of the Week

An exacta with #5 Smile Happy on top of #4 Rattle N Roll and #6 West Will Power in the 2023 Stephen Foster Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.