Kingsbarns joins championship scrum with win in $1M Stephen Foster

July 1 (UPI) -- As the midpoint of 2024 came and went during the weekend, leadership of horse racing's most important competitions not only remained up in the air, but became even more contentious.

The 3-year-old picture has been muddled all year. The Classic division, for older horses, got another challenger as Kingsbarns stepped up to win the $1 million Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, headlining a big pre-holiday weekend of competition.

Let's have a look:

Classic

Kingsbarns, a promising force since winning the 2023 Louisiana Derby, nailed down his first Grade I win with a strong move down the Churchill Downs stretch in Saturday's $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes.

The Uncle Mo colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, kicked into gear nearing the quarter pole, ran by the early speed and cleared to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Pyrenees.

Skippylongstocking was third and the favorite, First Mission, reported fourth after setting the early pace.

Other than a 14th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Kingsbarns has not finished worse than second in any of his nine career starts.

The Stephen Foster victory netted him a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, but Ned Toffey, general manager of the owner, Spendthrift Farm, was looking beyond that.

"At Spendthrift Farm, we are in the stallion-making business, and winning a Grade I obviously means we have to get a stall ready for him in the stud barn when he finishes his racing career," Toffey said.

At Woodbine outside Toronto, Paramount Prince went quickly to the lead in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Dominion Day Stakes, chugged right along and coasted home first by 3 3/4 lengths.

Essex Serpent worked to the front on the backstretch in Saturday's $180,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPibet Marine Stakes for 3-year-olds and clung tenaciously to the advantage all the way to a 1-length victory, boosting King's Plate hopes.

The 3-year-olds

It was Bob Baffert 1-2 at the finish of Saturday's $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby as Wynstock put a nose in front of stablemate Cornell right on the line. The odds-on favorite, Tapalo, led the way by as much as 7 lengths but tired to finish fourth.

Distaff

Scylla, a 4-year-old Juddmonte homebred filly by Tapit rallied from last of six to land Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes by a neck over Shotgun Hottie.

Sabatini drew off in the stretch run to win Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Selene Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine by 2 lengths from Crevalle d'Oro.

Sprint

Closethegame Sugar stalked the pace in Saturday's $250,000 Kelly's Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs, surged by the dueling leaders early in the stretch run and prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths over Angkor.

On Sunday under the Twin Spires, Raging Torrent got an easy lead in the $175,000 Maxfield Stakes for 3-year-olds and ran on to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Otto the Conquerer.

Dirt Mile

Cagliostro stalked the pace in Sunday's $300,000 Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs, surged to a commanding lead in the lane and held on to win by 1 length over Tumbarumba.

Both Cagliostro, a 4-year-old Upstart colt, and Tumbarumba, an Oscar Performance gelding, are recent private purchases by the Amir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Bluefield, the odds-on favorite, was along in the final sixteenth to win Saturday's $100,000 Musical Romance Handicap at Gulfstream Park by 3 1/2 lengths over Cousin Kristi.

Belle's Blue Bell took the lead in the lane in Saturday's $100,000 Maryfield Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park and held off the odds-on favorite, Youalmosthadme, by 1 3/4 lengths for the win.

Turf

Ottoman Fleet sailed to the front in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs and wasn't seriously challenged, rolling home first by 1 1/2 lengths.

The victory was the second straight for the Godolphin runner, a 5-year-old Sea the Stars gelding, following the Grade III Arlington Stakes over the same 1 1/16 miles.

Also in this division: Brilliant Bertie won Saturday's $250,000 American Derby at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths; What Say Thee captured Saturday's $250,000 Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park by a head; and Neat took Saturday's $250,000 Manila Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct by 3/4 length.

Filly & Mare Turf

Dancing N Dixie rallied from next-last of eight to win Saturday's $250,000 Tepin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs by a neck from Mo Fox Given.

A Florida-bred daughter of Neolithic, Dancing N Dixie got 1 mile on firm turf in 1:36.04 with Jose Ortiz aboard. She had finished third in each of her last three starts, all graded stakes.

Also: Implicated outfinished the favorite, reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Fev Rover, in Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nassau Stakes at Woodbine; Libban won Saturday's $125,000 Wasted Tears Stakes at Lone Star Park by 5 1/2 lengths; and Walkathon scored by 1/2 length in Sunday's $175,000 Anchorage Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Turf Sprint

From Canada to Texas: Filo Di Arianna won Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II Highlander Stakes at Woodbine; and Ova Charged took Saturday's $125,000 Chicken Fried Stakes for fillies and mares at Lone Star by 2 3/4 lengths.

Agent Peter Graves battled to a daylight lead in Saturday's $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint at Lone Star Park, then held on to win by a head over late-running Minnesota Ready.

Agent Peter Graves, a Noble Mission gelding, was clocked in 55.84 seconds with C.J. McMahon at the controls.

Juvenile

Politicallycorrect was away last of 12 in Sunday's $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs, emulated Arazi with a sweeping move around the turn to reach contention and then drew off to win by 4 lengths. Smoken Wicked was best of the rest in a very early preliminary for the Kentucky Derby.

Chris Davis trains the Violence colt for a partnership fronted by Walmac Farm. He's 2-for-2 after an easy win in his first start May 20.

Juvenile Fillies

Vodka With a Twist went quickly to the front in Sunday's $225,000 Debutante at Churchill Downs, was asked by Flavien Prat to show what she had in her third career start and drew off to win by 3 lengths.

The daughter of Thousand Words covered 6 furlongs on a muddy track in 1:10.58. It was her second straight win under the Twin Spires after a fourth at Keeneland to get things started.