With the U.S. Triple Crown season in the books, the focus of the horse racing world shifts on a dime – or in this case, ten pence – across the pond for one of the most prestigious events on the annual calendar. The five-day Royal Ascot meet begins Tuesday, June 14, at gorgeous Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England.
Tag: Racing
Jimmy Toner Rolling The Dice With Turf Newcomer Commandeer In Monmouth Stakes
In a field filled with accomplished turf runners – four of the six have at least 14 career starts on the grass – trainer Jimmy Toner's Commandeer is a bit of an outlier in Saturday's Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The 5-year-old gelding will be making just his second lifetime start on the grass, doing so a little less than two months after his first try on the surface.
“I always wanted to try him on grass,” said Toner. “I always felt he would handle the turf. But he did win on the dirt so it wasn't a desperation move where we had to try him on grass.
“I just felt in the back of my mind if there was a chance to try him on turf I wouldn't hesitate.”
That opportunity came in Commandeer's 2023 debut at Keeneland on April 20, when he stormed home at odds of 31-1 to get second, beaten a neck after stumbling at the start, in an 11-horse field going a mile and a sixteenth.
The $150,000 Monmouth Stakes, one of four stakes races on the 14-race Haskell Preview Day card, is at a mile and an eighth and is headed by the Chad Brown-trained Tribhuivan, a multiple Grade 1 winner. Tribhuvan has not raced since Aug. 27, however.
“It's a good field with some very good turf horses. But it's a small field so why not take a shot?” said Toner. “I think off his last effort he is entitled to try a graded stakes on the grass. I'll see what I have tomorrow.”
Toner took over training for the son of Street Boss-Gozlan by Tiznow six starts ago. After winning his first two starts for Toner, Commandeer was off the board in a pair of graded stakes. But all of those efforts were on the dirt.
“I really wanted to get him on the grass last year but he had foot issues and only made three starts,” said Toner. “I worked him at Palm Meadows on the grass and I was very encouraged with the way he breezed. So I thought, 'ok, we can try the grass now.' ”
Toner, who has leading rider Paco Lopez listed for the mount, said Commandeer's grass debut validated his belief in having the AJ Suited Racing Stable charge on the new surface.
“Considering it was a tough field I was happy with the way he ran (at Keeneland),” said Toner. “I expected him to run well. I was looking for a good effort. But I was surprised he ran as good as he did, don't get me wrong – especially after he stumbled badly at the start. So it was really encouraging.”
Though Commandeer came from far off the pace in his grass debut, Toner said that was a byproduct of the start, not the horse's running style.
“He's adaptable,” he said. “He didn't break well. That's why he was last. He stumbled badly coming out of the gate. But he has tactical speed. You can put him where you want him to be.”
The Monmouth Stakes serves as the local prep for the Grade 1, $600,000 United Nations on Haskell Day. The Saturday card also features the Pegasus Stakes for 3-year-olds, the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth on the grass and the Grade 3 Salvator Mile.
First race post time is 12:40 p.m.
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Breeders’ Cup Challenge: High-Class Field Lines Up For Grande Premio Brasil
Led by Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, G1) winner Raptor's (BRZ) and multiple Group stakes-winning mare High Wire (BRZ), both trained by Luis Esteves, a field 18 runners, including seven Group 1 winners, has been entered in the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) June 18 at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro. The winner of Sunday's 1 1/2-mile race will earn an automatic starting position into the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
Now in its 16th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Raptor's, a 3-year-old Haras Do Morro homebred by Hat Trick (JPN), made his biggest career score last time out at Gavea. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite April 16 in the 1 1/2-mile Brazilian Derby, Raptor's took command on the turn for home and powered to a 4 3/4-length victory over To Sir With Love (BRZ) for his first career Group 1 win. Raptor's earned his first Group stakes win by taking the 1-mile Frederico Lundgren (G3) at Gavea last December. He started in two other Group 1 events this year at Gavea, finishing second Feb. 12 by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1-mile Estadio do Rio de Janeiro, and fourth March 12 in the 1 1/4-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado.
High Wire has dominated female competition at Gavea, winning five of her last six starts for Stud HRN, all at the 1 1/4 mile distance. A 4-year-old by Agnes Gold (JPN) out of the English Channel mare Fly by Wire (BRZ), she has 8 wins from 19 starts. As the odds-on favorite in her first two outings this year, High Wire won a March 12 stakes race by 7 3/4 lengths and followed up that performance with a 5 1/2-length win in the April 12 Riboletta (G3) over a heavy course. Should her connections decide not to challenge males on Sunday, High Wire has also been entered in the Grand Premio Roberto and Nelson Seabra (G1) on Saturday at Gavea.
Esteves has entered three more Grande Premio Brasil starters, including Stud Verde's 4-year-old Online (BRZ), who has also won his last three starts. A mark of versatility and consistency, this son of Agnes Gold has won seven races at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/2 miles, and has finished in the money in eight of his last nine starts. His only off the board finish came in last year's Grande Premio Brasil, when he trailed the field of 10 runners. Online won his first Group 1 in March of 2022, taking the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado at Gavea. This year he has earned two minor stakes victories at 1 mile and at 12 furlongs, the latter a 2 3/4-length win over Jet Class (BRZ) April 16 at Gavea.
Esteves's two other starters are Stud HRN's 5-year-old Olympic Kremlin (BRZ), who won the 2021 Cruzeiro do Sul (G1), and Stud Red Rafa's 5-year-old Osprey (BRZ), runner-up in the May 21 Nove de Maio (G2) over the course and 1 1/2-mile distance.
Haras Phillipson's veteran 6-year-old Nao Da Mais (BRZ), making his 31st start, has raced in Argentina, Brazil, England, and France. Trained by Antonio Barbosa, the son of T.A. Approval has won four Group 1 stakes, the biggest of them being the 2019 Carlos Pellegrini-International (G1) in Argentina. After racing in England in 2022, Nao Da Mais made his return race in Brazil May 7 at Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, finishing second by a nose to Doutor Sureno (BRZ) in the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Sao Paolo (G1). He has won six of 19 starts on turf.
Stud Angel's 4-year-old King Four (BRZ) will be trying the turf again after making his last six starts on dirt. Trained by Estanislau Petrochinski, King Four has a strong American racing connection. His sire, Siphon (BRZ), won eight races in the United States, including the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally. His broodmare sire, Val Royal (FR), won the 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). King Four won his seventh race in his 2023 debut May 7, taking the listed 1 3/8-mile Delegacoes Turfisticas at Cidade Jardim.
Haras Doce Vale's homebred To Sir With Love, a 3-year-old by My Cherie Amour (BRZ), has finished first or second in his last four races, and has made all eight of his starts at Gavea. Trained by Venancio Nahid, To Sir With Love will be trying Group 1 competition for the sixth time. To Sir With Love broke his maiden at 7 furlongs last May, and won again in the 1 1/4-mile Sandpit (G3) in November. He opened 2023 with a 5-length stakes win Feb. 5 going 10 furlongs, and then was second March 12 in the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) before his runner-up finish to Raptor's in the Cruzeiro do Sul.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Grande Premio Brasil to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita Park. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.
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‘We Have Come Here To Win’: George Weaver’s Juveniles No Nay Mets, Crimson Advocate Ready For Royal Ascot
A handful of US raiders targeting Royal Ascot were also on show at the National Stud Friday morning, including Classic Causeway (Kenneth McPeek) who is set to run in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes and George Weaver's two juveniles, No Nay Mets and Crimson Advocate.
G2 Norfolk Stakes contender No Nay Mets is a son of 2013 Norfolk Stakes winner No Nay Never and is entered in the Goffs London Sale on Monday. He made an impressive debut in a Royal Ascot qualifier at Gulfstream Park last month.
Weaver's assistant Blair Golen said: “Since he has been here, No Nay Mets has settled in nicely. We have just been getting him accustomed to things. Everything we run on in America is pretty much flat, so we have been taking him out on the seven-furlong stretch here to get him used to things.
“We have come here to win. In American racing, there is very rarely a big field, so that is a big challenge. Luckily, we have Frankie Dettori riding him and, if anybody knows how to ride the course, it is definitely him. So I think that is to our advantage. It means everything to have him riding and, if that makes Wesley Ward jealous, then even better!”
No Nay Mets is owned by Alex Bregman, the Houston Astros All Star third baseman, who heads Bregman Family Racing LLC.
Crimson Advocate seized complete command of Gulfstream Park's Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies on May 13, giving trainer George Weaver a sweep of the two Royal Ascot qualifying stakes. The daughter of Nyquist ran five furlongs over a firm turf in :56.25 after setting fractions of :21.83 and :44.42 for the first half mile, earning the privilege of accompanying stablemate No Nay Mets to Royal Ascot.
“I always said after I went to Ascot the first time it would be nice to go back with someone who has a chance to win and both of these horses look like they do,” Weaver said after his wins on May 13. “They have that early speed. I do need to look at the menu before picking out a race although I'd like to keep both of them at five-eighths if we can.”
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