NYRA Moves Sunday’s Glen Cove S. and Knickerbocker S. To Next Week With Rain Coming

Due to inclement weather forecast late Saturday and into Sunday, NYRA has moved Sunday's $125k Glen Cove S. to Thursday, Oct. 19 and also the GIII Knickerbocker S. to Friday, Oct. 20, the track said via a tweet Thursday afternoon.

Both races open to original nominations and supplements with the Glen Cove to be drawn this Saturday and the Knickerbocker on Sunday. The GII Sands Point S. is still scheduled for early on the card this Saturday before the rain arrives.

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United Returns For Title Defense In John Henry Turf Championship

One of the top turf horses in the nation over the past three years, Richard Mandella's United is back to defend his title in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship as he heads a strong field of 13 three-year-olds and up going a mile and one quarter.

Dating back to his win in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes in July of 2020, United has settled into an eight-race pattern in which he's won every other start. With a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 21 coming on the heels of a neck victory in the Eddie Read on July 24, Mandella is hoping the win-lose-win pattern holds on Saturday.

Ridden by Flavien Prat in all but two of his 18 starts with Mandella, United will again be partnered with French-born superstar in the John Henry as he readies for a third try in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6.

In an old school move, Mandella had United blow out three furlongs this morning in a bullet 36.40. Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United is a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway. With five wins from 11 starts over the Santa Anita lawn, including a head defeat in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf, United is 21-9-4-1 overall with earnings of $1,693,549.

In what will be his fourth start for Peter Miller, Neptune's Storm comes off a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile and although he's in good form, he'll be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time. Second, beaten a half length as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade III American Stakes at one mile on turf three races back on June 20, this 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding took the one mile turf restricted Wickerr in gate to wire fashion two starts back on July 18.

Owned by CYBT, Saul Gervertz, Lynn Goetz, Michael Nentwig and David Weiner, Neptune's Storm is a two-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $936,485 from an overall mark of 22-7-4-6.

In his first start for trainer Michael McCarthy, Chilean-bred Master Piece rallied from far off the pace to finish second, beaten a half length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf and would benefit greatly from some fast early fractions on Saturday.

Front-running California-bred Acclimate tired late to finish a close third in the Del Mar Handicap, his lone start since winning the marathon Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at a mile and three quarters on turf here June 19. Trained by Phil D'Amato, this 7-year-old gelding by Acclamation, who was a close second in the 2019 John Henry, appears at the top of his game and could pose an elusive target with Ricky Gonzalez back aboard.

THE GRADE 2 JOHN HENRY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

  1. Award Winner—Kyle Frey—126
  2. Camino Del Paraiso—Abel Cedillo—124
  3. Neptune's Storm—Florent Geroux—124
  4. United—Flavien Prat—126
  5. Ready Soul—John Velazquez–122
  6. Acclimate—Ricky Gonzalez—124
  7. Master Piece—Drayden Van Dyke—122
  8. Count of Amazonia—Victor Espinoza—122
  9. Media Blitz—Juan Hernandez—122
  10. Red King—Joe Bravo—122
  11. Cupid's Claws—Mike Smith—122
  12. Friar's Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
  13. K P All Systems Go—Tyler Baze–122

The John Henry is one of five stakes on Saturday's 11-race card with post time at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

 

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Pacific Classic Day Figures To Be Busy One For Michael McCarthy

Trainer Mike McCarthy has four of his own charges to saddle in three of the five graded stakes on Saturday's $1 million TVG Pacific Classic card in Del Mar, Calif. – and one extra.

McCarthy has multiple graded stakes winner Smooth Like Strait, the 9-5 second choice to 8-5 favorite Mo Forza in the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Mile, the seventh race on the program. He has Independence Hall (5-1) and former boss Todd Pletcher's Dr Post (4-1) to take care of in the G1 Pacific Classic. And he'll end the busy day with two to saddle, Crossfirehurricane (30-1) and Master Piece (15-1) in the G2 Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association, which is the nightcap of an 11-race program.

For most of the build-up to the Classic, it appeared that Independence Hall would not be a participant. The Charles Town Classic on Aug. 27 was considered the destination for the 4-year-old son of Constitution.

But things changed.

“We decided to run him right out of his stall rather than ship across country,” McCarthy said. “He's a horse that has a lot of ability and he's trained well up to this point. We'll lead him over and hope for the best. It's a great position (No. 7) and hopefully we get a good break and take it from there.”

Two late changes, announced at the post position draw, worth noting: Florent Geroux replacing the originally announced Trevor McCarthy in the saddle and the addition of blinkers.

McCarthy, an assistant to Pletcher for 11 ½ years before going out on his own, has had Dr Post in his stable since the horse's arrival from Saratoga on Tuesday and will do the saddling duties. Pletcher, recently recovered from a bout of COVID, will remain in New York.

Dr Post, a 4-year-old son of Quality Road who was a $400,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, has nearly doubled his purchase price with four wins from nine career starts. He has two G3 wins from three 2021 starts. His only loss came in the G1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap.

Pletcher's entire previous Del Mar experience came during the 2017 Breeders' Cup when he had one win and five out-of-the-money results from six starters and left with earnings of $144,345. Destin got Pletcher's crew off to a good start winning the Marathon, but a fifth-place from March X Press in the Juvenile Turf Sprint was the best from five other starters.

McCarthy's Smooth Like Strait is nearing millionaire status with $983,823 from seven wins in 16 lifetime starts entering the Del Mar Mile. The 4-year-old son of Midnight Lute won the G3 La Jolla Handicap and was second in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar in 2020 and was second, beaten a neck by United, in the G2 Eddie Read on July 24.

“I thought he was a little unlucky in the Eddie Read, but he came out of it good and has trained well,” McCarthy said. “This is obviously an excellent race, a strong field, but he likes Del Mar and gives a good effort every time.”

Crossfirehurricane was imported from Ireland and made his U.S. debut for McCarthy in the Shoemaker that was won by stablemate Smooth Like Strait in May. Having some time to acclimate to new surroundings and going from a mile race to the 1 3/8 miles of the Del Mar Handicap should be more to the Kitten's Joy colt's liking.

“He needs to have some pace to run at and obviously he's going to get that,” McCarthy said.

Master Piece is a newcomer to the McCarthy barn, having made his first four U.S. starts since arrival from South America for trainer Chad Brown in the Midwest or East.

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Brown Plans Next Starts For Domestic Spending, Devamani

Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan last out, was one of multiple horses to breeze over the inner turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny. for trainer Chad Brown on Sunday morning.

The 4-year-old son of Kingman went a half-mile in company with multiple graded stakes-placed Rockemperor, completing his four-furlong move in :49.75 over the firm turf.

“He worked in company with Rockemperor just stretching his legs,” Brown said. “He went an easy half-mile and I just wanted to get him out there and assess him. It was a very routine work. He looks super.”

Prior to capturing the Manhattan over good turf on June 5, Domestic Spending dead-heated for victory with Colonel Liam in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

In the Manhattan, Domestic Spending was 11 lengths back on the backstretch before displaying a devastating turn-of-foot to gun down graded stakes-winning stablemate Tribhuvan, winning by 2 3/4-lengths.

Brown said Domestic Spending remains on target for the Grade 1, $600,000 Mister D Stakes, formerly known as the Arlington Million, on August 14 at Arlington Park.

Also on the work tab was Master Piece, who finished a late-closing sixth in the Manhattan and went a half-mile in :48.62.

“He's looking for firm ground. I'm thinking about running him in the [$500,000 Grade 1] United Nations [on July 17 at Monmouth Park].”

Brown said he will be hoping for a better performance next out from Juddmonte's Pocket Square, who finished fifth as the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game Stakes on June 5.

The daughter of Night of Thunder blitzed through a half-mile with a bullet work in :48.05 – the fastest of 18 recorded works at the distance. She will be pointed for the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Ny.

“Going into the Just a Game, she missed her final work with the rainstorms. I wasn't able to get a few horses there that weekend,” Brown said. “In hindsight, it really affected her. She was flat in her race, and I think it was because of missing a work. I'm inclined to draw a line through that race and point her to the Diana.”

Brown would be targeting a sixth straight Diana victory having won the past five with Dacita [2016], Lady Eli [2017], Sistercharlie [2018-19], and Rushing Fall [2020].

Michael Dubb, Sandford Goldfarb, and Samuel Abraham's Devamani logged his first work since capturing the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on June 5, traveling a half-mile in :48.75. He made his 2021 debut off nearly seven month's rest, running fourth in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes on May 1 at Belmont Park.

Brown said the $100,000 Oceanport Stakes on August 8 at Monmouth Park is among a number of potential targets.

“He's the kind of horse who benefits from a race to kind of get in form,” said Brown. “He looks fine. Not exactly sure what we're going to do with him next. Going back to Monmouth for the Oceanport is one idea. We'll also look at some other spots.”

Brown said undefeated Chilean-bred Breakpoint is nearing a North American debut. The son of Constitution is a two-time Group 1 winner in his native country and worked five furlongs in 1:00.60.

“He's getting close to his first start,” Brown said. “We're looking for a spot with him. He's very close to getting started. He seems like a steady horse in his works.”

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Iris Smith Stables, and Rigney Racing's Minaun, an allowance winner going six furlongs on April 30, went five furlongs in 1:00.90 in preparation for the $100,000 Wild Applause on June 26 at Belmont Park.

The bay sophomore daughter of Zoffany won the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes last July in her native Ireland in her start prior to her first North American engagement.

“Her form looks good. She shouldn't have any trouble with the mile. She wouldn't mind some cut in the ground,” Brown said.

Brown noted that Mike Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley's Higher Truth will target the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, first leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies, on July 10.

The bay Galileo filly broke her maiden at 1 ¼ miles on April 22 over the inner turf, defeating next-out winner Community Adjusted, and then defeated winners at the same distance on June 10.

“She's got a pair of mile-and-a-quarter wins,” Brown said. “She doesn't have any stakes credentials so she's going to have to get into the field. If she does, I think she fits with those horses.”

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