by Frank Angst

Two-time Grade 1 winner Thorn Song will try to score a repeat victory in the Firecracker Handicap (G2) when he faces seven challengers in this year’s edition on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Thorn Song secured the second Grade 1 victory of his career on May 25 when the six-year-old Unbridled’s Song horse held off Hyperbaric by a head to win the Shoemaker Mile Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Dale Romans for Zayat Stables, Thorn Song also won last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course.

Thorn Song, who did not run his best in a sixth-place finish in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1) on April 10 at Keeneland, will again face the top two finishers from that race in winner Mr. Sidney and runner-up Passager (Fr).

After winning the Maker’s Mark, Mr. Sidney finished 11th in the Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on May 25 in only his second career start on dirt.

Passager enters the Firecracker, a one-mile turf race, off a main-track start. The six-year-old Anabaa gelding finished fourth in the Vigil Stakes (Can-G3) on May 18 on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Woodbine.

Tizdejavu enters with a perfect record in three starts on the Churchill turf, including victories in last year’s Jefferson Cup (G2) and Crown Royal American Turf (G3) Stakes.

Frank Angst is senior writer for THOROUGHBRED TIMES

Firecracker H.

For Equibase entries of Saturday's Churchill card, click here.