Uriah St Lewis and Jonathan Thomas making the most of their opportunities

There are few more intoxicating non-event equine experiences on the planet than the backstretch of Churchill Downs.

Before the sun ever rises, a labyrinth of barns that can host a couple of thousand horses are abuzz.

A self-contained, ethereal thoroughbred metropolis right on the city limits of Louisville, it is a vibrant commune where a two-bit trainer with one horse can utilise the very same facilities as D Wayne Lukas, Bob Baffert or Steve Asmussen.