Noble Bird wins Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs (The Associated Press)

Long shot Noble Bird overtook Paganol in the far turn and held off favorite Lea by a neck to win the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on Saturday night. The winner earned an automatic berth in the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in Lexington. The 10-1 choice entering the Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds and up was running second to Paganol in the backstretch before surging past him in the far turn as Lea made a move when the seven-horse field approached the stretch.