Fleur De Lis Ladies Dreaming Of Breeders’ Cup Flowers

 

Nine To Race Under The Churchill Downs Lights

By Margaret Ransom

North American-based distaffers get their first crack at qualifying for the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) on the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard on Saturday night at Churchill Downs. This year’s Breeders’ Cup will, as everyone knows, be held under the Twin Spires in Louisiville on Nov. 2-3, so the winner of these races could earn a significant advantage heading into the World Championship races at the end of the year.

The Kentucky weather has been stifling hot and humid all week and will be so again on Saturday, but the afternoon highs that are set to reach into the mid-90s will fall into the 80s by post time and, hopefully, by the time the main attractions are run, the temperatures will dip to more comfortable levels. The Fleur de Lis has been carded as the ninth race with a post time of 9:05 p.m. ET.

Though the Fleur de Lis was inaugurated in 1975, it wasn’t until champion and Hall of Famer… (more)