Mission Impazible to prepare for the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs
The Todd Pletcher trained 5-year-old horse, Mission Impazible, well attempt to make his second bid in the Grade 1, $400,000 Stephen Foster Handicap when he arrived at Churchill Downs on the morning of 12 June.
The Twin Creeks Racing Stables owned, Mission Impazible, will continue his preparations for the 1 1/8 mile event over the Louisville track, as Pletcher believes that his runner has a good chance against a tough field.
"He arrived in good shape,” said assistant trainer and Louisville-native Whit Beckman, who traveled with the horse from New York for trainer Todd Pletcher. “He jogged a mile this morning and he looked great.”
Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm, Mission Impazible has run over the Louisville track at Churchill Downs a number of times, and when he comes out for the Stephen Foster Handicap, it will be his sixth time.
Mission Impazible participated in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap last year only to finish second to winner, Pool Play, who downed the 1 1/8 mile distance in 1 minute and 50.52 seconds on 18 June, 2011, as Apart finished behind Mission Impazible in third.
The son of Unbridled’s Song was coming off a sixth place finish in the Grade 3 Alysheba Stake prior to the Stephen Foster Handicap last year.
Mission Impazible is performing well since the last race of last season, when he finished second to, Wise Dan, in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, and this year he started proceedings with another second place finish in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap to winner, Hymn
Book.
He lost the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap to, Nates Mineshaft, who convincingly defeated Mission Impazible by a massive margin of 7 ¼ lengths at Fair Grounds race course.
“We feel like he has good form (at Churchill Downs) and this is a good opportunity to take a shot at a Grade I,” Pletcher said via phone from his barn at Belmont Park. “The horse is doing really well, so we’re giving it a try.”
In five starts at Churchill Downs, Mission Impazible finished second twice, third once, and rest were unplaced finishes.
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