For the first time Saturday, a group of runners will gather for a Grade 1 race at Ellis Park.

Smile Happy is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the $1 million Stephen Foster (G1). Post time from Henderson, Ky., is 5:26 p.m. EDT, with FanDuel TV showing the 1 1/8-mile race for 4-and-up runners.

The Stephen Foster has long been the centerpiece of Churchill Downs’s summer racing calendar. Early last month, that event and all others for the remainder of Churchill’s spring-summer meet were shifted west to Ellis Park due to safety concerns.

Smile Happy garnered morning-line favoritism off a 7-1 upset win May 5 at Churchill on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard in the Alysheba Stakes (G2). He pressed pace setter West Will Power, took the lead around the far turn, and held sway through the stretch to beat runner-up Art Collector by two lengths.

Trainer Kenny McPeek saddles the 4-year-old Runhappy colt Smile Happy, who enters with an 8: 4-2-1 record and just shy of $1.02 million earned for owner Lucky Seven Stable. Jockey Corey Lanerie has the mount on the dual Grade 2 winner.

West Will Power (7-2) finished third in the Alysheba as the 7-10 favorite. Trained by Brad Cox, his prior form includes a score in the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) in March at Fair Grounds.

Rattle N Roll (4-1), another McPeek entry, is a Grade 1 victor who enters off the strength of three straight wins, all at the Grade 3 level. The most recent of those was the Blame Stakes going this nine-furlong distance June 3 at Churchill.

Proxy (4-1) was third in the 2022 Stephen Foster at Churchill for trainer Michael Stidham. His races since that start include wins in Churchill’s Clark (G1) in November and last out April 22 in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

Stilleto Boy (6-1) was third in that running of the Oaklawn Handicap, one race after edging Proxy by a neck in March’s Santa Anita Handicap (G1). The Ed Moger Jr.-trained runner starts in a Grade 1 race for the 10th time.

Saturday’s Stephen Foster victor will earn a “win and you’re in” berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That Grade 1, $6 million event runs Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Here is a look at the field for the 2023 Stephen Foster Stakes (trainers and jockeys in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Proxy (Michael Stidham, Joel Rosario), 4-1

2. Stilleto Boy (Ed Moger Jr., Kent Desormeaux), 6-1

3. Speed Bias (Ron Moquett, Luis Saez), 12-1

4. Rattle N Roll (Kenny McPeek, Brian Hernandez), 4-1

5. Smile Happy (Kenny McPeek, Corey Lanerie), 3-1

6. West Will Power (Brad Cox, Flavien Prat), 7-2

7. Last Samurai (D. Wayne Lukas, Cristian Torres), 6-1

8. Happy American (Neil Pessin, James Graham), 20-1

Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for more information on the Stephen Foster and other graded stakes on Saturday’s schedule.

TimeformUS pace projections show Stilleto Boy going to the early lead under jockey Kent Desormeaux. Favorite Smile Happy is projected to run fourth of eight in the first stages of the race.

Stephen Foster links

Reinier Macatangay writes why Saturday’s Stephen Foster looks like Smile Happy’s time to shine.

Ed DeRosa’s Stephen Foster Stakes fair odds have West Will Power for trainer Brad Cox as the one to catch at 5-2 odds. DeRosa also offers early Breeders’ Cup Classic fair odds, featuring a handful of Stephen Foster starters.

Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis go head to head handicapping the Stephen Foster, with both landing on a winner outside of morning-line favorite Smile Happy.

Big weekends in horse racing are usually synonymous with several entries from the Brad Cox barn. And that is the case for Saturday’s Stephen Foster day at Ellis Park, where the Louisville, Ky.-based conditioner has five stakes entrants, including West Will Power.

I wasn’t very happy that the race was originally going to be run at Churchill, where we had already won the Clark, a Grade 1, and now we’re switched over to Ellis Park, which is more of a kind of a speed-favoring type racetrack,” Proxy trainer Michael Stidham said in a Horse Racing Nation Barn Tour. “There’s more of a speed bias there, which doesn’t help us. But we have to play the cards the way they’re dealt.”

This week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod, owner Mike Mackin discusses his horses Smile Happy and Rattle N Roll, who are racing in the Stephen Foster. Handicapper Ed DeRosa has betting advice for the Stephen Foster and other weekend races.

HorseCenter hosts Matt Shifman and Brian Zipse offer Stephen Foster card tips. Shifman’s own Stephen Foster Stakes morning-line odds have a group of horses clustered from 3-1 to 5-1 and Zipse writes about hard-knocking Stilleto Boy, who has been a check-cashing machine for trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Other Saturday stakes

Here is a look at other graded stakes taking place across North America on a busy Saturday of racing. All post times are EDT.

3:26 p.m. – $150,000 (about $113,000 U.S.) Marine Stakes (G3), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (all-weather track), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Turf King (2-1) comes north of the U.S.-Canada border for trainer Chad Brown after running third June 3 at Monmouth Park in the Jersey Derby. Jockey Kazushi Kimura has the mount on the Kingman colt. Stuart Simon trains Twin City (3-1), winner of the local King Corrie Stakes on May 21. Kaukokaipuu (4-1) won the local Queenston Stakes on June 11 for trainer Tedston Holder.

3:30 p.m. – $250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 3/8 miles (turf), Delaware Park, FanDuel TV

Miss Yearwood (4-1) has won back-to-back races for trainer Ian Wilkes, including in the Keertana Stakes on May 27 at Churchill Downs. Jockey Chris Landeros makes the trip to Wilmington, Del., to ride the 4-year-old Will Take Charge filly. Brendan Walsh trains Viareggio (9-2), fourth-place finisher May 29 at Santa Anita in the Gamely Stakes (G1). Lady Rockstar (6-1), a second Walsh entry, was seventh May 5 at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) card in the Modesty Stakes (G3).

3:41 p.m. – $200,000 Dwyer Stakes (G3), 3-year-olds, one mile, Belmont Park, FS2

Fort Bragg (8-5) aims to make the grade in this New York prep toward Saratoga’s $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on July 29 and $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 26. The Bob Baffert-trained Tapit colt will have jockey John Velazquez up for his first start since a runner-up finish May 6 on the Kentucky Derby undercard in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2). Brad Cox trains Saudi Crown (2-1), whose 2-for-2 record includes an allowance win May 21 at Churchill Downs. Harrodsburg (7-2) was second against allowance foes May 6 at Belmont for trainer Rob Atras.

4 p.m. ­– $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles, Delaware Park, FanDuel TV

Miracle (3-1), whose resume includes a second-place showing in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds, was runner-up May 29 at Belmont in the Bouwerie Stakes. Jockey Trevor McCarthy will get a leg up on the Mendelssohn filly for trainer Todd Pletcher. Brown trains Fireline (7-2), winner of a May 18 allowance race at Belmont in her 2023 bow. Grade 3 winner Promiseher America (5-1) finished last of 14 in the Kentucky Oaks for trainer Ray Handal.

4:22 p.m. – $400,000 Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2), 4-and-up fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles, Ellis Park, FanDuel TV

A Mo Reay (3-1), winner of the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) two starts back, ran fourth May 5 on the Oaks card in Churchill’s La Troienne Stakes (G1). Jockey Flavien Prat has the mount on the 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly for Cox. Steve Asmussen trains 2022 La Troienne winner Pauline’s Pearl (3-1), who was sixth in that race’s 2023 edition. Bellamore (5-1) comes east for trainer Simon Callaghan after a fifth-place effort in the Gamely.

4:31 p.m. – $150,000 (about $113,000 U.S.) Selene Stakes (G3), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles (all-weather track), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Wonder Wheel (6-5), the champion juvenile filly of 2022, looks to jump start her season on Canadian soil in this spot for trainer Mark Casse off a ninth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. Jockey Patrick Husbands takes over the mount on the Into Mischief filly, a dual Grade 1 winner. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Honor D Lady (7-2), a Gulfstream Park stakes winner who was third there in the Martha Washington Stakes on June 10. Blind Spot (6-1), another Joseph-trained entry, was second April 29 in the local Star Shoot Stakes.

4:55 p.m. – $400,000 Wise Dan Stakes (G2), 4-and-up, 1 1/16 miles (turf), Ellis Park, FanDuel TV

Set Piece (4-5) won the 2021 Wise Dan Stakes, one of four graded scores in his career. Cox and jockey Florent Geroux team up with the 7-year-old Dansili gelding, who scored June 3 at Churchill in the Arlington Stakes (G3). Casse trains Arlington runner-up Get Smokin (5-1), a Grade 2 victor. Camp Hope (5-1) won a Churchill allowance race going a mile over the lawn June 1 for trainer Kenny McPeek.

5:03 p.m. – $200,000 (about $151,000 U.S.) Highlander Stakes (G2), 4-and-up, six furlongs (turf), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

One Timer (5-2), a Grade 2 winner for trainer Larry Rivelli, makes the first stakes start of his 4-year-old season off a handicap win June 1 at Belmont. Jockey Rafael Manuel Hernandez rides the Trappe Shot gelding. George Weaver trains Outlaw Kid (3-1), who also comes north off a Belmont win, his coming June 15 in allowance company. Masseto (5-1) climbs the class ladder for Casse off a June 15 allowance score at Woodbine in his first start in more than a year.

5:19 p.m. – $250,000 John A. Nerud Stakes (G2), 4-and-up, seven furlongs, Belmont Park, FS2

Candy Man Rocket (2-1) is twice a Grade 3 winner for trainer Bill Mott, including a 1 1/2-length score May 13 in the local Runhappy Stakes. Jockey Junior Alvarado pilots the 5-year-old son of Candy Ride. Juan Carlos Avila trains Little Vic (3-1), a Grade 3 winner who was sixth April 8 at Aqueduct in the Carter Handicap (G1). Weyburn (7-2), also a Grade 3 victor, was third May 5 in the local Westchester Stakes (G3) for Pletcher.

5:30 p.m. – $100,000 Smile Sprint Stakes (G3), 3-and-up, six furlongs, Gulfstream Park, FanDuel TV

Dean Delivers (2-1) has made all but one of his 15 career starts at Gulfstream and won the Big Drama Stakes there May 20. Trainer Michael Yates has tabbed jockey Emisael Jaramillo to ride the 4-year-old Cajun Breeze gelding. Steven Dwoskin trains Starship Renegade (3-1), second-place runner in the Big Drama, 3 3/4 lengths behind Dean Delivers. Todo Fino (7-2) returns from a layoff of more than eight months dating to an allowance win Oct. 15 at Santa Anita for trainer Amador Sanchez.

5:35 p.m. – $150,000 (about $113,000 U.S.) Dominion Day Stakes (G3), 4-and-up, 1 1/8 miles (all-weather track), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Treason (2-1) runs for back-to-back graded-stakes wins off a local Eclipse Stakes (G2) score June 4. Kimura gets the call on the 5-year-old Constitution gelding for trainer Josie Carroll. Joseph trains Novo Sol (3-1), who goes to Woodbine off an allowance victory June 9 at Gulfstream. Carrothers (4-1) ran second in the Eclipse, 1 1/2 lengths behind Treason, for trainer Martin Drexler.

6:05 p.m. – $175,000 (about $132,000 U.S.) Nassau Stakes (G2), 4-and-up fillies and mares, one mile (turf), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Moira (2-1), the 2022 Queen’s Plate heroine, makes her second start of her 4-year-old season off a second-place run June 3 in the local Belle Mahone Stakes (G3). Kimura rides the Ghostzapper filly for trainer Kevin Attard. Pletcher trains Scotish Star (3-1), a Group 1 winner in Argentina dating to 2020 who was second May 28 at Monmouth Park in the Miss Liberty Stakes. Fev Rover (4-1), a Grade 2 winner for Casse, returns to the races off a runner-up finish Oct. 8 at Woodbine in the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1).