Trainer Michael Tomlinson has a stable of just 24 at Churchill Downs and two of them won stakes races over closing weekend.“It's a big thrill, a big pick-me-up for our barn and everyone involved,” Tomlinson said. “A stable my size these days, it's hard to compete with the big guys. You know they have six or eight horses per condition, claiming race, stakes race, and to outrun the guys that have those kind of numbers, it's a real pleasure to get it done.”Harrodsburg (Constitution), a $50,000 claim by Tomlinson for owners Rod and Bud Hatfield back in May 2024, made it a perfect two for two on the year with a breakthrough, front-running victory in Saturday's GIII Bango Stakes.“That's something that doesn't happen very often,” Tomlinson said. “This is such a big, good looking and talented horse. One of those horses you knew all along that he had it in him. When we claimed him, I know that's why the previous outfit went ahead and dropped him down because of his behavioral antics. We took a lot of time with him and my hat's off to Rod and Bud Hatfield for their patience and letting us turn him out when we needed to.”He continued, “The only thing we have to do different with him now is to tack him on the walk. As long as we work with him and keep him happy, he's gotten pretty darn good.”Michael Tomlinson | Coady MediaPretty darn good, indeed.The 6-year-old gelding has posted a career record of 19-7-3-3 and earnings of $670,387. He began his 2026 campaign with a wire-to-wire win in a $100,000 optional claimer May 22. Both wins–good for Beyer Speed Figures of 102 and 103–came sprinting in the Churchill slop.“The owners have already both said that if we want to just wait until this fall for September Meet at Churchill, Keeneland and back to Churchill, that they're very content with that,” Tomlinson said.The unbeaten 2-year-old Blessed Flyer (Dialed In), meanwhile, put an exclamation point on Tomlinson's weekend with a 31-1 upset in the Bashford Manor Stakes on Sunday. He came flying home in a field-best :12.32 to narrowly gun down 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' He Is No Lie (Early Voting), who led by four lengths at the stretch call. Blessed Flyer earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.A debut winner for DNG Blessed Stable and trainer Michel Douaihy at Keeneland Apr. 16, Blessed Flyer brought $270,000 from Tomlinson on behalf of owners Mark Farrar and Patricia's Hope at the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale. He was previously a $26,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling.BLESSED FLYER (31-1) prevails in the Bashford Manor S. following a photo finish. The winning jockey is @b_hernandezjr, trainer Mike Tomlinson.Bet #TwinSpires pic.twitter.com/mXdqamWXTk— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 28, 2026“We went over and looked at that colt and I really liked him,” Tomlinson said. “I thought, 'Gosh, this colt doesn't look like a precocious 2-year-old that is gonna run out of ground.' We stuck with the plan and we're gonna see where he takes us. We're not gonna be in any rush with him because I believe he's gonna be an even better 3-year-old. You've got options this time of year like the (Ellis Park) Juvenile at Ellis Park on Aug. 9. Even Saratoga if we were to think about the (GI Spendthrift Farm) Hopeful (on Sept. 6) or something like that. That's not the plan, but it's in the possibilities.”Since launching his training career in 1991, Tomlinson has saddled 709 winners, led by graded stakes winners Barbados, Kettleoneup and Sir Cherokee. Harrodsburg's win in the Bango was Tomlinson's first graded stakes victory since 2018.“It sure was a fun two days, I can tell you that,” Tomlinson concluded.The post Two for Tomlinson: Veteran Trainer Closes Out Churchill Downs Meet with Stakes Double appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.