Noble Bird (11, c, Birdstone/Anyhow) earned his ticket to the Breeder’s Cup Classic with his G1 winning effort in the Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday night at Churchill Downs.  Coming off a 2nd place finish in the Alysheba Stakes (G2), Noble Bird took the lead at the final turn and was able to hold off a rally from Grade 1 winner Lea. Noble Bird now has 4 wins in just 10 starts and earnings of $531,278.  He was bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain and was born and raised at Brookdale Farm. Noble Bird was purchased as a yearling for $105,000 by Mark Casse for John Oxley at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale.