Trainer Jordan Blair expresses strong confidence in his horse, This Is Uscar, despite the 5-year-old gelding being listed at 8-1 morning odds for Saturday’s $500,000 Lukas Classic (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs. Blair emphasized that his confidence is just as high as if This Is Uscar were the favorite, acknowledging the competitive field but believing his horse is in top form and capable of winning.
Owned by Table 38 Racing and KatieRich Stables, This Is Uscar has claimed four wins in 20 starts, with six runner-up finishes, four thirds, and career earnings of $621,239. The son of Oscar Performance will start from the rail, piloted by jockey Edgar Morales. The horse has been schooling well in Churchill Downs’ paddock, showing increasing calmness and professionalism in recent sessions according to Blair, an encouraging sign ahead of the race.
This Is Uscar’s latest victory came on June 28 at Churchill Downs, where he comfortably beat Chunk of Gold—another Lukas Classic entry and the 2-1 morning line favorite—by 3¾ lengths in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race. On August 9, he finished second in the $200,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park behind Owen Almighty, earning a career-best 99 Brisnet Speed Rating. While the 1⅛-mile distance of the Lukas Classic remains unproven for him, Blair is optimistic that his ability to relax will help him handle the distance.
The Lukas Classic field has narrowed with McAfee and Original Sin withdrawing to run in the $300,000 Goodwood Cup (G1) at Santa Anita, leaving a smaller but still strong group of contenders. The race is scheduled as the 10th event in an 11-race card starting at 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the Lukas Classic post time set for 5:29 p.m.
The entrants, listed by post position along with jockey, trainer, and morning odds, are:
- This Is Uscar (Morales, Blair, 8-1)
- Dragoon Guard (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox, 9-2)
- Tiztastic (Brian Hernandez Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
- Banishing (Francisco Arrieta, David Jacobson, 6-1)
- Original Sin (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh, 3-1)
- McAfee (Luis Saez, George Weaver, 15-1)
- Chunk of Gold (Jaime Torres, Ethan West, 2-1)
In jockey news, Luis Saez narrowed the gap on Jose Ortiz in the September Meet standings after securing two wins on Wednesday, including Race 3 on Doctor Jeff and Race 6 on Soul of the Night. Saez now trails Ortiz by just three wins with four days left in the meet. Tyler Gaffalione, Edgar Morales, and Flavien Prat remain tied for third place. Ortiz is currently serving a three-day suspension for careless riding but is set to return to riding at Belmont Park and later at Churchill Downs.
The trainer battle is tightly contested with Bob Baffert, Kenny McPeek, Joe Sharp, and Dallas Stewart all tied with seven wins each. Similarly, ownership is highly competitive, with seven entities—including Calumet Farm and Juddmonte—each having two wins.
This coverage first appeared on Paulick Report on September 24, 2026.
Fan Take: This upcoming Lukas Classic showdown holds immense significance for horse racing enthusiasts because it highlights the unpredictable nature of the sport, with an underdog like This Is Uscar threatening to upset the favorite. The race could shake up leaderboards for jockeys and trainers, underscoring how every meet is a fresh chapter in the thrilling saga of thoroughbred racing.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
