The Grade 2 Chicago Stakes headlines the Churchill Downs program on Saturday night, offering a $300,000 purse for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track.
Race Overview
The seven-furlong distance often favors horses that possess both sprint speed and the stamina to finish strongly, and this year’s field includes multiple runners with established credentials at the course and distance.
Leading the way is morning-line favorite Eclatant, who enters the race in career-best form after capturing the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland (161 FTR). However, she will face stiff competition from Grade 1 winner Usha and a handful of value plays capable of upsetting the favorite.
The Favorite: Eclatant
Eclatant has developed into one of the top female sprinters in training and appears to be improving with age. The Brad Cox trainee won the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes last season and made only three starts as a three-year-old. Since returning this year, she has been perfect in two starts, culminating in an impressive Grade 1 Madison victory at the same seven-furlong distance she will face in the Chicago Stakes.
What makes Eclatant particularly dangerous is her upward trajectory. Her speed figures have improved significantly this season, and she possesses the tactical speed necessary to secure a favorable trip from the start. If she reproduces either of her last two performances, she will be extremely difficult to deny.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
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