Constitution’s Mindframe Leads Home ‘Rising Star’ Triple In Stephen Foster

[Wandering Eyes]

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' MINDFRAME (c, 4, Constitution–Walk of Stars, by Street Sense) was his own worst victim in last year's GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes, his inexperience costing him victories in both of those marquee events for the 3-year-old generation. He got the monkey off his back, at least to some extent, when proving best in a thrilling four-way go in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard, and in the GI Stephen Foster Stakes Saturday afternoon, cemented his position as one of the top handicap horses in the country with a one-length defeat of fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) to stamp his ticket to this year's Classic at Del Mar, the same race won en route to a championship by Sierra Leone last fall.

'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) was ridden positively by Luis Saez from gate one and was quickly joined by Mindframe to his outside. Mystik Dan enjoyed the run of the race hugging the fence from just behind the pace, while Sierra Leone was unsurprisingly void of early speed, waiting for the second half of the race to deliver his best. First Mission continued to show the way down the back, but Flavien Prat asked Sierra Leone for some mid-race acceleration and the duo were up into third, three wide outside of Mindframe into the second turn.

Positions were unchanged nearing the stretch and when First Mission rolled away from the inside, there was room for a rail-skimming run for Mystik Dan, if good enough. He peaked on his run, but Mindframe still had more to offer, and even though he wanted to lug in–again–at the eighth pole, he fought on bravely for the victory. Sierra Leone looked like he was under a full head of steam approaching the stretch before appearing to idle a bit from third. He, too, lengthened his stride nicely inside the final furlong and was getting to the winner. First Mission outfinished the 2024 Derby winner for third for a noteworthy 'TDN Rising Star' trifecta. Sales history: $600,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 7-5-2-0. O-Repole Stable & St Elias Stable; B-R Larry Johnson (MD); T-Todd Pletcher.

 

Mindframe takes the G1 Stephen Foster at @churchilldowns under @iradortiz for trainer Todd Pletcher! @RepoleStable

TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/8XAz8KEsYd

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 28, 2025

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