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Average Daily Handle Jumps Nearly 10 Percent At Belmont Spring/Summer Meet

The recently concluded Belmont Park spring/summer meet generated $14,746,421 in average daily handle, a 9.7 percent increase over 2022 the New York Racing Association, Inc. announced Friday.

Originally scheduled for 40 days of live racing, NYRA was forced to cancel two cards due to poor air quality caused by wildfires in Canada. All-sources handle for the 38-day spring/summer meet totaled $560,363,986, which compares to $591,250,409 in 2022 when the meet was contested over 44 days.

The blockbuster June 10 Belmont Stakes Day card, highlighted by Arcangelo's (Arrogate) victory in the 155th running of the GI Belmont S., generated all-sources handle of $118,283,455, a NYRA record for a non-Triple Crown year.

Average field size for the 368 races run during the 2023 spring/summer meet was 7.60, a 3.4 percent increase over 2022 when average field size was 7.35. Of the 368 races held during the spring/summer meet, 187 were on the main track and 181 on the turf while 14 races were forced off the turf due to rain.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Monmouth Park: Saratoga Summer Begins

Opening weekend at Saratoga offers a graded stakes triple on Saturday, with a five-horse field entered in the featured Grade 1 Diana for older fillies and mares on the turf. Chad Brown trains four of the five, including defending titlist In Italian.

The G3 Kelso and G3 Sanford are the supporting races on Saturday's card, while Sunday at Saratoga is the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds, the G3 Quick Call.

Four Virginia-bred stakes feature on Saturday at Colonial Downs, each worth $125,000.

There are three $100,000 stakes on a nine-race program Saturday at Laurel Park: the Big Dreyfus for fillies and mares 3 and older at 1 1/8 miles on the turf; the Prince George's County for 3-year-olds and up, also scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the Exceller turf course; and the Caesar's Wish for fillies and mares 3 and up going one mile on the main track.

Saturday's Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth is a 5 1/2-furlong turf spring for 3-year-old fillies, and features a pair of Christophe Clement trainees chasing their first stakes victories off last-out allowance wins: Love Appeals and Plentitude.

Meanwhile, trainer Gregg Sacco is prepared for whatever impact the weather may have on Sunday's $100,000 My Frenchman Stakes with both Freedom Road and Playground Legend entered in the Monmouth Park feature that day, but he'd prefer the 5½-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds remains on the grass. He would run both horses in that case – which would mean the opportunity to finally find out if Freedom Road, a son of Malibu Moon, will take to the turf.

Saturday

2:46 p.m. – Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga

The 85th running of the Diana features defending winner In Italian, who is sure to flaunt her usual pacesetting tactics. The 5-year-old Dubawi mare enters from a gate-to-wire victory in the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 9 at Belmont Park. She has earned a triple digit Beyer Speed Figure in each of her last five starts, beginning with last year's Diana – where she was the highest price of Brown's four entrants.

Initially campaigned overseas by Harry and Roger Charlton, Whitebeam made her Brown debut when a late-closing second beaten a neck to Evvie Jets in the one-mile Plenty of Grace on April 16 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 4-year-old daughter of Caravaggio stretched out to capture the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Gallorette on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course, fending off a late rally from next out graded-stakes winner Sopran Basilea to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

Marketsegmentation, a 4-year-old American Pharoah dark bay, rides a three-race win streak, including the Sand Springs on April 1 and the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 7 at Belmont before stretching out past 1 1/16 miles for the first time to capture the 10-furlong Grade 1 New York on June 9 at Belmont. There, she displayed newfound frontrunning tactics and set a moderate tempo down the backstretch and held off a furious late rally from Didia to win by three-quarters of a length.

Fluffy Socks [post 4, Joel Rosario] enters the Diana only a slim margin away from achieving millionaire status [$994,580] and was last seen capturing the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile in her seasonal debut on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will attempt to deny Brown another Diana coup when saddling Tracy Farmer's graded stakes victress Fev Rover [post 1, Javier Castellano]. The 5-year-old Gutaifan bay will run off two week's rest after capturing the Grade 2 Nassau on July 1 over yielding turf at Woodbine. The effort was her first start since being elevated to third in last year's Grade 1 E.P. Taylor in October at the Toronto oval.

Diana Entries

5:45 p.m. – Grade 3 Kelso Stakes at Saratoga

Big Everest brings a four-race win streak into his graded stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses. The horse won just one of his first five starts, but since being gelded ahead of his 2022 campaign he has won 6-of-7 outings – all in trademark gate-to-wire fashion.

Multiple Grade 1-winner Casa Creed [post 8, Luis Saez, 124 pounds] looms the one to beat and will certainly appreciate any pace that Big Everest can generate.

Mark Casse will saddle a pair of talented Brazilian-breds for owners Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch in multiple Grade 2-winner Filo Di Arianna [post 6, Jose Ortiz, 122 pounds] and Group 3-winner Ice Chocolat [post 4, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds].

Annapolis [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 124 pounds] has banked in excess of $1.3 million through a record of 9-6-2-0 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Rounding out the field are graded-stakes winner English Bee [post 1, John Velazquez, 118 pounds] for conditioner Graham Motion; stakes-winner Anaconda [post 7, Tyler Gaffalione, 117 pounds] for trainer Joe Sharp; and the stakes-placed New York-bred Mid Day Image [post 3, Florent Geroux] for trainer and co-owner David Jacobson. Gun It is entered for the main-track only.

Kelso Entries

6:19 p.m. – Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Gold Sweep (Speightstown) enters from a dominant victory in the 5 1/2-furlong Tremont on June 11, sailing home a nine-length winner after pouncing from just off the pace under Jose Ortiz. He crossed the wire first geared down in a final time of 1:03.47 and garnered a field-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jive will vie to provide his freshman sire St Patrick's Day, a full-brother to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, with his first stakes-winner as he makes the step up from a gutsy debut maiden win on May 19 at Gulfstream Park. Jive was both the first starter and winner for his sire with a three-quarter-length score in the five-furlong sprint. The effort was awarded a 60 Beyer.

Debut maiden winner Call the Cavalry [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] enters from a two-length victory on June 4 in a five-furlong sprint at Belmont Park for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Completing the field are the stakes-placed Yo Yo Candy [post 4, Angel Castillo], who finished third in the Tremont and adds blinkers for trainer Daniel Velazquez; debut maiden winners Factor U and Me In [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], who races with blinkers on for trainer Edward Coletti, Jr.; the Barbara Minshall-trained Triple Trea [post 7, Luis Saez]; His Rights [post 8, Javier Castellano] for conditioner Rafael Romero; Market Street [post 10, Tyler Gaffalione] for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas; and second-out maiden-winner Ramming Speed [post 6, Gaddiel Martinez], who tries dirt for the first time after making his first two outings over synthetic for owner/trainer Kevin Rice.

Sanford Entries

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Forte Works Towards Jim Dandy; Becky’s Joker To Spinaway

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old colt Forte (Violence) logged his first breeze of the summer at Saratoga Race Course when covering a half-mile in :48.90 seconds over the Oklahoma dirt training track Friday with regular jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The colt worked in company with graded stakes-winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in preparation for the GII Jim Dandy July 29 at the Spa.

“He jumped on the bridle a little early, so I kind of took a little hold away from the horse,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I allowed him to see the company and go after him. He did.”

Pletcher said he was pleased with the work, which he moved to the training track after heavy rains overnight led to the main track being sealed this morning.

“We fortunately had the option of coming over here on a harrowed track,” said Pletcher. “I thought he worked well. He's a pretty straightforward horse and he does what you ask him to do. I thought he was moving really well and he seemed happy. He usually sits a little off [his workmate] to keep him focused.”

Ortiz, Jr., who regularly works the colt, said Forte was as professional as usual.

“We went 48 and change. On this kind of track, it is really good,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He is doing good. He looked good, he looked happy, so let's see what happens. The way he does things [excites me]. He knows where the wire is. He loves to win. You can see in the Belmont Stakes, I kept trying with him and he kept coming. He's a fighter.”

“He's obviously a very fit horse and he just ran a mile and a half, so we don't feel like we have to do a lot with him leading up to this race,” continued Pletcher. “We'll probably come back with another maintenance work next week.”

“I think you can see he's a little more laid back. He's an intelligent colt and takes everything in stride, and you can see he's matured that way,” said Pletcher. “Obviously it was a frustrating spring and he ran terrific in the Belmont considering what he was up against. To me, he's a deserving divisional leader, but like everyone else, he's got to continue to win to hold that spot.”

Pletcher also provided an update on 2-year-old filly Wine On Tap (Tapit), who finished an even fourth in Thursday's GIII Schuylerville S. as the post-time favorite.

“She looks good. She was just kind of one-paced down the lane and I thought she recovered and galloped out really well,” said Pletcher. “She is a filly that we've always thought would be better going longer. It was just a little disappointing that she didn't finish up a little better than she did yesterday, but she came back well and looked good this morning.”

Speaking of the Schuylerville, trainer Gary Contessa was still watching replays on Friday morning of Lee Pokoik's Becky's Joker (Practical Joke), who launched what appears to be a promising career with a debut victory in the opening-day feature.

The sizable bay stands 16.3 hands high and, “towers over everybody” in the barn according to Contessa, who confirmed the filly for the seven-furlong GI Spinaway S. September 3 at the Spa.

“She came back sound and they tell me she looked great this morning,” said Contessa, who was catching a flight to Nashville to watch his son's baseball tournament. “She honestly can only get better. She's got a lot more left in the tank, so we're looking forward to seeing what she can come up with next. As big as she is, and as big as her stride is, she's going to get better as the distances stretch out. I think seven-eighths is going to hit her right between the eyeballs in the Spinaway.”

Contessa commented on the soundness and the good mind of his newly minted graded stakes winner.

“Knock on wood, she's been very, very sound and very healthy. Everything has gone our way so far, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it continues,” Contessa said. “She's trained as well as any horse I've ever had as a 2-year-old. No matter what you ask her to do, she's push button and picks it up to another gear. Her mind is so good. She had it figured out and she's really a smart filly.”

One can expect Contessa, who has 10 stalls on Saratoga's Oklahoma backstretch, to unleash more promising young talent throughout the meet.

“All these babies are ready to run, so we're going to have a real presence,” Contessa said. “This was a great win to start with and we have even more pretty nice horses awaiting their turn.”

Forte (Violence), on the outside, working on the Oklahoma training track Friday morning under Irad Ortiz Jr. ⁦@theTDN⁩ pic.twitter.com/kahhoF9qug

— Mike Kane (@MKane49) July 14, 2023

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Golden Sixty Named Hong Kong HOTY–Again

During a season that saw him become the richest-ever horse and most prolific winner of Group 1 races in Hong Kong history, Stanley Chan Ka Leung's Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) was named Horse of the Year in the jurisdiction for an unprecedented third straight season during a black-tie affair held Friday evening at the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel.

The son of Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) won four of his five trips to the post during a well-managed 7-year-old campaign, his only loss coming at the hooves of the very talented California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) when looking for a third consecutive victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December. In one of the most anticipated races in recent memory, Golden Sixty squared off with his Mile conqueror and G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup romper Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Stewards' Cup in January, a race in which Golden Sixty had a 16-race winning streak snapped in 2022. The three top-rated horses in Hong Kong had the race to themselves when push came to shove, and $2.50 (3-2) second favourite Golden Sixty proved equal to the task with a one-length defeat of $2 (evens) pick Romantic Warrior.

It was $1.50 (1-2) Romantic Warrior and $2.30 Golden Sixty in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over a 2000-metre trip that was sure to favour Romantic Warrior. But Golden Sixty had the final say yet again, scoring by a head (video), before adding his ninth Hong Kong Group 1 tally with a third straight win in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April (video), also securing champion miler honours. Golden Sixty, who will train on as an 8-year-old, has a record of 25-2-1 from 29 starts and earnings of nearly US$18.8 million to date.

Other luminaries to have been named Horse of the Year on multiple occasions include Silver Lining (Aus), Quicken Away (Ire), River Verdon (Ire), Fairy King Prawn (Aus), Silent Witness (Aus), Ambitious Dragon (NZ) and Beauty Generation (NZ). The first two named were also three-time Horses of the Year, but non-consecutively.

Romantic Warrior did not go home empty-handed, as his efforts were rewarded with champion middle-distance horse honours for the second straight season. He managed to bounce back from his Gold Cup effort–for which he was reportedly not 100%–to defend his title handsomely in the G1 FWD QE II Cup to lock up his championship.

But for an unlucky defeat when favoured in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) would have given Golden Sixty a tussle for Horse of the Year. As it was, the 4-year-old had a much more rigorous campaign that Golden Sixty, winning seven of his nine starts, including a maiden Group 1 in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and additional elite-level successes in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m). He carried 135 pounds to victory in the G3 Sha Tin Vase H. June 4, spotting his rivals 14 to 20 pounds. With no standout horse among those that competed in the Classic series, Lucky Sweynesse was also recognized as champion 4-year-old.

Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the only Hong Kong horse to win a race on foreign soil this season, having impressed in the HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar, but it was his victory over Romantic Warrior in his title defence in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) that secured the 6-year-old the award as champion stayer for the second year in a row.

Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) finished his first Hong Kong preparation with four wins from 12 starts and was named champion griffin (2- and 3-year-old horses unraced upon arrival into Hong Kong). His rating lifted from the standard debut mark of 52 to 96 by season's end. Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) saw his rating rise from 52 to 117 to be named the most improved horse. Third as the favourite in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, he closed the season with a pair of victories at Group 3 level.

Trainer John Size won a 12th Hong Kong premiership, while Zac Purton will be crowned champion jockey for the sixth time after breaking Joao Moreira's record 170 victories for a season. He currently sits on 176 heading into Sunday's final meeting of the season, 82 clear of Vincent Ho, who received the Tony Cruz Award as leading homegrown jockey. Purton also became the second rider in history to register better than 1600 winners in Hong Kong, joining Russian Emperor's trainer Douglas Whyte.

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