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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Grade 1 Sprinters To Line Up On Both Coasts

A pair of Grade 1 sprints on opposite coasts highlight this Saturday's stakes action, with the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt taking place at Saratoga and the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar. In addition, juvenile champion and Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality will return to action in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at the Spa, and 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil will ship west to contest Sunday's G1 Clement Hirsch.

The Vanderbilt features reigning sprint champion Whitmore seeking his first win of his 8-year-old campaign, while Firenze Fire will attempt to turn the tables after finishing third behind Whitmore in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint. Morning-line favoritism goes to Michevious Alex, the G1-winning sprinter who shortens back up to six furlongs after running third in the Met Mile.

Meanwhile, the Bing Crosby offers a deep field of nine including divisional leader C Z Rocket. After twice defeating Whitmore at Oaklawn Park over the winter, C Z Rocket will race without Lasix for the first time in his career during this “Win and You're In” contest for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring action from historic Saratoga Race Course as well as competition from Woodbine Racetrack and Monmouth Park.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule (all times Eastern):

Saturday

5:03 p.m. – $350,000 Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga

Champion Whitmore faces eight rivals in this spot, most notably Grade 1 winners Firenze Fire and Mischevious Alex, both of whom are listed at lower odds on the morning line. Special Reserve has been facing lesser company but has won four of his five starts this season, while live longshot Lexitonian ran extremely well to finish second in his last start at six furlongs, in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes, and returns to the sprint scene after a poor start and sixth-place finish in the Met Mile.

Vanderbilt Entries

5:39 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga

Essential Quality has done little wrong thus far in his career, and it would take a monster effort from one of the five rivals in this race to defeat him on Saturday. That said, Masqueparade is an improving sort for the very patient Al Stall, Jr., and Weyburn being entered in this race instead of the Plate Trial (he's Ontario-bred) should say something about what trainer Jimmy Jerkens thinks of his chances. Keepmeinmind would benefit from a hot pace up front, should one develop.

Jim Dandy Entries

6:12 p.m. – $250,000 G2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga

Three sons of English Channel make up three of the top four choices on the morning line in the Bowling Green, a 1 3/8-mile contest over the Saratoga lawn. Channel Maker is the favorite, making his first start since running a big second in Saudi Arabia's Neom Turf Cup and then finishing off the board a month later in Dubai; the Bill Mott trainee, one of three in this race, was third in this race last year and usually seems to hit his best form around the fall. The ever-dangerous Chad Brown enters a pair in Rockemperor and Breakpoint, while the red-hot Mike Maker has New York-bred Cross Border in with a chance.

Bowling Green Entries

9:30 p.m. – $300,000 G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar

Even if C Z Rocket proves he can run without Lasix, it may not be enough to secure him the victory in this “Win and You're In” contest for the Breeders' Cup Sprint this fall. Eight others are signed on for the six-furlong affair, with a trio from the barn of Mark Glatt including last year's winner, Collusion Illusion. Brickyard Ride will try to steal the race on the front end, while the Glatt-trained Dr. Schivel would seem likeliest to take advantage of a hot early pace.

Bing Crosby Entries

Sunday

5:39 p.m. – $200,0000 G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga

Restricted to 3-year-olds, the Amsterdam features a rematch between Drain the Clock and Jackie's Warrior, the 1-2 finishers separated by a neck last out in the G1 Woody Stephens. They'll have a sixteenth of a mile less to travel this time, which should give the advantage to the speedy and determined Jackie's Warrior as his Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen approaches Dale Baird's all-time leading trainer record.

Amsterdam Entries

9:00 p.m. – $300,000 G1 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar

Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil ships in from Ellis Park to contest the 1 1/16-mile Hirsch for trainer Brad Cox, chasing the expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff granted to the winner. The regally-bred local divisional leader As Time Goes By, an American Pharoah half-sister to Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy, will enter off a two-race win streak for trainer Bob Baffert. Venetian Harbor has won a pair of graded stakes races sprinting in the past year, but stretches out here, and Warren's Showtime switches to the dirt after winning the G3 Wilshire last out.

Hirsch Entries

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Del Mar: Shedaresthedevil Faces Top Local Challengers In Sunday’s Hirsch

The Grade 1, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes will have its 51st running Sunday at Del Mar and seven high class fillies and mares have signed up to give it a go. The winner will earn an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff to be held at the track later this fall.

Three of the femmes have special credentials and will draw the most attention at the wickets and on the racetrack. The trio consists of Qatar Racing and Flurry Racing Stables' Shedaresthedevil, Tabor, Magnier and Smith's As Time Goes By, and Ciaglia Racing and Highland Yard's Venetian Harbor.

The mile and one-sixteenth main track headliner will go as the ninth of 10 races on the Sunday program, which has a first post of 2 p.m.

Shedaresthedevil has shipped in from the east coast to contest the Hirsch, which has been won by such top distaffers as Stellar Wind (twice), Beholder, Zenyatta (three times), Azeri (twice), and Paseana. The shipper races out of the red-hot barn of trainer Brad Cox and sports a record of seven wins in 14 starts and earnings of $1,867,318. The 4-year-old daughter of the More Than Ready sire Daredevil has won five graded stakes, including a pair of Grade 1s. She'll come with her regular rider, eastern-based Florent Geroux.

As Time Goes By is a bay filly by Triple Crown champion American Pharoah who'll be making the eighth start of her career. The Bob Baffert trainee was last out on May 22 in the Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita, a mile and one-sixteenth that she won by a nose. Hall of Famer Mike Smith is signed on to ride the multiple stakes winner of $380,600.

Venetian Harbor also comes into the Hirsch off a stakes victory, hers being the Grade 2 Monrovia at Santa Anita on June 5. It was her fourth overall victory and enhanced her bankroll to $633,400. The quick daughter of Munnings has primarily been sprinting and her speed could prove dangerous in the Hirsch. Trainer Richard Baltas has drafted Mario Gutierrez to handle the 4-year-old Sunday.

Here's the full field for the race in post position order with riders and morning line odds:

Benjamin and Sally Warren's Warren's Showtime (Juan Hernandez, 8-1); Michael Rosenmayer's Clockstrikestwelve (Kyle Frey, 30-1); As Time Goes By (8/5); Mathiesen Racing, Feghali or Mathis' Paige Anne (Flavien Prat, 15-1); 5th Street Stables, Saldana or Urbina's Cover Version (Abel Cedillo, 30-1); Venetian Harbor (2-1), and Shedaresthedevil (7/5).

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Pac Classic and Del Mar Derby Purses Increased

The GI TVG Pacific Classic been raised back to its original purse level of $1 million for its Aug. 21 renewal. Additionally, the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 4 had its purse increased to $250,000.

The TVG Pacific Classic was scheduled to have a purse of $750,000, which was an increase from its COVID-affected 2020 running at $500,000. The Del Mar Derby ran with a $200,000 purse in 2020 and was designated to do so again this year prior to this current boost.

“We had fairly aggressive projections going into the meet and I'm pleased to say our business has exceeded those numbers,” said Tom Robbins, a Del Mar executive vice president and its director of racing and industry relations. “We are thrilled to restore our signature race back to its $1 million level, where it had been and certainly belongs.”

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Pacific Classic Purse Returns To $1 Million; Del Mar Derby Boosted To $250,000

Building on its pre-meet enhancements and the sparkling success of its current racing season, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club today announced a pair of major increases to key stakes races on its 2021 schedule.

The Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, the shore track's centerpiece since it was introduced in 1991, has been raised back to its original level of $1,000,000 for its Aug. 21 renewal. Additionally, the track's conclusion to its 3-year-old grass series – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby slated for September 4 – has had its purse increased to $250,000 for its 77th edition.

The TVG Pacific Classic was scheduled to be presented this year for the 31st time with a purse of $750,000, which was an increase from its COVID-affected 2020 running when the mile and one quarter was dropped to $500,000. The Del Mar Derby ran with a $200,000 purse in 2020 and was designated to do so again this year prior to this current boost for the nine-furlong turf test.

Both raises put the races on equal footing with their 2019 levels. Prior to the meet, Del Mar had increased the values of virtually all of its other stakes from 2020 to equivalent – or in some cases higher – purse standards than the ones that existed in 2019.

Since 2010, Del Mar has joined with its broadcast partner TVG to augment the TVG Pacific Classic and keep it at the forefront of major races nationally.

“We have a spectacular partnership with Del Mar and the TOC and our team at TVG is very excited that our sponsorship of the Pacific Classic is one of the reasons for this purse increase,” said Kevin Grigsby, SVP and executive producer of TVG & FanDuel. “Over the last decade TVG has become one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the U.S. Along with our investments in distribution and technology, it is part of our commitment to reinvest in the sport.”

The track always works in accord with the Thoroughbred Owners of California in setting and maintaining both its stakes schedule and its overall purse structure. Their chairman of the board, Gary Fenton, addressed the stakes purse increases:

“Thanks to our members, horsemen and horsewomen and the hard work from DMTC we're off to a tremendous start. With added purse account funds we felt returning all stakes, such as Del Mar's signature race, back to their pre-COVID purse levels was appropriate. The momentum of continued purse increases in 2021 with hopefully more to come in 2022 is a great sign of the health of Southern California racing.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” race entitling its champion a guaranteed spot in this year's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, a race that will be run at a mile and a quarter at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Del Mar Derby follows the Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes to make up the longstanding trio of turf test for soph runners at the seaside oval. The La Jolla will be run on Sunday, August 8.

Del Mar's 82nd season will continue to race on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule through to its closing day, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6.

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