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Derby Preps Headline Weekend Slate

A pair of 20-point GI Kentucky Derby preps headline Saturday's stakes action in the U.S.

Aqueduct's GIII Withers S.–pushed back a week due to cold weather–was helped slightly from a field size perspective by the delay and a group of seven are now set to line up. Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) invades from Oaklawn and will look to provide trainer Brad Cox with a first Withers trophy. A dominant debut winner going seven panels at Keeneland in October, he could only manage fourth as the favorite in a two-turn Churchill allowance Nov. 26, but the strength of that field has been demonstrated in the interim. Winner Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) was third in January's GIII Lecomte S., while runner-up Rocket Can (Into Mischief) annexed last week's GIII Holy Bull S. Hit Show, meanwhile, took an Oaklawn allowance by daylight Dec. 17, good for a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure. His dam Actress (Tapit) was an 8 1/4-length winner of the track-and-trip GIII Comely S. in 2017. A trio of stakes-winning New York-breds also figure to have a say: Arctic Arrogance (Frosted), General Banker (Central Banker) and Andiamo a Firenze (Speightstown) were second, third and fifth, respectively, in the one-mile Jerome S. Jan. 7.

Meanwhile, down south, a full field of 12 will contest the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Danny Gargan trainee Dubyuhnell (Good Magic) makes his first start since a breakout tally in the nine-furlong GII Remsen S. in the Aqueduct slop Dec. 3. He earned a field-best 90 Beyer for that performance. 'TDN Rising Star' Champions Dream (Justify) was also a member of the Gargan barn when he scored in the Big A's GIII Nashua S. in November. Subsequently transferred to trainer Mark Casse by owner Rosedown Racing Stables, he was beaten a neck by re-opposing Zydeceaux (Cajun Breeze) in the local seven-furlong Pasco S. Jan. 14. Trainer Todd Pletcher owns a record six Davis wins, but is looking to end a drought since 2016. He sends out Litigate (Blame), a well-beaten second last time in a Gulfstream allowance behind Holy Bull beaten favorite Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief).

Saturday's Tampa card also marks the return of champion juvenile filly Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief), who takes on GII Demoiselle S. winner and 'Rising Star' Julia Shining (Curlin) in the Suncoast S.

A third Derby qualifier, the 10-point El Camino Real Derby, takes place Saturday at Golden Gate. Bob Baffert and The Avengers send a pair northward to square off with unbeaten local speedster Harcyn (Goldencents).

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Woodward, Cigar Mile Among Races Downgraded

The American Graded Stakes Committee released its list of graded stakes for 2023 Friday and it includes five races that were downgraded from Grade I status to Grade II races, including two of NYRA's more prestigious races for older dirt horses, the Woodward and the Cigar Mile H. Also dropping down from the Grade I to the Grade II level were the Clark S. at Churchill Downs, the Starlet S. at Los Alamitos and the Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita.

The Woodward was, perhaps, the most surprising inclusion on the list of newly appointed Grade II races. Twenty winners of the race have made their way into the Hall of Fame, including Kelso, Buckpasser, Forego, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and Cigar. But the race has struggled somewhat in recent years as the NYRA racing department tried to figure out where it fit best on the calendar on how to juggle a glut of late summer-early fall races for the handicap division, including the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. In 2006, the Woodward was moved from Belmont Park to Saratoga. The race was moved back to Belmont in 2021, trading places with the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which was switched to Saratoga. This year's Woodward was won by a top horse in Life Is Good (Into Mischief), but the race drew only four horses and the three challengers to Life Is Good were a fairly weak lot.

The Cigar Mile was inaugurated in 1988 and initially run as the NYRA Mile. Winners include Forty Niner, Cigar, Tonalist (Tapit) and Maximum Security (New Year's Day). This year's race did not come up particularly strong as Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) beat five others.

One race, the Stephen Foster S., was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status. The race had been a Grade I through 2018 when it was downgraded. This year's winner was Olympiad (Speightstown).

A total of 97 Grade I races will be contested in 2023.

The committee reviewed 901 stakes races and assigned graded status to 440 of them, nine fewer than were graded in 2022.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II's, the Beaumont S., the Franklin S. and the Ladies Sprint S. Seven races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2023: the Sorrento S. at Del Mar; Dinner Party S. at Pimlico; Monrovia S., San Carlos S., San Marcos S. and Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Park; and Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2023: the Manila S. at Belmont Park; Blame S. and Shawnee S. at Churchill Downs; and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs. Twelve races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2023.

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Juveniles Headline Saturday Graded Stakes Action

Curly Jack (Good Magic) looks to return to winning ways at a venue at which he is already two-for-two in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs. A debut winner at this oval in June, he was off the board in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. in July, but missed by just a head in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. in August. Rallying to victory in this oval's GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 17, the bay was fifth at odds of 55-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4.

Steve Asmussen seeks his fourth win in this event and has two chances to do it. Red Route One (Gun Runner) looks to add his sire's long list of accomplishments with just two crops. After two tries on turf, including a maiden win, the Winchell homebred rallied to be third when switched to dirt in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 8 and was fifth three weeks later in a sloppy renewal fo the GIII Street Sense S.

His stablemate Gigante (Not This Time) won his only start on dirt and has made his other three runs on grass, including a dominant win in the Kitten's Joy S.

Ken McPeek also saddles two, the Street Sense runner-up Hayes Strike (Connect) and maiden winner of four starts Denington (Gun Runner).

One race prior the juvenile fillies get their time to shine in the GII Golden Rod S., headlined by a pair of undefeated debutantes, both of whom have scored all their victories beneath the Twin Spires. Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) won on debut here Sept. 25 and romped by 7 1/2 lengths over T Max (Connect) in the Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30.

Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) opened her account here with a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy effort Sept. 18 and took a sloppy optional claimer Oct. 30. She will attempt two turns for the first time here.

Bill Mott ships in with a live one in American Rockette (American Pharoah). Rallying to victory in an off-the-turf sprint at Saratoga July 21, the bay closed well to be fourth in that venue's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 4 and filled the same spot in Belmont's GI Frizette S. Oct. 2.

Woodbine also hosts a pair of graded events for 2-year-olds in the GIII Grey S. and GIII Mazarine S. Colts are up first in the Grey, which is headlined by Hal (Accelerate). A debut winner at this venue Oct. 2, he followed suit with a win in the Display S. Nov. 5.

Mark Casse saddles three members of this seven-horse field, all of which are fillies taking on the boys, topped by Forever Dixie (Quality Road). Graduating at fourth asking when switched to the local synthetic Oct. 1, she rallied to be a close second in the Glorious Song S. Nov. 5 and, like Hal, attempts two turns for the first time here.

Casse also sends out debut winner Ryder Ryder Ryder (Quality Road) and Renegade Rebel (Nyquist), who earned diploma over track and trip in her fourth attempt Oct. 29.

All three fillies are cross-entered in the Mazarine and will likely be split between the two tests. Also worth a look in the Mazarine is Honor D Lady (Honor Code), who graduated at second asking going this distance on the Gulfstream synthetic Oct. 7 and gets Lasix for the first time here.

Saturday's action also offers four graded events for older horses: the GIII Fall Highweight S. and GII Red Smith S. at Aqueduct, the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar and the GIII Berkeley H. at Golden Gate.

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Sophomore Turf Fillies Enjoy Saturday Spotlight

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle the top two choices on the morning-line for Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland, one of three graded stakes races on the afternoon.

McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the even-money choice to become Brown's fifth winner in this prestigious affair, broke through with a career high in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. July 9 and added the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. at Aqueduct Sept. 17 two starts later. She cuts back in trip to 1 1/8 miles here.

McKulick is named in honor of Brown's first-ever employee, bookkeeper Mary McKulick. McKulick passed away two years ago at the age of 67 after losing a battle with cancer.

Brown will also be represented by Gina Romantica (Into Mischief), heroine of Saratoga's Riskaverse S. Aug. 25 and runner-up as the favorite in the GIII Pebbles S. at Aqueduct Sept. 18 in her first two tries on grass.

'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy), upset winner over McKulick in the GII Edgewood S. in the spring, cuts back in trip as well following a flat fourth as the favorite in the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs Sept. 5.

Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) ships in from Phil D'Amato's Southern California base following a solid second-place finish behind the talented Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 20. She may have a pace advantage over her six rivals in a race lacking early speed.

Last term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), meanwhile, is the one to beat in Saturday's GII Sands Point S. at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. The 5-2 morning-line favorite makes her first trip to the post for Christophe Clement since an eighth-place finish in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17. The field of nine also includes Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks one-two Vergara (Noble Mission {GB}) and Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}); and narrow GIII Lake George S. runner-up Eminent Victor (Mr. Z).

Saturday's graded action is rounded out by Woodbine's GIII Ontario Fashion S.

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