THE US flat action this weekend focusses on Belmont and Churchill Downs.

The latter track’s feature is the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes.

Althjough it has been down graded from Grade 1, it is still a major prize of the summer and the Brendan Walsh-trained four-year-old Maxfield is a strong favourite.

Now one of the leading older horses in the US, he won the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes here at Churchill Downs, running a career-best speed figure in winning by three and a quarter lengths from Visitant, after he had been beaten for the first time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March.

The opposition is headed by Chess Chief, Silver Dust and Visitant, all stakes winners in 2021 but only at Grade 3 level, while Warrior’s Charge is the likely early speed.

The top female in the country, Letruska, headlines the Grade 2 Fleur De Lis, a field of six older fillies and mares, all graded stakes winners.

The five-year-old trained by Fausto Gutierrez comes off two Grade 1 wins. In the Ogden Phipps at Belmont she led all the way and drew off to win by over two lengths, defeating the Brad Cox-trained duo of Bonny South and Shedaresthedevil. She had earlier beaten champion Monomoy Girl, another Cox trained mare, in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap in April at Oaklawn.

Letruska gives 3lb to the Cox-trained Vault and 5lb to the rest including the main danger Envoutante, who is three-for-four at Churchill for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Belmont’s Mother Goose Stakes, won by the likes of Rachel Alexandra in the past, has also been downgraded to a Grade 2 and the Steve Asmussen-trained Clairie heads the six-horse field. The daughter of Curlin bids to improve on her Kentucky Oaks fourth. Chad Brown’s impressive nine-length allowance winner Always Carina is her main rival.

There is a quality card over jumps at Percy Warner in Nashville, Tenesesse, with much Irish interest.

The Grade 1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Sport of Kings Hurdle) has a field of seven runners with Footpad the most well-known contender.

Now trained by Jack Fisher, the former Arkle winner for Willie Mullins will be ridden by Sean McDermott in the two and three quarter mile $100,000 contest.

Cyril Murphy is doubly represented by British-breds Amchel and the one-time Down Royal winner Bedrock.

The leading jumper in the US, Bruton Street’s Snap Decision is a winner of eight races in a row over two years, and has Graham Watters in the saddle for trainer Jack Fisher.

Keri Brion runs her recent winner at the Virginia Gold Cup Races, Galway Kid, a son of Sholokhov, under Ben Dalton, while Sean Flanagan has three mounts on the card and partners New Member, an Irish-bred son of Alhaarth, also for Jack Fisher.

Race two is the Green Pastures Sport of Kings Novice Hurdle Stakes with Balitmore Bucko representing Brion. Leslie and Paddy Young have two runners in Court Ruler and the former Irish Perfect Tapatino.

Wexford winner The Mean Queen runs for Brion in the Margaret Currey Henley Sport of Kings Filly & Mare Hurdle Stakes. She made her US debut in an allowance race at the Virginia Gold Cup and won convincingly by eight lengths.

Sean Flanagan rides Jaleo for Jack Fisher in the Mason Houghland Memorial over timber.