Race 9 at Churchill Downs | Saturday June 20 | Post Time 10:14 PM Eastern

Chicago Stakes – Grade 2 | Purse $300,000 | Seven Furlongs | Fillies and Mares, Four Years Old and Upward

Top contenders: Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8)

Others for exactas: Usha (5), Eclatant (2)

Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8), and Usha (5) were in a blanket finish in the Winning Colors Stakes on May 25, with Usha winning by a head over Zeitlos, and another neck behind was Foie Gras. That was a six-furlong race, whereas this Chicago Stakes is seven furlongs. The top two earned 110 Equibase Speed Figures, both career-best, while Fois Gras earned a 109, also her career-best. When two or three horses come from a common race there is every reason to look at the second and third horses. Particularly in this case when Zeitlos starts at 10 to 1, Foie Grass opens at 6 to 1, and Usha starts as the second favorite at 3 to 1.

The favorite is Eclatant (2), who won the Grade 1 Madison Stakes on April 4. She won her race in February after eight months off, so two and one-half months off are not an issue. However, she earned a 109 figure when her second race back earned a 97. She is four years old and can improve as she has won five of eight races. Still, she is no better than any of the three top contenders, and she opens at 6 to 5.

Back to Zeitlos, in her recent race, she was ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., who rides again. She also has the best record of any horse in the field, with a record of 9-4-3 in 22 dirt races, better still at Churchill Downs where she has a record of 4-2-1 in nine tries. The early pace is set by Lotsandlotsofcandy, with Usha likely to be second, and Eclatant in third. Zeitlos was on her ankles in her last race and rallied, barely missed, and could be the best closer. If she breaks better, she can win.

Foie Gras gets a big post change from her previous race, where she gets to the rail from the outside. In that race, she was sent straight to the front and battled for the first half and was a half-length back at the eighth pole when she just missed by a neck. She is a four-year-old who has improved her figures from 99  to 101 to 109. With her post, she can stalk like she did in February and won powerfully. Santana rode her to her win on December 28 when she rallied from fourth, and he rode her in her last race. Prat, who rode in her second and third races, moves to ride Usha. This filly has finished eighth of 11 dirt races on fast tracks.

Win Bets:

Zeitlos (4) and Foie Gras (8) at 3 to 1 or higher.

Exactas:

Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8) over Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8), Usha (5), Eclatant (2)

Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8), Usha (5), Eclatant (2) over Zeitlos (4), Foie Gras (8)