Stephen Foster Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2022 Stephen Foster is set for July 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Stephen Foster Stakes Preview
- Race: Stephen Foster Stakes
- Purse: $750,000
- Track: Churchill Downs
- Date: July 2
- Post Time: 5:47 PM (ET)
- Live: Stephen Foster Stakes Odds: Click Here
2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Handicapping
Long known as the Stephen Foster Handicap, the race became the Stephen Foster Stakes in 2019 and kicks off the schedule of major summer stakes in the US. The race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, with the race winner gaining an automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 5.
The 2022 Stephen Foster has drawn a balanced field of seven, with five of those listed in single digits in the morning line odds. They’ll be racing 1 1/8 miles on the Churchill Downs dirt course.
Odds listed here are provided by the Churchill track handicapper.
2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Mandaloun Race Odds: 2-1
It took awhile for justice to play out, but a couple months ago Medina Spirit was officially DQd as the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner following a medication infraction and runner-up Mandaloun became the official winner.
In addition to that title, he also has a win in the (G1) Haskell Stakes on his resume – although that also came when the winner was DQd for interference – and opened this season with a win in the (G3) Louisiana Stakes. He then shipped over to the UAE where he ran ninth in the $20 million Saudi Cup.
Trainer Brad Cox goes for his first Stephen Foster win, jockey Florent Geroux won in 2017.
2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Olympiad Race Odds: 5-2
After running fourth in his first graded-stakes try to close out 2021, Olympiad has taken a big step forward as a four-year-old and has reeled off four straight wins so far this year.
He comes into this off a win in the (G2) Alysheba Stakes at Churchill going 1 1/16 miles in a race that came back just a half-second off the track record for the distance. Prior to that he won the (G2) New Orleans Classic Stakes where the winning time was just 1/10th of a second off the track record at Fair Grounds.
Trainer Bill Mott won the race in 2012. The jockey is Junior Alvarado.
2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Americanrevolution Race Odds: 7-2
Sporting an overall record of five wins from eight lifetime starts, Americanrevolution has a Grade 1 title on his resume after he won the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct last December.
He was then off for six months, making his return to racing when finishing fourth in the Blame Stakes at Churchill. Besides the Cigar, most of his wins have come in lower-level stakes events, and there is some legitimate concern about the distance here.
Somewhat surprisingly, trainer Todd Pletcher seeks his first win in the race. Luis Saez will be in the irons.
2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Proxy Race Odds: 9-2
The hard-knocking Proxy rarely runs a bad race and has been in the money in nine-of-11 career starts, but has yet to win at the stakes level.
Three starts back he ran second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Olympiad in the New Orleans Classic. Last out he was second by a length in the Blame, but two lengths ahead of Americanrevolution. In between those two efforts he was third in the (G3) Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland.
The trainer is Michael Stidham, the rider is Joel Rosario.
Here’s My 2022 Stephen Foster Stakes Free Pick.
Now with officially seven wins in 10 starts, Mandaloun has emerged over the past year or so as one of the very best horses in his age group. Shipping over to the Middle East to race is always a bit of a crapshoot for horses, and if we discount the UAE race he has won four consecutive starts.
Having said that, I give a lot of weight to form in my handicapping, and I think Olympiad is in the best form of this field right now. He’s not only winning, he’s winning fast races and he’s my pick to win here again.
Full Field: Stephen Foster Stakes Odds
By post position
- #1 – Caddo River 10-1
- #2 – Americanrevolution 7-2
- #3 – Olympiad 5-2
- #4 – Title Ready 15-1
- #5 – Proxy 9-2
- #6 – Mandaloun 2-1
- #7 – Last Samurai 8-1
Register here for a FREE Sports Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!
OUR Top 3 Racebooks are — MYBookie — Bovada — BetOnline