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After Easy Goer ‘Walk In The Park,’ Handal May Wheel Celtic Striker Back In July 16 Peter Pan

Trainer Ray Handal reported that all was well with Celtic Striker the morning after a 19 3/4-length romp in Thursday's Easy Goer, which scratched down to a field of two at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The newly minted stakes victor earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for the triumph and Handal said Celtic Striker's next start could take place in the Grade 3, $100,000 Peter Pan on July 16 at Saratoga Race Course.

“He's looking really good. Came back like it was just a walk in a park,” Handal said. “He ran though. It wasn't like he went around there and galloped. He didn't just canter around there. He performed. He ran hard.”

Normally contested at Belmont Park, the Peter Pan, a 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds, found a home at The Spa for this year's summer meet following a readjustment to the stakes schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it offers the Top 4 finishers 50-20-10-5 qualifying points towards the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on Sept 5 at Churchill Downs.

“It's a little sooner than I want to but the way he came out of it that's the short term goal,” said Handel who also offered the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy on September 5 at Saratoga as another possibility.

Celtic Striker, bred in Kentucky by Stoneview Farm and Craig D. Upham, scored a third lifetime victory in seven starts in the Easy Goer. Two starts after a second-out graduation at Monmouth Park in October, he defeated winners at Parx Racing. He was purchased for $100,000 from the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Celtic Striker's win in the Easy Goer marked the first match race on the NYRA circuit since Painted Poney topped Epiphany in a claiming sprint on January 29, 2015 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Handal also said stakes-placed Kansas Kis, second to Water White in the March 7 Busher Invitational at Aqueduct, will receive a freshening in preparation for a campaign during the second half of the year.

“She's been running hard. She just needed some time off, so we gave her 60 days and we'll look for a big second half of the year with her,” Handal said.

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Weekend Lineup: Breeders’ Cup Berths Up For Grabs In Stephen Foster, Fleur De Lis

The Grade 2 Stephen Foster is the headliner of a stakes quartet on Saturday's 11-race program at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., while the Grade 1 Just a Game, featuring the seasonal bow of champion Uni (GB), is one of four graded stakes on the Belmont Park lineup in Elmont, N.Y.

The Stephen Foster will be broadcast on NBC as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The one-hour broadcast, which will begin at 5 p.m. ET, also will include the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis. The winner of the Stephen Foster will get an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic while the winner of the Fleur de Lis will receive a berth to the Distaff.

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air through Sunday on FS1, FS2 and MSG+. Also featured on Saturday's broadcast is the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown Racecourse for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles, which has been added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. The top-four finishers will receive points worth 20-8-4-2 for entry to the field for the Kentucky Derby, rescheduled for September 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday June 27 (all times Eastern)

4:22 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on FS1

Reigning 2-year-old champion male Storm the Court seeks his first victory since taking the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile when he starts in the Ohio Derby against 14 challengers. Trained by Peter Eurton, Storm the Court is winless in three starts this season including his most recent run, a sixth-place effort in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. The son of Court Vision captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November at Santa Anita Park en route to earning the Eclipse Award for divisional honors.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TDN062720USA8-EQB.html

4:32 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park on FS1

Blue Devil Racing Stable's Grade 1-winner Come Dancing will look to rebound after a rare off-the-board performance last out when she headlines Saturday's Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap. Trained by Carlos Martin, Come Dancing finished 12^th in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom going 1 1/16-miles at Oaklawn Park.The daughter of Malibu Moon now returns to sprinting, where she excelled in 2019, highlighted by a dramatic come-from-behind win in the Grade 1 Ballerina in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062720USA7-EQB.html

4:42 p.m.—$175,000 Grade 2 Nassau Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Malakeh, a 5-year-old daughter of Harbour Watch (IRE), goes after her third straight score in Saturday's Nassau Stakes. Bred by Gestut Gorlsdorf, the bay mare will make her first start in Canada when she goes postward in the one-mile E.P. Taylor Turf Course engagement that has drawn seven hopefuls. After a polished performance to close the curtain on her 2019 campaign last August at Saratoga, Malakeh opened up her current season with another win, a gutsy neck score over firm going at Churchill Downs on May 22.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO062720CAN8-EQB.html

4:43 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS1

Stonestreet Stables' eye-popping 8 ¾-length maiden winner Cazadero leads a field of seven promising 2-year-olds in search of graded stakes glory in Saturday's 119^th running of the Bashford Manor. Cazadero, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, dazzled in his debut on May 29 at Churchill Downs under Ricardo Santana Jr. Cazadero, a homebred son of Street Sense, sported an impressive work tab entering his maiden race which included a swift half-mile move in :46.40 from the gate at Keeneland. Since his debut, Cazadero has been stabled with Asmussen's string at Churchill Downs.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD062720USA8-EQB.html

5:04 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Trainer Graham Motion will saddle a pair of graded stakes winners as part of a seven-horse field of older fillies and mares in the New York Stakes going 1 ¼ miles on Belmont Park's inner turf. Among Motion's trainees is Alex G. Campbell Jr.'s Mean Mary, who has started her 4-year-old campaign with consecutive graded stakes wins in front-running fashion. The Kentucky homebred went gate-to-wire to win the 1 ½-mile Grade 3 La Prevoyante in January over the Gulfstream Park turf and followed with another winning effort on the course by leading a 12-horse field through every point of call in the Grade 3 Orchid on March 28.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062720USA8-EQB.html

5:15 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs on NBC

Serengeti Empress, winner of the 2019 Kentucky Oaks, is ready for her showdown versus champion Midnight Bisou, the No. 1-ranked horse in the latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, in the Fleur de Lis – a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” race. The speedy Serengeti Empress led every step of the way in last year's Kentucky Oaks and was a convincing 6 ¼-length winner of the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park March 14. Midnight Bisou, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, has been nothing short of spectacular throughout her 20-race career. The now 5-year-old mare won seven straight graded stakes last year en route to earning the Eclipse Award for champion older dirt female and began her 2020 campaign by running second against males in the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 29.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD062720USA9-EQB.html

5:36 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 True North Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Robert Baron and WinStar Farm's Grade 1-winner Promises Fulfilled returns off a more than eight month layoff to headline the True North Stakes going 6 ½-furlongs. Promises Fulfilled, who will ship up to New York from Kentucky, has trained forwardly at Churchill Downs, including a bullet five-eighths breeze in 59 seconds flat on June 13 and a similarly speedy effort in 59.20 Saturday on the Churchill Downs main track. He sizzled to a front-running score in the 2018 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course and boasts a record of 17-7-0-3 with purse earnings of $1,455,530.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062720USA9-EQB.html

5:47 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs on NBC

G M B Racing's Grade 1-winner Tom's d'Etat will take on Allied Racing Stable's multiple-graded stakes winner By My Standards and recent Blame Stakes hero Owendale in Saturday's 39th running of the $500,000 Stephen Foster – the centerpiece of the penultimate day of Churchill Downs' 27-day Spring Meet. Tom's d'Etat has won four of his last five starts including a 3 ¼-length score in last year's Grade 1 Clark Handicap. The now 7-year-old son of Smart Strike enters Saturday's Stephen Foster following a hard-fought victory in the April 11 Oaklawn Mile. Another top older horse that entered the Stephen Foster is last year's Grade 2 Louisiana Derby hero By My Standards. Trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards returned as a 4-year-old in February at Fair Grounds with a convincing three-length victory in the Grade 3 New Orleans and he enters the Stephen Foster following a 1 ¾-length win in last month's Grade 2 Oaklawn Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD062720USA10-EQB.html

6:08 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Trainer Chad Brown will bring a strong hand of cards to the table when he saddles turf champion Uni, Grade 1-winner Newspaperofrecord (IRE), and two-time graded stakes winner Regal Glory in pursuit of a fourth consecutive win in the 27th running of Saturday's Grade 1 Just a Game over the Widener turf course. Uni, the reigning champion turf female, will make her 2020 debut in the Just a Game, having not raced since taking last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park, where she became the sixth female to score a win in the race. Newspaperofrecord arrives at the Just a Game off a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Intercontinental on June 6 over the Widener turf, where she recorded swift fractions but still had enough left in the tank to draw off to a four-length victory.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062720USA10-EQB.html

6:20 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS1

Godolphin's two-time stakes-winning filly Micheline will be in search of her first graded stakes victory in Saturday's 51^st running of the Regret Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies. Micheline, trained by Mike Stidham and ridden by Joe Bravo, scored a 2 ¼-length victory in last month's $75,000 Honey Ryder Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 3-year-old filly by Bernardini broke her maiden in her second-career start last year in the $106,000 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD062720USA11-EQB.html

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June 27 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

PAIR OF WELL-BRED DEBUTANTES IN CHURCHILL OPENER

1st-CD, $79K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:00p.m.

The appropriately named LUCKY FIND (Uncle Mo), a $50,000 KEESEP buy from a deep Helen Groves family, makes her career bow in this spot for Glen Hill Farm and Tom Proctor. Out of MSW Tea Time (Pulpit), the bay hails from the family of dual champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and Grade I winners Arch (Kris S.) and Acoma (Empire Maker). Robert and Lawana Low homebred Sea Garden (Curlin) also debuts in this test. She is a half-sister to GSW Glenville Gardens (Street Cry {Ire}). Their dam is a daughter of GISW Marley Vale (Forty Niner), who also produced MGSW & MGISP Indian Vale (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs

ASMUSSEN UNVEILS PRICEY INTO MISCHIEF COLTS

4th-CD, $79K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:38p.m.

Pheonix Thoroughbred III and Winchell Thoroughbreds teamed up to acquire WHISKEY DOUBLE (Into Mischief) for $875,000 at Keeneland September and he makes his first trip to the post here for Steve Asmussen. The bay’s dam is MSW Lake Sebago (Munnings) and hails from the family of Canadian champion Hollinger (Black Minnaloushe). Asmussen also unveils another son of Into Mischief in WinStar and China Horse Club’s Holland. The $400,000 FTSAUG purchase is out of a half-sister to Argentinian champion Forty Greeta (Arg) (Roar) and GSW Honorable Dillon (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

MILLION-DOLLAR QUALITY ROAD DEBUTS AT BELMONT

6th-BEL, $64K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7fT, 3:59p.m.

Peter Brant and Three Chimneys Farm’s JOHNNYPUMP (Quality Road) makes his career bow in this test for trainer Chad Brown. His dam is a half to Grade I winner Spring Quality (Quality Road) and GSW Holiday Star (Harlan’s Holiday). This is also the family of MGSW & MG1SP Alice Springs (Val de l’Orne {Fr}). Also making his first trip to the post here is Patriot Game (Honor Code), who carries the same silks and hails from the same barn as his half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby and GI Florida Derby hero Orb (Malibu Moon). Their second dam is MGSW Mesabi Maiden (Cox’s Ridge). Trainer Shug McGaughey saddles another well-bred firster here in North Carolina (Speightstown). The Joe Allen homebred is out of SW Baroness Richter (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is also the dam of GSW Dream While (War Front) and SW Dear Lavinia (Grand Slam). TJCIS PPs

SEVEN-FIGURE INTO MISCHIEF MAKES CAREER BOW AT LOS AL

3rd-LRC, $40K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 4:58p.m.

Doug O’Neill unveils NOTRE DAME (Into Mischief), who summoned $1-million at FTFMAR after breezing in :10 flat. He is out of MSW & GSP Cor Cor (Smoke Glacken) and hails from the family of GSW Fancy Dress Party (Munnings). Neil Drysdale saddles a well-related firster in Thor-Bred Stable homebred Adare (Medaglia d’Oro). He is a half-brother to GSW Ocean Knight (Curlin) and MGSP Nero (Pioneerof the Nile). Bob Baffert also sends out two noteworthy first timers in Happy Hepo (American Pharoah) and Holden the Lute (Midnight Lute). Picked up for $300,000 at OBS March last year after working in :10 flat, Happy Hepo displays the upbeat worktab typical of aBaffert trainee, most recently breezing a best-of-20 five panels in :59 1/5 here June 19. His dam is GSP Heart of Paradise (More Than Ready). His stablemate, Pegram, Watson and Weitman homebred Holden the Lute, is a full-brother to MGSW Gimme Da Lute. TJCIS PPs

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Saturday’s Belmont Headliner is Brown’s ‘Game’ to Lose

Chad Brown saddles a trio so strong in Belmont’s GI Just a Game S. Saturday that it would be quite surprising if he does not take home his fourth straight renewal of the event. Leading the Brown contingent is Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), who makes her first start of 2020 after a championship 2019 season. Winner of the 2018 GI Matriarch S., the chestnut kicked off last term with a win in the Perfect Sting S. over course and distance June 29 and was third to the re-opposing Got Stormy (Get Stormy) when facing males in Saratoga’s GI Fourstardave H. in August. Returning to winning ways in Keeneland’s GI First Lady S. Oct. 5, Uni got the better of Got Stormy last tie with a 1 1/2-length score when facing the boys again in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 2. Got Stormy won last year’s Matriarch, but is winless in three starts this season, most recently finishing fourth in Belmont’s GIII Beaugay S. June 3.

“She’s doing well,” Brown told the NYRA notes team in reference to Uni. “There’s a little uncertainty with the layoff, but she seems to be training well. She has a great turn of foot and we’ll just see how it plays out.”

Uni’s biggest competition will likely come from her own shedrow in Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). A perfect three-for-three during her 2019 juvenile seasonal capped by a win at the Breeders’ Cup, the bay was winless in 2019, starting with a pair of runner-up efforts in the GIII Edgewood S. and GIII Wonder Again S. Fading to ninth in the GI Belmont Oaks last July, she was subsequently shelved for the season and appeared back to her old self when next seen in the seven-panel GIII Intercontinental S. over a yielding course at Belmont June 6. Newspaperofrecord seemed to relish the cutback in trip last time–registering a 103 Beyer Speed Figure–after racing over distances from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles last season and a repeat of that performance would make her a strong contender here.

“She seems very settled in the mornings,” Brown said of Newspaperofrecord. “She went fast fractions last time, which wasn’t really what I wanted, but she doesn’t need to do that. She’s been pretty relaxed and settled.”

The third Brown runner Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) will likely be much higher odds than her two stablemates, but it would be no surprise to see her get a piece. The chestnut captured both the GIII Lake George S. and GII Lake Placid S. last summer, but could only manage sixth behind another stablemate Cambier Parc (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GI QEII Cup Oct. 12. She finished second to Newspaperofrecord last out in the Intercontinental.

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