David Jacobson’s achieved sprinter Durante returns to defend his title in subsequent Saturday’s $275,000 Aristides (G3) at Churchill Downs, one in every of seven stakes on Stephen Foster Preview Day.
Run at six furlongs, the Aristides serves because the native prep to the newly named $275,000 Bango (G3) on Saturday, June 27.
Advertisement
Durante, who’s skilled by his proprietor, has a formidable 48-race resumé with 11 victories and earnings of greater than $1.2 million. The 7-year-old Distorted Humor gelding scored a 33-1 upset victory over World Record in final 12 months’s Aristides Stakes. Following that efficiency, Durante didn’t discover the winner’s circle till two weeks in the past when he scored a neck victory within the John A. Nerud Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount within the Aristides and can exit submit No. 4.
Durante will tackle a number of achieved sprinters within the discipline together with the Bob Baffert-trained duo of Cornucopian and Madaket Road.
Owned by the powerhouse partnership group SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et. al., Cornucopian received the San Carlos Stakes (G3) two months in the past at Santa Anita whereas stablemate Madaket Road just lately cruised to an allowance victory at Churchill Downs. Cornucopian exits submit 2 with Flavien Prat whereas Madaket Road drew submit 6 with Irad Ortiz Jr.
Another proficient sprinter within the discipline is a number of graded stakes winner Roll On Big Joe. Owned in partnership by Rancho Temescal, Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, White Fence and Richard Hale Jr., Roll On Big Joe was a hard-fought winner of final 12 months’s Kelly’s Landing (G3) and Bet On Sunshine (L) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bob Hess Jr., Roll On Big Joe started his 6-year-old season at Oaklawn with a victory within the King Cotton (L) and runner-up to fellow Aristides rival Mad House within the Count Fleet Turf Sprint (G3). Jockey Julien Leparoux shall be within the irons Saturday from submit 3.
Advertisement
The full discipline for the Aristides from the rail out with (jockey, coach):
Mad House (Paco Lopez, David VanWinkle)
Cornucopian (Prat, Baffert)
Roll On Big Joe (Leparoux, Hess)
Durante (Gaffalione, Jacobson)
Tejano Twist (Francisco Arrieta, Chris Hartman)
Madaket Road (Irad Ortiz Jr., Baffert)
Gold Sweep (Jose Ortiz, John Haran)
The Aristides is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Dirt Dozen the place the highest three nominated finishers will obtain partial entry charges paid to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
This story was initially printed by Paulick Report on May 23, 2026, the place it first appeared within the News part. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.