The Brian Lynch stable is one of the hottest barns on the Churchill Downs backside and has a big weekend ahead. Winning at a 27% clip in 2026, the operation has collected 37 wins on the year. Lynch was fourth in the trainer standings at Gulfstream's Championship Meet and currently ranks fifth at the Churchill Downs meet, finishing in the money in 30 of his 40 starts.Nic Lynch, who has served as assistant trainer to his father for the past three years, credited the stable's recent success to his father's dedication to the business.“My dad is an amazing horseman and we've built up such a great group of clients,” he said. “They're putting live horses in our barn. It's 20, 30 years of work on my dad's part to get to this. Some people might think it was just out of nowhere, but my dad has been training horses and winning big races for a long time. To be a part of it as his assistant at Churchill, with the crew we have and the clients we train for, it's been so much fun.”Lynch grew up working in his dad's barn every summer, but when he decided he wanted to make horse racing a career, he set out to learn the sport from the ground up. In college he worked as a groom at WinStar, did yearling prep at Taylor Made, and interned with Elite Sales, MyRacehorse and Margaux Farm. After graduating, he spent two years with Brendan Walsh before coming back to the family stable.“It's been pretty full on, but I literally couldn't imagine doing anything else,” he said.With a database-like knowledge of every horse in his care, Lynch takes the TDN down the shedrow of their Churchill Downs barn. He highlights a handful of recent 'TDN Rising Stars,' several barn-favorite veterans, and a competitive lineup for this weekend topped by GII Fleur de Lis contender Shred the Gnar. SHRED THE GNAR (f, 4, Into Mischief — Aspen Light, by Bernardini).The Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing colorbearer and TDN Rising Star won this year's GI La Troienne Stakes and is entered in Saturday's GII Fleur de Lis Stakes. She kind of threw craps at us in Florida in her first start this year, but we always felt that she would do better up at Churchill. My dad decided to train her up to the La Troienne and she was doing so good going into the race. We were pretty confident that she was going to show up. For her to give Dutchmen their first Grade I win on Oaks Day and on my dad's birthday, it was really incredible.She came out of the race great. She seems like a filly that does well when she has some space in between her races, so waiting for the Fleur de Lis made the most sense for us. An enthusiastic winner's circle after Shred the Gnar wins the GI La Troienne | Coady Media MAE TOWN (4, f, Mo Town –Latest Thinking, by Tale of the Cat)Homebred for Cave Brook Farm is entered for her second start off a layoff on Sunday at Churchill Downs. This filly has not been off the board in any of her starts. She knocked out three in a row last year as a three-year old, winning the Pea Patch Stakes. She had a bit of a setback and we got a race under her a couple of weeks ago. She ran second to a very nice filly of Kent Sweezey's, who was coming off a big win on Preakness Day.I think next time out with a start under her belt, she's going to be very competitive. She's a Kentucky Downs type for sure. OWEN ALMIGHTY (4, c, Speightstown — Tempers Rising, by Bayern)Fifth in last year's GI Kentucky Derby, the Grade III winner was second in his last start and is entered in Sunday's GIII Hanshin Stakes. He didn't really have much of a chance in his first start this year at Gulfstream. He got packed out wide and was coming off the layoff.In his last start he put in a better effort than the form says and really showed that he wants to keep going on, so we're excited to run him back. We had entered him in a race that didn't go, so we figured we'd sit on him until closing day and he seems to be doing really well. PRIZE PICK (3, c, Tiz the Law — Keesha, by Tapit)Prize Pick is entered in Sunday's GIII Maxfield Stakes | Coady Media Coming off two straight wins, the Flying Dutchmen colt is entered in Sunday's GIII Maxfield Stakes. Prize Pick is a full-brother to Tiztatic, who was in last year's Kentucky Derby. He's one of those horses that really teaches you how to be patient because he has always been so obviously talented in the morning, but it took him a lot of time to put it together in the afternoon.He ran a lot good races in Florida, but they just weren't good enough to get it done. As soon as we got him back up to Churchill, he won a maiden special weight on the last race of Derby day very impressively. He came back and knocked out the a-other-than in his next start even more impressively, so we really have high hopes for him. FANCY SAILER (3, c, Justify — Tiz Ro, by Hard Spun) Raroma Stable homebred broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park on 3-8 and bested stablemate Zakinthos (Oscar Performance) in his most recent start on 6-5. He's a colt that my dad has always been high on since he came in as a two-year old. We trained his dam and she was very talented herself. When you watch him train in the morning, he carries himself in a way that a lot of the good ones do. He hasn't really done much wrong in any of his races. He's had four starts. He ran third first time out, beaten by half a length. He won his maiden second time out and had a troubled trip his third start. Then when he got a bit of space last week, he won pretty convincingly. I'd say later on in the year, we'd be looking towards Kentucky Downs. STORM'S WAKE (3, f, Oscar Performance — Amber Storm (Ire), by Night of Thunder {Ire})William K. Werner homebred won this year's GII Appalachian Stakes and was second in the GIII Regret Stakes on 5-30. My dad helped Mr. Werner find her dam in Europe. We did have her in training, but unfortunately never got the chance to run her. They took her to Oscar Performance and we got this filly out of it, so it's been a great success.She's just been so straightforward. She beat the boys in an allowance in her second start as a two-year-old. She's a horse that needs a trip and a pace to run at, but she hasn't really had a race where she doesn't have something at the end. WHERE LUCK LIVES (3, f, Nyquist — Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's Holiday)Flying Dutchmen 'TDN Rising Star' with two straight wins this year.This is a half-sister to Vahva (Gun Runner). She came in as a 2-year-old and was one of our favorites in the group. She ran a bang-up race first time out last June and wasn't beaten by much. She had a bit of a setback and we brought her back to Florida. She acts like she could be a very special filly. We're pointing toward some races up at Saratoga later in the summer. BETTY'S PEARL (3, f, Munnings — Tapping Pearl, by Tapit)Betty's Pearl wins by over six lengths on Thurby | Coady Media A $700,000 2-year-old purchase for William Werner, she broke her maiden in February, finished fourth in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, and returned to the winner's circle on 5-30. She was a filly that always was trying and was hitting the board. When she broke through at Gulfstream, she kind of figured it all out. We put blinkers on her and that was key. She was very impressive last time out at Churchill. She ran a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. We are probably pointing towards stakes company later on in the summer. EPIC PROUD MARY (3, f, Into Mischief — Nikki and Pappa, by Mineshaft)Epic Horses LLC colorbearer broke her maiden by 4 1/2 lengths on 6-13 in her third career start. She was a workmate for Where Luck Lives all winter at Palm Meadows and it was 50-50 depending on who you asked of who liked which filly more. In her first start at Keeneland, she had a bit of a troubled trip and had to get taken back. Usually with first-time starters when you have to take them back going into the turn, it's hard for them to re-break. She got another race in at Churchill and she ran second to a very talented filly of Will Walden's named Movie Night (Speightstown).Going into this third start, we were pretty confident that she was going to finally be able to show how talented we think she is. She broke from the 12 hole and went wire to wire. SISTER TROIENNE (3, f, Munnings — Dyna Passer, by Lemon Drop Kid) Woodslane Racing homebred collected three straight stakes wins over the winter at Gulfstream. Was fifth in the GII Appalachian Stakes in her last start. She had quite the winter down at Gulfstream. She exposed herself as being talented very early on and ran a great race on the dirt first time out sprinting, finishing third. As soon as we got her on the grass going two turns, the light bulb turned on and she didn't look back. She had a really hard campaign over the winter and she was a trooper. We gave her a bit of a break after the race at Keeneland and got her back here about two weeks ago. She's just starting back up galloping now. We're hoping for big things later in the year, definitely at Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs. HEY TUFF GUY (2, c, Life Is Good — Hotshot Anna, by Trappe Shot)'TDN Rising Star' Hey Tuff Guys runs in Sunday's Bashford Manor Stakes | Coady Media A $120,000 OBS March purchase owned by Big Cat Racing, the TDN Rising Star is entered for Sunday's Bashford Manor Stakes. He won by seven lengths first time out going five and a half.My dad found him at the sale. We watched the breeze the night before, saw him in the ring, Dad went down and came back with a ticket. It seems to be a pretty good decision so far. He's just the ultimate racehorse. He has that mentality where he goes to the track to train, doesn't do anything silly, comes back, eats, and sleeps the rest of the day. He reminds me a lot of Owen Almighty as a two-year-old because he wasn't very big either, but they have that same sort of workmanlike attitude. BANANA FROST (2, f, Authentic — Candy Jar, by Candy Ride {Arg})Flying Dutchmen homebred won on debut at Churchill Downs on 6-10. She won going five and a half going gate to wire. She came to us early at Palm Meadows and hasn't missed a day of training. She's just a very balanced filly, very pretty, very straightforward. We're excited for her future. THIRA (2, f, Oscar Performance — Zavrinka (FR), by Rajsaman)Unraced homebred for Amerman Racing.She has shown a lot of talent in the morning so far and she hasn't really been here that long. She's just up to working a couple of three-eighths, but we really like what we're seeing. She's a full-sister to a colt we train named Zakinthos, who just ran a really good race here earlier this month. We really believe in Oscar Performance, so when we get the chance to bring his babies into our barn, we're always excited. HOUSE BOAT PARTY (2, f, Flightline — Lake Garda, by American Pharoah) Flying Dutchmen homebred was third on debut on 6-13 going five furlongs. Obviously the ultimate goal with her will be two turns down the road. She's shown some things in the morning you don't really see a lot from two year olds. We thought she ran really well in her debut. The best part of her race was right when she got to the eighth pole. She really started getting going and galloped out great. We're going to wait until they start running baby races a bit longer going one turn, and just let her fill out and get some miles under her belt. We think she's going to do some big things later on this year. ANGLOPHILE (6, g, English Channel — Trustmore Lovemore, by Kitten's Joy) Veteran turfer has won over $1.1 million for LFG Racing. Was second in an 4-16 allowance and seventh in the GIII Arlington Stakes. He's been a war horse for us. He won the 2023 GIII Dueling Grounds Derby and has danced a lot of big dances. He's the kind of horse that needs a trip and a pace, but he just keeps running those good races that keep you believing in him enough to enter in those stakes. If you watched him breeze here the other week, you'd say he's got plenty of gas left in the tank.He's kind of a clown. He likes to drop people on the track when new people get on him. He'll wheel a little bit and then just look at you. It's like a rite of passage when you get on him for the first time. He doesn't owe anybody anything. As long as he acts like he wants to do it, we're just going to let him do it.The post Down the Shedrow with the Brian Lynch Stable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.