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Short, But Sweet Field Set for Wonder Again

A competitive field of five is set to line up Saturday for Belmont’s GIII Wonder Again S. Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front) enters off a pair of wins and receives Lasix for the first time here. Off the board in and off-the-turf event at Monmouth in her Sept. 7 career bow, the dark bay graduated on the lawn at the Oceanport oval three weeks later. She closed out her juvenile season with a victory in Aqueduct’s Chelsey Flower S. Nov. 3 and has been working steadily towards this sophomore bow.

Robert and Lawana Low’s Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) also makes her seasonal debut here. Just missing in the P.G. Johnson S. at Saratoga last term, she made amends with a dominant score in Keeneland’s GII Jessamine S. Oct. 9 and was third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 1.

“I gave her a little time off and this seemed like a good launching spot,” Pletcher told the NYRA media department. “She’s done well. She’s grown and filled out a little bit. She’s an easy filly to train and it seems like she’s maintained her form from last fall.”

The lightly raced Selflessly (More Than Ready) kicks off her sophomore campaign here. Graduating at second asking in Belmont’s GII Miss Grillo S. Sept. 29, she was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup.

Unlike her aforementioned foes, Antoinette (Hard Spun) has made two starts this season, albeit on dirt, finishing third in both the Mar. 21 GII Fair Grounds Oaks and May 1 Gardenia S. at Oaklawn. The Godolphine homebred closed 2019 with a win in an off-the-turf renewal of Aqueduct’s Tepin S. Dec. 5, but prior to that broke her maiden on the grass in Elmont Oct. 24.

Rounding out the quintet is Highland Glory (Sky Mesa), who hails from the same barn as GI Belmont S. favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution). Earning her diploma at third asking in her first try on turf at Gulfstream Jan. 19, she captured that venue’s Sanibel Island S. next out Mar. 28 and was second last time in the Honey Ryder S. there May 2.

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Lethal Force’s Golden Horde Powers to Commonwealth Cup Triumph

Strong and direct, AlMohamediya Racing’s Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) was the main player on Royal Ascot Friday as he provided trainer Clive Cox and jockey Adam Kirby with yet another major sprint when making virtually all in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. Always at the head of the stand’s-side group and in front overall before two out, the 5-1 shot kept digging in to beat Kimari (Munnings) by 1 1/2 lengths, with Ventura Rebel (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

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Invader Wages War on Pennine Ridge

Grade I winner Decorate Invader (Declaration of War) looks to secure his second straight win of the season Satuday in Belmont’s GII Pennine Ridge S. Following his second-out graduation at Saratoga in August with a win in Woodbine’s GI Summer S. in September, the bay checked in fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1. He kicked off 2020 on a winning note, rallying from last to first in Gulfstream’s one-mile Cutler Bay S.

“Decorated Invader is doing great. He’s had two very nice breezes at Belmont with Joel [Rosario] aboard and he couldn’t be doing better,” Clement told the NYRA notes team. “I think he’s a top class horse and the distance should be perfect for him.”

Should Decorated Invader find himself at the back again, he should get plenty of speed to run into here courtesy of Proven Strategies (Sky Mesa), Vanzzy (Verrazano) and Maroon Maniac (Violence). Proven Strategies, who was fourth in the Summer and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup, broke his maiden two starts after the World Championships in a state-bred test in Hallandale Mar. 4. Capturing a Florida-bred optional claimer next out Apr. 5, the dark bay was second in the English Channel S. last time May. 2.

Vanzzy enters off a win in Turfway’s Rushaway S. on synthetic and has never run on grass before, but also won Woodbine’s Display S. on synthetic.

Maroon Maniac was a close second on debut over the Tampa lawn Feb. 12 and wired the field in an off-the-turf event there Apr. 18.

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Travers Moved to Aug. 8 in Newly Released Saratoga Stakes Schedule

The GI Runhappy Travers S. Has been moved up to Aug. 8 as one of the headliners of the 2020 Saratoga stakes schedule released Friday morning. Originally slated for Aug. 29, the Midsummer Derby was moved due to the rescheduled GI Kentucky Derby which is now Sept. 5.

The 2020 Saratoga meet will feature 71 stakes worth $14.45 million, encompassing 39 graded stakes and 18 Grade Is from Thursday, July 16 through Monday, Sept. 7.

“We’re thrilled to be racing at Saratoga this summer, and we thank Governor Andrew Cuomo for his support and the support of horsemen who have worked with us to navigate the many challenges,” NYRA President and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “While this will be anything but a traditional Saratoga season, we hope to provide a semblance of normalcy for both the local community as well as racing fans across the country.”

Under current New York state guidelines, Saratoga Race Course will open on July 16 without spectators in attendance. The 40-day meet will feature at least one stakes race every live racing day, highlighted by the Travers and the GI Whitney Aug. 1.

The Whitney card will also feature the GI Personal Ensign S. and GI H. Allen Jerkens S., as well as the GII Bowling Green S. The Travers undercard will include the GI Ballerina S., GI Test S., GIII Troy S. and GIII Waya S.

The opening day card will feature the GIII Schuylerville S. for juvenile fillies and the GIII Peter Pan S., traditionally held at Belmont Park in May as a local prep for the GI Belmont S. The first Grade I will be the CCA Oaks on Saturday, July 18, and the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. is also that day. The following Saturday July 25 will be highlighted by the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. and GII Ballston Spa S.

New to the Saratoga stakes schedule are a pair of New York-bred races for older grass horses with the Lubash set for July 22 and the Dayatthespa for fillies and mares July 29, both offering a purse of $85,000 for the 1 1/16-mile turf tests. The $100,000 Perfect Sting, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares, moves from Belmont to Aug. 14 at the Spa.

The GI Alabama S. will be held Aug. 15, which is the same day as the $500,000 Saratoga Derby. The female counterpart, the Saratoga Oaks, is Aug. 16. The GI Fourstardave S. is slated for Aug. 22 and the GI Diana S. is the following day.

A pair of stakes for sophomore state-breds originally scheduled at Aqueduct, the NYSSS Times Square and NYSSS Park Avenue, will now be contested at Saratoga Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 respectively, both offering a purse of $100,000 for the 6 1/2-furlong main-track sprints.

The GI Forego S. remains on what was supposed to be Travers day Aug. 29, as does the GI Sword Dancer S. The final Saturday of the meet, Sept. 5, will feature the GI Woodward S., the GII Jim Dandy S. (traditionally a Travers prep run in July), the GII Prioress S. and the GII Glens Falls S.

The GI Spinaway S. headlines the Sept. 6 card, which includes the GII Honorable Miss H., and the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. keeps its traditional spot on Labor Day Sept. 7, which, as always, is closing day of the meet.

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