Churchill Downs Picks | Shawnee Stakes 2024

Rigney Racing’s accomplished 4-year-old filly Xigera will face a talented field of nine fillies and mares that entered Saturday’s 5th running of the $275,000 Shawnee Stakes (Grade III), part of a jam-packed, stakes-filled Saturday card at Churchill Downs.

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Dubbed as “Stephen Foster Preview Day,” the Shawnee Stakes is the prelude to the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (GII), held Saturday, June 29 at Churchill Downs. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Shawnee Stakes was carded as Race 8 with a post time of 4:23 p.m. First post on the 11-race card is 12:45 p.m.

Along with the Shawnee Stakes, the afternoon will also feature the $275,000 Arlington (GIII), 275,000 Blame (GIII), $275,000 Regret (GIII), $275,000 Aristides (Listed) and $275,000 Audubon (Listed).

Conditioned by Phil Bauer, Xigera had a stellar 3-year-old campaign winning the Mother Goose (GII) at Aqueduct, Falls City (GIII) at Churchill Downs and Tepin Stakes at Ellis Park. The daughter of Nyquist made her seasonal debut on Kentucky Oaks Day when she finished a disappointing fifth in the Fasig-Tipton La Troienne (GI) over the sloppy surface.

Jockey Julien Leparoux, who has ridden Xigera in all but one of her 11-lifetime starts, will be aboard in the Shawnee from post No. 6.

Several other accomplished fillies and mares entered the Shawnee including Coaching Club American Oaks (GI) heroine Wet Paint, Grade II winner Hoosier Philly and recent dominant allowance winner Scylla.

Here is the field, in order of post position, for the Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs (with jockey and trainer):

1. Magical Lute (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)
2. Malloy (Jaime Torres, Wayne Catalano)
3. Wet Paint (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox)
4. Take a Stand (Luis Saez, Vicki Oliver)
5. Bellamore (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen)
6. Xigera (Leparoux, Bauer)
7. Scylla (Javier Castellano, Bill Mott)
8. Hoosier Philly (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss)
9. Hidden Connection (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)