Making the Grade, which will run through the 2020 Triple Crown races, focuses on the winners or top performers of the key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could make an impact on the Triple Crown. We’ll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner, trainer, jockey), and pedigree.
Tag: Racing
Road to the Breeders’ Cup: Challenge Series Resumes with Haskell Stakes
After a two-week break, the Road to the Breeders’ Cup resumes on Saturday with a significant prep at the Jersey Shore anchoring the weekend's stakes activity, which has been adjusted somewhat compared with previous years due to changing track schedules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elkhorn Winner Zulu Alpha Will Defend His Title In Kentucky Downs’ Turf Cup
Zulu Alpha continues to make a case as America's best turf horse at 1 1/2 miles, his three wins in four starts including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf. Trainer Mike Maker brought the gelding into Sunday's G2 Elkhorn at Keeneland off a 3 1/2-month layoff. After getting squeezed at the start, Zulu Alpha found himself well off the slow pace set by Postulation but closed strongly under Tyler Gaffalione to win by three-quarters of a length.
His next start will be defense of his 2019 victory in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, followed by the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, a race in which Zulu Alpha finished fourth last year at Santa Anita.
“He's had his vacation and Mike's handled him phenomenally as far as his development and progression,” said owner Michael Hui. “This was the first step back, and he passed.”
The owner said not to forget Parlor, an $80,000 claim in March who finished second in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile.
“You were about two inches from a Grade 1,” Hui said. “That was a tremendous high watching Parlor take the lead in the stretch…. It was like 'no, no, no!' And Parlor got the perfect bob and still didn't get it. But that bodes well for Kentucky Downs, because his next start will be the Tourist Mile.”
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America’s Best Horses for July 13
Each week members of the media around the country vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown and Kentucky Oaks trails in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Find out the latest 2020 top 3-year-old rankings below. AMERICA'S TOP THOROUGHBREDS as of July 13
