Churchill Downs All-Stakes Pick 5 Features Eclectic, Familiar Names

A veritable all-star roster of eclectic talent that includes a Kentucky Derby winner, a Kentucky Oaks winner, a Breeders’ Cup Sprint victor, and a true horse for course highlight Churchill Downs’ Saturday All-Stakes Pick 5.

The All-Stakes Pick 5 wager encompasses all five of the Twin Spires’ stakes races on Saturday’s card. That’s the last major racing day of Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet, and a day headlined by the Grade 2 Stephen Foster, one of the biggest spring races for older routers.

That’s the last race in the All-Stakes Pick 5 sequence. The 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster is also where you’ll find 2021 Derby winner Mandaloun, who returns for his first start since his disappointing and inexplicable ninth in February’s Saudi Cup. It bears noting no horse has won the Derby and the Stephen Foster since the latter began in 1982.

It also bears noting that Mandaloun must contend with Olympiad, who is undefeated in three races as a 4-year-old. That includes his 2 1/2-length victory over Happy Saver and Title Ready in the Grade 2 Alysheba on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. Speaking of Title Ready, he, Americanrevolution, and five-time winner Caddo River are here as well.

Bango goes bonkers at Churchill Downs

One race before the Stephen Foster is the Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes. This 6 1/2-furlong sprint would get lost in the Foster’s and Fleur de Lis’ shadow if it weren’t for Bango. One of 27 documented horses to own at least seven victories at Churchill Downs, Bango somehow left the starting gate in his last race, the Aristides Stakes, last month at 10/1. After winning that by 2 1/2 lengths, he won’t be that short a price here.

Trying to deny Bango his eighth Churchill Downs score is Aloha West. The reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion comes in off a troubled fourth to Flightline in the Metropolitan Handicap.

The third race in the All-Stakes Pick 5 sequence, Race 8 on the card, is the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Fleur de Lis. There, you find Shedaresthedevil, the 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner. You’ll find the 5-year-old, three-time Grade 1 winner in search of her first victory since last September’s Grade 2 Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs. That was four races ago. She has a second and a third in two races this year.

Rattle N Roll trying to end his slump — again

Waiting for her, you find Pauline’s Pearl, who beat Shedaresthedevil by a half-length in the Grade 1 La Troienne on the Oaks undercard. Shedaresthedevil was the defending champion in that event. You’ll also find Super Quick, coming in off a 14 1/2-length dissection of the May 20 Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff at Pimlico.

One race earlier brings you Rattle N Roll seeking his elusive Grade 1-winning form in the Listed American Derby. The second race on the All-Stakes Pick 5 sequence, the 1 1/16-mile American Derby was moved off Churchill Downs’ turf to the main track.

Rattle N Roll is 0-for-5 since winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last October at Keeneland. He arrives off a third to Cyberknife in the Grade 3 Matt Winn earlier this month. He hasn’t touched triple-digits on the Equibase Speed Figure scale since that Breeders’ Futurity score.

Churchill Downs All-Stakes Pick 5

The All-Stakes Pick 5 sequence begins with Race 6, the Tepin Stakes. Like the American, this one-mile race moved from turf to dirt. It brought Steve Asmussen’s talented Wicked Halo as a possible single. The daughter of Gun Runner comes in off a 2 3/4-length victory in the June 12 Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes. She also owns a Grade 2 score, that coming in last year’s Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga.

Stakes winner Sandstone and multiple stakes-placed Verylittlecents provide possibilities if you want to spread deeper.

The All-Stakes Pick 5 is one of three Pick 5 wagers on Churchill Downs’ Saturday card. The early Pick 5 covers races 1-5; the late one races 8-12. All come with a 15% takeout.