(Corporate Power wins the G2 Alysheba Stakes / All Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team:

CORPORATE POWER EDGES SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING IN ALYSHEBA

 

LOUISVILLE, KY (Friday, May 1, 2026) – Courtlandt Farms’ Corporate Poweroutdueled Skippylongstocking in the final yards by a neck to win the 23rd running of the $750,000 Alysheba (GII) presented by U.S. Army for 4-year-olds and up Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Corporate Power completed mile and a sixteenth on a fast main track in 1:41.82. It is the second victory in the race for Ortiz who won previously with Maxfield in 2021.

Nu What’s Nu and East Avenue dueled through early fractions of :23.83, :46.56 and 1:10.28 with Corporate Power and Skippylongstocking racing the second flight. At the top of the stretch, Corporate Power made a four-wide move with Skippylongstocking to his inside.

Those two swept past No What’s Nu at the eighth pole and dueled to the wire in close quarters with Corporate Power narrowly prevailing and surviving a jockey’s objection and stewards’ inquiry.

Baeza, who ran third in last year’s Kentucky Derby (GI), dwelt at the start to spot the field multiple lengths before rallying third to get third only a half-length in back of Skippylongstocking.

It is the first graded stakes victory for Corporate Power, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Curlin out of the Quality Road mare Road to Victory.

Corporate Power returned $13.20, $5.76 and $3.36. Skippylongstocking, ridden byTyler Gaffalione, returned $4.34 and $2.82 with Baeza returning $2.58 to show under Junior Alvarado.

It was another 4 ¾ lengths back to East Avenue with Nu What’s Nu, Grande and Tappan Street following in order.

 

ALYSHEBA QUOTES

 

Jose Ortiz (Jockey, Corporate Power, winner) – “It was a good race for me and my horse. We won it fair and square. There never should have been an objection. He (Tyler Gaffalione on Skippylongstocking) pushed out on me. I felt his hand on my shoulder. We won it fair.”

 

Steve Asmussen (Trainer, Corporate Power, winner) – “I’m so thankful for Mr. Adam of Courtlandt Farms. It wasn’t exactly the best run into the first turn but it all worked out. I think this horse is a serious contender in the older horse division.”

Tyler Gaffalione (Jockey, Skippylongstocking, second) – “I felt like my horse got intimidated by the outside pressure and I didn’t want to end up in the fence.”

 

Junior Alvarado (Jockey, Baeza, third) – “He was sitting back in the gate and I was yelling ‘no, no, no,’ but the gate popped and we got left. He ran a huge race after that.”