In Italian left the gate from her rail draw running beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and led through an opening quarter in a hard-to-believe :24.47 while kept well off the inside. Under a snug hold heading into the far turn, the chestnut was still going easy as the five-horse field bunched up approaching the top of the stretch. In Italian switched over to her right lead right on cue after a couple of taps on her right shoulder from Ortiz and she put on a show from there to collect her fourth career Grade I victory in style.

Third in this race last year behind her former stablemate and the commonly owned champion Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), In Italian concluded her 2022 season with wins in the GI Diana S. at Saratoga, the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland and a game second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in Lexington. In Italian kicked off her 5-year-old campaign with a front-running victory in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. Apr. 15.

“She got a nice, easy quarter and then she was off the rail and in control,” winning trainer Chad Brown said after saddling his sixth Just a Game winner in seven years. “I think that was the end of it there.”

Brant added, “She's probably as good as anyone we've ever had, and that's saying something.”

Brown and Brant both added that a title defense in the July 15 Diana could be next.

Pedigree Notes:

In Italian is one of 166 graded/group winners worldwide for leading sire Dubawi. In Italian's group-winning dam Florentina has an unraced 4-year-old gelding named Spanish Empire (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Great Britain and an unraced filly named Fiorenza (Aus) by that same sire foaled in 2020. Spanish Empire was purchased by Tom Magnier for A$1.8m at the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale in 2021. Fiorenza brought A$650,000 at the 2020 Inglis Chairman's Sale. The 15-year-old mare Florentina, a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Gathering (Aus) (Tale of the Cat), was barren to Pierro (Aus) in 2021 and 2022.

Friday, Belmont Park
JUST A GAME S.-GI, $485,000, Belmont, 6-9, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:34.00, fm.
1–IN ITALIAN (GB), 124, m, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Florentina (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $250,958),
                                by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Celebria (Aus), by Peintre Celebre
                3rd Dam: Twyla (Aus), by Danehill
'TDN Rising Star'. (475,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Fairway Thoroughbreds (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 11-7-3-1, $1,910,308.
Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Spendarella, 124, f, 4, by Karakontie (Jpn)
1st Dam: Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat
2nd Dam: Spanish Beam, by El Gran Senor
3rd Dam: Solar Beam, by Majestic Light
($220,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd.
(NY); T-H. Graham Motion. $100,000.
3–Wakanaka (Ire), 122, m, 5, by Power (GB)
1st Dam: Storyline (Ire), by Kodiac (GB)
2nd Dam: Petite Histoire (Ire), by Desert Story (Ire)
3rd Dam: Danccini (Ire), by Dancing Dissident
(£3,500 Ylg '19 GOFFPR; $975,000 RNA 4yo '22 KEENOV).
O-Team Valor International and Gary Barber; B-Mrs Jean
Brennan (Ire); T-William I. Mott. $60,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 0.20, 4.20, 12.70.
Also Ran: New Year's Eve, Speak of the Devil (Fr).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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While no Triple Crown is on the line, the Belmont will feature an Eclipse Award winner, the Preakness winner, two Grade 1 Derby prep winners, and four other sophomore colts chasing their place in the history books.

Friday, June 4

4:07 p.m. – G2 True North Stakes – Belmont Park

Grade 1-winner Flagstaff bested Eclipse award-winner Whitmore in a thrilling finish last out and will look to win his third consecutive stakes race as part of a seven-horse field in Friday's Grade 2, $300,000 True North for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over the main track at Belmont Park.

4:40 p.m. – G3 Bed o' Roses Stakes – Belmont Park

In two winning starts over the Belmont Park main track, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love has displayed an affinity for the Nassau County oval and will vie to keep such ways intact in Friday's 64th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Bed o' Roses for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs. Trained by Todd Beattie, Victim of Love's pair of winning starts at Belmont Park took place when sweeping the last two editions of the Grade 3 Vagrancy.

5:15 p.m. – G2 New York Stakes – Belmont Park

Looking to defend her $750,000 New York title will be the popular Graham Motion-trained mare Mean Mary, who is owned by Alex G. Campbell, Jr. and will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 7. The daughter of Scat Daddy seeks her seventh career victory in her 11th start and enters off an impressive gate-to-wire victory three weeks ago in Pimlico's Grade 3 Gallorette, her first start since finishing seventh in November's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. A dominant 5¼-length winner of last year's New York, a 1¼-mile inner turf test, she faces an arguably tougher field in 2021 and the possibility of more cut in the ground.

5:48 p.m. – G2 Belmont Gold Cup – Belmont Park

LECH Racing Limited's Baron Samedi will seek to parlay his winning form in Europe when traveling stateside as the lone international contestant in Friday's seventh running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles over the Widener turf. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Baron Samedi began his career with five unplaced efforts, but once gelded and stretched out considerably in distance, the son of Harbour Watch displayed a notable turnaround in form. He conveyed his newfound winning ways in August at Cork Racecourse going ten furlongs over heavy ground while being given a 65 rating.

Saturday, June 5

12:47 p.m. – G1 Woody Stephens – Belmont Park

Undefeated one-turn titans Jackie's Warrior and Drain the Clock will square off in Saturday's 37th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency.

1:22 p.m. – G2 Brooklyn Stakes – Belmont Park

Trainer Todd Pletcher will be well-represented with three contenders in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. But the Hall of Fame conditioner will also send out a strong contingent in another 1 1/2-mile graded stakes contest on the day, with Ajaaweed and Moretti forming a potent one-two punch in the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational presented by Northwell Health for 4-year-olds and up.

2:01 p.m. – G1 Acorn Stakes – Belmont Park

Traditionally one of America's premier races for sophomore fillies, Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn at Belmont Park has attracted a compact, quality field to tackle Big Sandy's one-turn mile. Blazing Meadows Farm and Siena Farm's Tim Hamm-trained Dayoutoftheoffice returns to the course and distance of her greatest triumph, last fall's Grade 1 Frizette, in what will be just her second start of the season. Klaravich Stables' Search Results will hope to optimize her second top-level attempt after losing last month's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks by a neck to divisional leader Malathaat. Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Flatter went into the Classic undefeated from three tries, including the Grade 3 Gazelle at the Big A.

2:41 p.m. – G1 Jaipur Stakes – Belmont Park

MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm's multiple Grade 1-winner Got Stormy joins defending race-winner and fellow mare Oleksandra in taking on the boys in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur, a six-furlong turf sprint on Belmont Stakes Day. The 35th running of the Jackpocket Jaipur is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

3:18 p.m. – G1 Ogden Phipps Stakes – Belmont Park

With the Friday morning scratches of both Swiss Skydiver and Valiance, the 53rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps has drawn a field of five fillies and mares. G1 Apple Blossom winner Letruska is the morning-line favorite after her upset of champion Monomoy Girl, while Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil is two-for-two so far this year. The prestigious 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering the winner an automatic entry into the Distaff on November 6 at Del Mar.

3:58 p.m. – G1 Just A Game Stakes – Belmont Park

Twelve stakes winners, including 11 graded/group stakes winners—all seeking their first turf Grade 1 score comprise the dozen entered in Saturday's $500,000 Longines Just a Game over one mile on the Widener turf course. The powerhouse stables of Charlie Appleby and Chad Brown make up half of those in a race that has traditionally showcased some of the best turf females in training, including eight Breeders' Cup winners.

4:42 p.m. – G1 Met Mile – Belmont Park

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex will look to build on his already impressive ledger in Saturday's stallion-making Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up on Belmont Stakes Day. However, Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, trained by reigning Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, looms the one to beat as the 126 pound highweight with an impressive record of 19-6-3-1 with purse earnings in excess of $4.5 million.

5:30 p.m. – G3 Monmouth Stakes – Monmouth Park

A winner in his 2021 comeback race on April 24 at Pimlico Race Course, Corelli will step up to graded stakes company again when the grass specialist goes in the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes, the headliner on Saturday's 12-race card at Monmouth Park. The 13th running of the $150,000 Monmouth Stakes, scheduled for 1 and 1/8th miles on the grass, has attracted a field of 10 plus two alternates.

5:38 p.m. – G1 Manhattan Stakes – Belmont Park

Trainer Chad Brown will be loaded for bear in the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, with four of the 10 horses entered running under his banner in the 1 1/4-mile inner turf test for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, at Belmont Park. Brown's quartet all have the credentials to win, but that honor may go to Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old son of Kingman who made a successful 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

6:49 p.m. – G1 Belmont Stakes – Belmont Park

A talented group that includes an Eclipse Award winner (Essential Quality) and an American Classic victor (Rombauer) will comprise an eight-horse field for the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday at Belmont Park, marking the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. Hot Rod Charlie ran a strong third, just one length back to winner Medina Spirit, in the Kentucky Derby, and will get a rematch against Essential Quality. Pletcher, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, will saddle three contenders as he seeks his fourth career Belmont score: Known Agenda, Overtook, and Bourbonic. Rock Your World notched a Grade 1 win with a 4 1/4-length margin in the Santa Anita Derby in April in his main track debut, improving to 3-for-3 overall to start his career before running 17th in the Kentucky Derby last out. Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina will look to nab the $1 million bonus offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont Stakes.

7:52 p.m. – G2 Monrovia Stakes – Santa Anita

A two-time graded stakes winner who has been idle since well beaten by Eclipse Champion Gamine in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 7, the Richard Baltas-trained Venetian Harbor heads a field of eight fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs on turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Monrovia Stakes at Santa Anita.

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The powerhouse stables of Charlie Appleby and Chad Brown make up half of those in a race that has traditionally showcased some of the best turf females in training, including eight Breeders' Cup winners.

The powerhouse stables of Charlie Appleby and Chad Brown make up half of those in a race that has traditionally showcased some of the best turf females in training, including eight Breeders' Cup winners.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has sent out a mere 15 starters in North America since becoming a head conditioner for Godolphin in 2013, but has won with five of those and earned more than $2.9 million. A pair of grey 4-year-old fillies with stakes victories during Meydan Racecourse's 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival, Althiqa [post 8, Hall of Famer Mike Smith] and Summer Romance [post 9, Luis Saez], deserve plenty of respect shipping over from England.

Althiqa closed from last to land the one-mile Group 2 Cape Verdi in late January, knocking off her favored stablemate, who tired to fifth after making the running. Summer Romance would make amends three weeks later in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine, running the field off its feet in gate-to-wire fashion. Althiqa checked in third.

While Althiqa is a homebred who has steadily ambled her way up the ranks, it is clear that Summer Romance—an $898,800 daughter of Kingman and half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Rizeena—has been held in slightly higher regard.

“They all travelled over well and have trained well since they've been there,” Appleby said. “There's been a little rain and the track's very wet this weekend. The fillies are fit and well and have plenty of experience under their belt. The reason we went to America is they carry Group 2 penalties here in Europe for the forthcoming season and the Group 1 older fillies races aren't until later in the year, anyway, so we thought it might be a good opportunity to get a Grade 1.”

Chad Brown's quartet is led by Peter Brant's Blowout [post 11, Flavien Prat], a gate-to-wire winner of the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile last out at Churchill Downs. A daughter of Dansili and French classic winner Beauty Parlour, she cured a case of seconditis in the process after completing the exacta in a trio of events, led by a nose loss in the Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar.

“Flavien really gets along with her well,” Brown said. “We saw that in the Matriarch. He has great hands and she can be difficult, but he really gets along with her and timed it right. She likes this track very much. She ran one of the best races I've ever had a horse run in defeat that day [in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel, September 26], when she got away from Johnny [Velazquez] and went 44 [seconds for the half-mile] and kept going. I don't know how she was still there at the end. If she can settle at all, she has a good closing kick. She has run well on good ground in the past, but I prefer for it to be firm.”

Brant also entered Regal Glory [post 4, Hall of Famer Javier Castellano], fourth in this last year and cross-entered in Thursday's Grade 3 Intercontinental.

Brown's Grade 2 Sands Point-winner Tamahere [post 10, Jose Ortiz] kicked off her season with a respectable second in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland on April 10. Owned by Swift Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Wonder Stables, the daughter of in-form stallion Wootton Bassett appears primed for a top effort.

“This filly would be no shock to win this race, either,” Brown said. “She's going to really appreciate the cut back to a mile and she loves Belmont. She's been training very well and is a legitimate contender here.”

The fourth for Brown is Juddmonte's Pocket Square [post 6, Irad Ortiz Jr.], who seeks to build off a strong American debut, winning by open lengths at Keeneland on April 7. By smart young stallion Night of Thunder, the chestnut 4-year-old makes her sixth start and owns a stakes win in the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville in 2019.

“She's a pretty good horse and reminds me of some other talented horses I've had,” Brown said. “We did this with Antonoe, going from an allowance at Keeneland to the Just a Game, which she won. She's pretty good and we're lucky to have her. I think she's lined up for a good one.

“Interestingly, she shipped over last year to run in the Saratoga Oaks and she had an issue out of quarantine where she needed some time off,” Brown continued. “Fortunately, the team at Juddmonte did a fantastic job and sent her back to us this winter all healed up and healthy. We did our normal move, like (Bobby) Frankel would have done, which is take our time, find an allowance at Keeneland and then go from there. As impressive as she was in that race, she's come out of it and even taken it up another notch in her workouts. She's been exceptional.”

The three who finished directly astern Blowout in the Distaff Turf Mile—R Unicorn Stable's New York Girl [post 12, Junior Alvarado], Heider Family Stables' Zofelle [post 1, Tyler Gaffalione] and Apogee Racing's Abscond [post 7, Joel Rosario]—will hope to extinguish said rival this time around.

Joseph Imbesi's Sweet Bye and Bye [post 2, Jose Lezcano]—second in the Grade 3 Marshua's River in January to Zofelle—is cross-entered in Thursday's Intercontinental, while Repole Stable's Always Shopping [post 5, Hall of Famer John Velazquez] is cross-entered in Friday's Grade 2 New York.

Jim and Susan Hill's multiple Grade 1-placed Daddy Is a Legend [post 3, Manny Franco], who owns the highest Beyer Speed Figure in the field [102], looks to improve upon her third-place finish in this event in 2019.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday through Saturday, June 5, culminating with the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown. First post on Belmont Stakes Day is 11:35 a.m. Eastern

The Just a Game is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 13-race card.

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That’s certainly a plausible inference, looking at the latest Grade I event staged on American turf. Of the seven fillies and mares contesting the Just A Game S. at Belmont on Saturday, four were bred in Europe; and three of those also started their track careers there. Moreover the solitary American winner at Royal Ascot was actually bred and raised in Ireland, and exported only last fall from Tattersalls.

It stands to reason, of course, if European blood tends to appear more effective on “the weeds”. Turf, or a synthetic variant, is the theater of operation for just about every Thoroughbred over there. Little wonder if raiders from their elite have such a good record on grass at the Breeders’ Cup, taking on horses drawn from what is generally perceived to be a lesser caste of the indigenous population.

Sure enough, I see horses running every week in Europe that would elevate their earnings and breeding profile in North America. Nonetheless I feel that the success of European imports–whether purchased in training like Uni (GB) (More Than Ready); or acquired in their youth like Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire})–needs to be placed in due perspective. Because there’s no doubt in my mind that European breeders are suffering by their wilful neglect of American bloodlines.

Yes, all credit to those American scouts who found these Just A Game protagonists. And hats off to Wesley Ward, his patrons at Stonestreet Stables and agent Ben McElroy, who found G2 Queen Mary S. winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the consignment of breeder Tally-Ho Stud at the October Sale for 190,000gns.

But their expertise should not diminish those other performances that actually gave American blood a “sneaky-good” week at Ascot–even though the weather, conspiring with the melancholy ambience of the pandemic, had produced conditions inimical to horses purportedly adapted to fast going.

Remember that a culpable insularity in the European market over recent years duly resulted in a very sparse representation, through the week, of American bloodlines. In most races, especially over routes of ground, there was none whatsoever. Yet such few bullets as were fired repeatedly circled the bull’s-eye.

At Group 1 level, Kimari (Munnings) was an excellent second in the Commonwealth Cup; likewise another sophomore filly, Sharing (Speightstown), in the Coronation S. Two sons of Uncle Mo lined up for the G2 Norfolk S.: one, Golden Pal, travelled best but was just worried out of it, by a neck, in the dead ground; the other missed the break but finished well for fourth. A similar credit goes to Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) in the G3 Jersey S., having made a scything move from last to first before just being clawed back in the cloying final strides.

Though running in the silks of partner Peter Brant, who bought him with M.V. Magnier as a yearling, Monarch of Egypt modelled the latest solution to what is an increasing challenge to his trainer’s patrons at Coolmore. For his dam, the Classic-placed Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), typifies the saturation of the farm’s broodmare band by its epoch-making champion sire. As a fresh outcross option, there has been an extra premium on American Pharoah’s strong start in grass racing.

Hitherto Coolmore’s investment in War Front has been as effective as anything–perhaps bar their own, lamented Scat Daddy–and the latest reward is Chesham S. winner Battleground. He’s the first foal out of one of Galileo’s very best daughters, Found (Ire). (Britannia H. third Cherokee Trail, incidentally, represents the same formula, being by War Front out of a smart Galileo {Ire} mare.)

I’d say that’s a pretty creditable effort, in the circumstances. In fact, for so small a group to figure so prominently on soft turf should encourage people to reconsider their assumptions about the eligibility of American bloodlines for different environments.

All pedigrees tend to be read too prescriptively. It always makes me smile when trainers, asked how a horse might handle a novel surface, reply that “the sire acted on it so we should be okay”. Yes, a stallion may sometimes replicate mechanics that are effective in certain conditions (which is presumably why we do get some legible statistical trends). But quite apart from the dam’s equal contribution to build and movement, you would think that staring intently at the same horse striding out every morning might be a better place to start.

Anyway the fact is that many perceived aptitudes, in terms of racing surface, are self-fulfilling. Don’t worry, I’m not going to reiterate for the umpteenth time how many “dirt” bloodlines only need opportunity to transfer their dynamism to turf, and vice versa. But carrying speed is said to be a dirt hallmark. And I don’t know a horseman anywhere who wouldn’t like a fast horse who can keep going fast. (That’s the whole point of Epsom, after all: next Saturday you’ll need a horse round there that has all bases covered.)

There’s no doubt that the overwhelming hegemony of Galileo and his sons (plus Urban Sea’s other great son Sea The Stars {Ire}) in elite European racing beyond a mile has obtained a somewhat self-sustaining quality, with commercial breeders washing their hands of stamina influences and instead seeking sanctuary in sharp and early sprint sires. These stallions do not have the slightest pretension to getting you a Classic winner.

Typically, the precious few who do try to stem the Ballydoyle tide in Classics are owner-breeders. And they have actually been well rewarded for doing so. For one thing, even if they stick to what they know, they can still get to Enable (GB)’s sire Nathaniel (Ire), himself a son of Galileo, for no more than £25,000. But who can say what their pathetic lack of enterprise is costing the premier European stables, farther afield? As it is, David Redvers has been able to buy champion Roaring Lion and now 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko–both, of course, sons of Kitten’s Joy–for an aggregate of just $250,000.

I am absolutely certain that their sire is just one example of the neglected Classic potential available to European operations on the American marketplace. And that’s because, in polar contrast to the gross caricature that somehow retains currency among European horsemen who should know better, American commercial breeders are still dedicated to the Classic grail. Yes, they want speed; but they want speed that will last two turns on the first Saturday in May.

One of the most prominent (and therefore, presumably, one of the most affluent) agents in Europe once told me that he never goes to Keeneland because American breeders are only interested in speed. I merely smirked to myself. I should have laughed in his face. Because really it’s disgusting that someone in his position doesn’t understand how many Kentucky stallions could give his clients’ mares a chance to break the Ballydoyle and/or Urban Sea monopolies at Epsom.

In recent times, it has instead been American professionals who have shown a wholesome spirit of adventure, whether at Royal Ascot or Tattersalls. Yet they, in turn, should think carefully about the kind of variegation they want to import from the European gene pool.

Bravo to those who have taken the logical next step, after seeing the success of horses bought off the track in Europe, by trying to recruit them less expensively at source. But if unearthing a Royal Ascot juvenile is a challenging commission, then let’s not forget that it’s pretty much the same one that has caused this worrying imbalance in European commercial breeding.

The rags-to-riches story of Campanelle’s sire is a phenomenal one; and he has been supervised by a family of horsemen touched by genius. But for every Kodiac (GB) or Dark Angel (Ire), commercial farms have flooded the market with a score of cheap imitations. And even the biggest fan of Kodiac–and there are now more than ever, after his staggering new exploit in hoarding three Group sprints on the final day of Ascot–will struggle to acclaim him as any kind of Classic influence.

European breeders trade gratefully on the heritage of Royal Ascot, and are duly profiting from transatlantic competition for yearlings that might have the zip to run there the following June. But American breeders should recognize that the authentic family silver of the European gene pool, which could certainly serve their broodmare bands, is housed in a different cabinet.

Certainly it would be unfortunate if Europe’s commercial toxins were now to contaminate the enduring strengths of the American Thoroughbred as well.

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“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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Owned by Heider Family Stables, Zofelle was third, beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Mint Julep on May 30 at Churchill Downs, where she broke from the outside, tracked the pace in third and maintained her position down the stretch while in pursuit, but was unable to hold off the late charge of Secret Message and stablemate La Signare.

Zofelle joined Walsh's barn last fall after racing in Great Britain for Hugo Palmer and won her first three North American starts for the trainer, two of which were at a mile, including a stakes win in the Pago Hop on December 28 at Fair Grounds.

Notching a victory in Saturday's race will be no easy task, as she will have to face Breeders' Cup winners Newspaperofrecord and Uni. Zofelle is 12-1 on the Just A Game morning line.

“It's a tough race, but it will suit her well. She's training well and I think that she'll run well,” Walsh said.

Bred in Ireland by Fullbury and Minch Bloodstock, Zofelle is out of the Galileo broodmare Height of Elegance, who is a half-sister to Group 1-winner Sequoyah – the dam of Irish champion Henrythenavigator. She also comes from the same family as 2013 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Magician.

Walsh said he plans on running La Signare, who won the 2018 Grade 3 Wonder Again at Belmont, in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland following a runner-up effort in the Mint Julep. The French-bred daughter of Siyouni beat Zofelle two starts back in the Sand Springs at Gulfstream Park.

“She's doing well, and we have the Jenny Wiley under consideration,” Walsh said. “We're lucky to have two very nice fillies. Hopefully, they can hold their own against Grade 1 company.”

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The one-mile event for fillies and mares is one of four graded stakes events carded for Saturday afternoon's action packed program at beautiful Belmont Park, which also features the Grade 2, $250,000 New York at 1 ¼ miles on Belmont Park's inner turf; the Grade 2, $150,000 True North, for 4-year-olds and up going 6 ½ furlongs, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Vagrancy for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up contesting at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.

Brown has saddled Antonoe (2017), A Raving Beauty (2018) and Rushing Fall (2019) to victory in the past three editions of the Just a Game, which is named in honor of Peter Brant's six-time graded stakes winning filly who was named Champion Grass Mare in 1980.

Defending Champion Turf Mare Uni 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, where she became the sixth female to score a win in the race.

Uni, whose last eight starts took place at the Just a Game's distance, is a three-time Grade 1-winner with all three victories at such caliber taking place over different surfaces. Following a win in the Grade 1 Matriarch in December 2018 at Del Mar, where she made up 19 lengths, Uni secured a victory in the Grade 1 First Lady in October at Keeneland en route to her Breeders' Cup Mile triumph.

“She's doing well,” Brown said. “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 began her career in France for former conditioner Fabrice Chappet and has placed in 11 of her 12 starts in the United States for Brown.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Robert LaPenta, Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners and Michael Caruso's Bethlehem Stables, Uni has won at six different tracks in the United States and boasts the highest amount of lifetime earnings in the field with $2,347,880.

Uni is bred in Great Britain by Haras D'Etreham and is out of the Dansili broodmare Unaided.

Jockey Joel Rosario has been aboard for her last six outings and will pilot once more from post 6.

Owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, 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 recording a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 4-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega made amends from a disappointing 3-year-old campaign where she went winless in three starts. Newspaperofrecord began her career with an unscathed 2-year-old campaign, which included victories in a Saratoga turf maiden event, the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs by a combined 20 lengths.

“She's doing fine,” Brown said. “She seems very settled in the mornings. 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.”

Favored in all seven of her career starts, Newspaperofrecord boasts a 7-4-2-0 record, with all four of her victories taking place over yielding turf courses.
Bred in Ireland by Times of Wigan, Newspaperofrecord is out of the Holy Roman Emperor broodmare Sunday Times.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has been aboard for all of her starts and will return to the irons from post 4.

Rounding out the Brown threesome is Paul Pompa, Jr.'s dual graded stakes-winner Regal Glory. The 4-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom was second to Newspaperofrecord in the Intercontinental last out in her first start of the year. Her summer at Saratoga last year was a prosperous one as she took the Grade 3 Lake George over stablemates Blowout and Dogtag and followed up with a win in the Grade 2 Lake Placid over good ground, where she dead-heated for victory alongside Varenka.

Regal Glory has never finished worse than second in eight of her nine career starts. Her lone off the board effort was when she stretched out to a mile and an eighth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland finishing sixth beaten four lengths to stable mate Cambier Parc.

“A mile is a good distance for her. It's a big step up for her, but hopefully can grab a piece of it,” Brown said.

A Kentucky homebred, Regal Glory is out of the dual turf graded stakes winning More Than Ready broodmare Mary's Follies who also produced multiple graded stakes-winner Night Prowler and unbeaten Japanese group stakes winner Café Pharoah.

Breaking from post 5, Regal Glory will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Looking to make amends after three losses in 2020 is Gary Barber's two-time Grade 1-winner Got Stormy who will attempt to put her best foot forward for trainer Mark Casse, who saddled 2015 Champion Turf Female Tepin to victory in the Just a Game five years ago.

The daughter of Get Stormy was a hard-fought second to Uni in the Breeders' Cup Mile and recorded six straight triple-digit speed figures last season, including a 109 from her victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga against males.

The chestnut mare arrives off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont Park, which came after finishing second beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.

Jockey Luis Saez will be aboard Got Stormy from post 2.

Trainer Brad Cox sends out last year's runner-up Beau Recall who will try to move forward off a ninth-place finish in the Grade 3 Mint Julep on May 30 at Churchill Downs.

The daughter of Sir Prancealot won the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar last season.
Jockey Jose Ortiz will be aboard from post 1.

Rounding out the field are Valedictorian [post 3, Jose Lezcano] and Zofelle [post 7, Javier Castellano].

The post Brown Enters Three In Pursuit Of Fourth Straight Just A Game Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The acclaimed national telecast will air Thursday through Sunday on FS1, FS2 and MSG+ for a combined 20 1/2 hours of television coverage, highlighted on Saturday by a blockbuster day of stakes races from around the country.

Stakes action takes centerstage on Saturday at Belmont Park, anchored by the 27th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Just a Game for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going one mile on the turf. Saturday coverage from Belmont will include a pair of Grade 2 races – the $250,000 New York for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) at 1 ¼ miles on the turf and the $150,000 True North for 4-year-olds & up at 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt – as well as the Grade 3 $100,000 Vagrancy Handicap for 3-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) at 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt.

Churchill Downs closes out its 38-day spring meet with two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” qualifying races, the Grade 2, $500,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster for 4-year-olds & up going 1-1/8 miles, which offers an expenses-paid berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic to the race winner; and the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles, which grants a place in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Both Breeders Cup races will be on November 7 at Keeneland.

Grade 1-winner Tom's d'Etat will take on multiple graded-stakes winners By My Standards and Owendale in Saturday's 39th running of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster.

Featured in the 45th running of the Fleur de Lis – which means “Flower of the Lily” and honors the French symbol incorporated into the city of Louisville's Flag – will be the U.S. return of 2019 Champion Older Female Midnight Bisou taking on 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress.

Closing day at Churchill Downs will also include the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret for sophomore fillies and the Grade 3, $100,000 Bashford Manor for juvenile sprinters.

The week's stakes schedule kicks off on Thursday at Belmont Park with the 8th running of the $80,000 Easy Goer for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Looking to extend his two victories in his first two career starts in his stakes debut will be Calumet Farm's Casino Grande, a Kentucky homebred, trained by Christophe Clement.

Highlighting Friday's racing from Belmont Park will be the inaugural running of the $75,000 Hessonite for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going six furlongs on the turf. Sunday's stakes race at Belmont will be the 43rd running of the $100,000 Bouwerie for 3-year-old New York fillies going seven furlongs on the dirt.

This week's America's Day at the Races schedule:

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, June 25:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Friday, June 26:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Saturday. June 27:
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (FS2)
3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

Sunday, June 28:
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel, which boasts more than 40,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a number of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

America's Day at the Races is presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy, and Claiborne Farm. This weekend's broadcast team includes Greg Wolf, Andy Serling, Maggie Wolfendale, Richard Migliore, Acacia Courtney and Jonathon Kinchen.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of the Belmont spring/summer meet available to customers across the United States. In addition to a host of weekly special offers, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 deposit match bonus to new members.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at NYRA Bets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet.

For further details on the new member bonus, visit NYRABets.com/#sign-up-bonus.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The 2020 Belmont spring/summer meet continues through Sunday, July 12. Live racing is offered Thursday through Sunday with a first post of 1:15 p.m. The 25-day meet features 22 graded stakes and 40 stakes races in total worth $7 million in purses.

The post Stephen Foster, Ohio Derby Take Center Stage On America’s Day At The Races Broadcast appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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