The streaking Backyard Heaven (Tizway) will take center stage in Saturday evening's GI Stephen Foster H. at Churchill Downs, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Ken and Sarah Ramsey colorbearer earned a gaudy 108 Beyer Speed Figure in a first-level allowance score at Aqueduct Mar. 17, then successfully stretched to two turns with an eye-catching victory in Churchill's GII Alysheba S. May 4 on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard.
“The future is so bright for this horse,” Ken Ramsey said. “We're awfully excited to see this horse on such a big stage Saturday night at Churchill Downs. If this horse continues to climb the mountain, we hope to follow the same path Gun Runner did in 2017. I honestly believe he's the second-most valuable horse I own behind Kitten's Joy.”
Last year's GI Belmont S. runner-up 'TDN Rising Star' Irish War Cry (Curlin) ended a six-race losing streak with a wire-to-wire tally in the GIII Pimlico Special S. May 18. He was 10th in his last trip beneath the Twin Spires in the 2017 GI Kentucky Derby.
“It was definitely a relief to see him run well last time out,” trainer Graham Motion said. “We were very pleased of his effort and showed us what type of horse he is. It looks to be a pretty tough race but he's proven us he belongs.”
The popular one-eyed 'TDN Rising Star' Patch (Union Rags), third in last year's Belmont, kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a come-from-behind allowance win at Belmont May 12.
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