Betting All-Turf Pick 4 at Churchill Downs May 30, 2026

Saturday’s Stephen Foster Preview Day features seven stakes, including a quartet on turf, and Churchill Downs will offer a special All-Turf Pick 4 wager on the stakes action.

I will take a swing at the sequence, singling #3 Lagynos in the final leg, the Arlington (G3). In his first 23 career starts, Lagynos recorded five wins and placed (second or third) in 10 stakes. Consistency was never his game prior to 2026.

It’s easy to admire classy horses who show a new dimension as they mature, and Lagynos has discovered his best form at age five, reeling off three consecutive stakes wins in advance of the Arlington. He summoned every ounce to get up last time, overcoming tight quarters to prevail by a nose in the Opening Verse S. at a mile, and Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile distance is a better fit. Steve Asmussen is getting the most out of Lagynos presently, and I will look for the stalker to stretch his win streak to four.

Here is my All-Turf Pick 4 ticket, with analysis below.

All-Turf Pick 4 ticket

• 50 Cent All-Turf Pick 4: 1,6,8 with 3,4,5,8 with 1,5,8 with 3 ($18)

Race 5 – Audubon S.

A frontrunning winner of the Kitten’s Joy three back, #8 Thousandsticks (9-2) attempted to rate just off the pace without success in his last two outings. He catches a field lacking speed in the 1 1/8-mile Audubon, and the projected pacesetter looks poised to rebound with an improved effort today.

I will also include #1 My Favorite Bird (6-1), a progressive type coming off a fine second in the James W. Murphy on the Preakness undercard, and #6 Zeppelin (7-2). The latter appears capable of better following a tough trip in the Transylvania (G3).

Race 7 – Mint Julep (G3)

The defection of Stylish Sue takes some speed out of the mix, and #8 Sweet Treasure (6-1) possesses more speed than she’s shown in recent starts, recording a pair of frontrunning wins over the Churchill turf previously. I expect a favorable up-close stalking trip here. A troubled third in the Al Stall Memorial two back, Sweet Treasure exits a sharp win in a stakes-quality Keeneland allowance, and she rates top billing with Irad Ortiz Jr.

The other logical win contenders - #3 Pin Up Betty (7-2), #4 Medoro (5-2), and #5 Proctor Street (3-1) – will also be used for multi-race purposes.

Race 9 – Regret (G3)

Four of the nine entrants are exiting the Edgewood (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard, and I will use #8 Storm’s Wake (3-1) and #1 Indigo Woods (4-1), who were too far behind a soft early pace and left with too much to do in the Edgewood stretch. I expect a better trip for both Saturday.

I also want #5 Faithful Departed (8-1) on my ticket following an eye-catching allowance win on Churchill’s opening weekend. A close second when making her stakes debut in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial three back, Faithful Departed experienced a tough trip at Keeneland two back, but the improving filly turned things around nicely last time and appears promising.