Tag: Weekend Lineup

This weekend's graded stakes action is highlighted by a pair of Grade 1 races for sophomore fillies, the Alabama on dirt at Saratoga and the Del Mar Oaks on turf at Del Mar. The filly trend continues on Sunday in the $1 million Queen's Plate, in which Woodbine Oaks winner Moira will take on 10 male rivals in the Canadian-bred feature.

The Alabama features the third meeting between Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath and CCA Oaks winner Nest, this time over 1 1/4 miles. Nest appears to be on the top of her game, but a better race setup could help Secret Oath rise to the top.

Graham Motion's Royal Ascot runner-up Spendarella is the undeniable favorite for the Del Mar Oaks, despite a 14-horse lineup in the nine-furlong turf contest. The talented filly shipped West earlier this week and has been said to be settling in well.

Sunday's highlight is the Queen's Plate, drawing a field of 11 Ontario-bred sophomores to challenge for the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Also worth noting that Saturday's cards feature a couple big days for smaller tracks: the $250,000 St. Louis Derby at the former Fairmount Park, and the G3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:

Saturday

4:26 p.m. – Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga

With The Moonlight will look to build upon a strong win in the G3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational as she returns just 13 days later in the Lake Placid. The Lake Placid will mark the third American start for the daughter of Frankel.

Chad Brown has four chances to secure a fourth win in this event as he sends out Consumer Spending, Dolce Zel, Eminent Victor and Haughty.

Lake Placid Entries

5:35 p.m. – Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga

Sophomore filly division leaders Nest and Secret Oath will go head-to-head for the third time this year, and second time this meet, in the Alabama. Both Nest and Secret Oath boast one victory over the other. After Secret Oath bested Nest in the G1 Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs, the latter turned the tables on her foe in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at Saratoga.

Like Nest, Secret Oath also contested colts on the Triple Crown trail when running a troubled fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 21 at Pimlico following her Kentucky Oaks conquest. She was brushed at the break and checked approaching the first turn before launching a wide a bid around the far turn, but flattened out in mid-stretch. Secret Oath fell victim to another unfavorable trip in the CCA Oaks, where she was four-wide down the backstretch and moved a path wide into the far turn. Despite drifting in at the eighth pole, she still managed to hold place honors.

Alabama Entries

8:34 p.m. – Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at Del Mar

The bay filly Spendarella will be racing on her fourth different turf track Saturday in only her fifth start, but the way she's handled the traveling and racing so far in her brief career there's little doubt she's the one to beat in a 14-horse lineup of sophomore fillies in the Del Mar Oaks.

Spendarella, a New York-bred by the Japanese-bred sire Karakontie, has stakes wins at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland already on her ledger and she's coming into Saturday's race off a second-place finish to top European filly Inspiral in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. She is trained by one of America's foremost conditioners, H. Graham Motion, and will be handled by top eastern rider Tyler Gaffalione.

A trio of other fillies appear best suited to test Spendarella. They are Cairo Memories, winner of a pair of graded grass stakes at the recent Santa Anita meet; Bellabel, winner of the key prep for the Oaks, the G2 San Clemente Stakes, at Del Mar on July 23, and French-bred filly Txope, who comes into the race off a tally on June 12 in the G2 German One Thousand Guineas in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Del Mar Oaks Entries

Sunday

5:42 p.m. – $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine

Eleven hopefuls, including Woodbine Oaks winner Moira, and G3 Marine victor Rondure, will vie for top prize in the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.

Trainer Kevin Attard, seeking his first Plate triumph, will be represented by Moira. Fashioning a record of 3-1-0 from four starts, including wins in the Stella Artois Fury Stakes in June and the Woodbine Oaks, the latter a 10 ¾-length romp, Moira arrives at the Plate at the top of her game.

Rondure, who will have Flavien Prat in the irons, has been equally impressive in the leadup to Sunday's race. Previously trained by Danny Vella, and now in the barn of Katerina Vassilieva, the Borders Racing Stable homebred turned heads after an emphatic 5 ½-length triumph in the G3 Marine on July 2.

Danny Vella, who won the 1994 Plate with Basqueian and the 2012 running with Strait of Dover, will go for the hat trick with The Minkster. The son of English Channel-Cabriole was undefeated in his three starts heading into the Plate Trial, when he suffered a setback dealing with heat exhaustion. Now, the bay colt, with regular rider David Moran once again aboard, will look to get back to his winning ways in the $1 million Canadian classic.

Queen's Plate Entries

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A pair of Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races highlight this weekend's graded stakes action in the United States, including the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga and the G1 Beverly D. Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The Fourstardave is headlined by the mare Regal Glory, undefeated in three starts this season, in what will be her first start against male rivals. Her biggest challenge may come from her Chad Brown-trained stablemate, Masen.

The Beverly D. drew a field of five, topped by Aidan O'Brien trainee and recent Group 2 winner Lily Pond.

Churchill Downs is hosting the G1 Arlington Million this year after the closure of Arlington Park. The card features just two turf races due to issues with the track's turf course earlier this year, but the Million drew a strong field of nine with the top challengers including Grade 1 winners Santin and Smooth Like Strait.

Saturday's card at Churchill also includes two $200,000 stakes, including the Lady Tak which features the seventh round of the rivalry between female sprinters Sconsin and Bell's The One.

Also worth noting that Sunday's racing includes five listed stakes races at Ellis Park in Kentucky; there is a two-day, all-stakes Pick 6 wager on offer between Churchill and Ellis.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:

Saturday

2:47 p.m. – Grade 2 Saratoga Special at Saratoga

Emerging stars Gulfport and Damon's Mound will look to make the grade in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.

Damon's Mound, by Girvin and out of the multiple stakes-placed Stroll mare San Antonio Str, broke slowly in his July 2 debut sprinting six furlongs at Churchill Downs under returning rider Gabriel Saez. He tracked four wide before taking command through a half-mile in 45.49 and drew off to a 12 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:09.84. Damon's Mound has breezed four times at Colonial Downs out of his debut win, including a bullet five-eighths in 58.40 on July 23.

Gulfport has won both career starts, including a 12 1/4-length score last out in the Bashford Manor on July 4 at Churchill Downs. The $275,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling Sale purchase made every pole a winning one in the six-furlong test, stopping the clock in 1:09.25 while easily besting returning rival Owen's Leap to garner a field-high 91 Beyer. The Uncle Mo colt is trained by Steve Asmussen, who is one win shy of fellow Hall of Famer James G. Rowe Sr.'s record six wins in the prestigious test.

Saratoga Special Entries

3:01 p.m. – Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Churchill Downs

The Beverly D., which drew a five-horse field, is part of the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” series. The winning horse will get an automatic berth into the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (GI), which will be held Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course.

Recent Group 2 winner Lily Pond (IRE) will be in search of Grade 1 glory in her first stateside start. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Lily Pond had her first training session over the Churchill Downs dirt course Tuesday where she had an easy six-furlong gallop. The daughter of late Coolmore stallion Galileo (IRE) was the half-length winner of the Kilboy Estate Stakes (G2) in her last start at the Curragh. O'Brien and Lily Pond's ownership team won last year's Beverly D with Santa Barbara (IRE). Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will have the mount and break from post No. 5

Among the rivals to Lily Pond in the Beverly D. is Susan and John Moore's five-time graded stakes winner Princess Grace. The seasoned 5-year-old mare by Karakontie (JPN) was victorious in the last two runnings of the $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes (G3) at Parx. Locally, Princess Grace won the $200,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) in 2020 when it was taken off the grass and run at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Her other notable graded stakes victories are the $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2) and the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3). Jockey Florent Geroux will have the mount from post 3.

Beverly D. Entries

6:13 p.m. – Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga

After beating some of the best in her division in three starts this year, Peter Brant's Regal Glory will face males for the first time in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave over the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course. The one-mile turf test is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering the winner an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, the 6-year-old Animal Kingdom chestnut mare captured each of her three victories this year over different turf courses. Following a triumphant 2022 commencement in the Grade 3 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational on January 29 at Gulfstream Park, she registered a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure with a one-length victory over stablemate Shantisara in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in April at Keeneland. She enters off a win in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 11 at Belmont Park over next out graded stakes winners Wakanaka and stablemate In Italian.

Regal Glory's biggest challenge may come from stablemate Masen [post 4, Flavien Prat]. The 4-year-old Kingman gelding made his North American debut as the favorite in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on April 15 at Keeneland, missing by a slim margin to Shirl's Speight. A winner of his last two starts traveling one mile over the Belmont Park Widener turf course, Masen captured the Seek Again on May 22 before securing a graded stakes win in the Grade 3 Poker on June 18.

Fourstardave Entries

6:25 p.m. – Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes at Churchill Downs

Turf Classic (Grade 1) winner Santin will face six fellow turf specialists, including 2021 Shoemaker Mile (G1) hero Smooth Like Strait, in Saturday's 39th running of the $1 million Arlington Million (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs.

Santin will return to Churchill Downs where he narrowly defeated Mira Mission in the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Santin most recently had an eventful sixth-place finish in the $750,000 Manhattan (G1) where he had an unexpected shoe repair in the paddock and was defeated 5 ¼ lengths by Tribhuvan (FR). Santin has been preparing for the Arlington Million at Saratoga but arrived at Churchill Downs last Thursday and recorded a solid three-furlong move in :36.80 Monday morning outside Beverly D. competitor Family Way. Eight-time Churchill Downs leading rider Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard Santin from post No. 6.

California-based Smooth Like Strait will attempt to score his eighth-career victory as one of the likely top betting interests. The ultra-consistent 5-year-old son of Midnight Lute finished 2 ¼-lengths behind Count Again in his attempt at a repeat victory in the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1). Through 21 starts, Smooth Like Strait sports eight runner-up finishes and three third-place efforts with earnings of $1,581,573. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait led nearly every step of the way in last year's $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) but was nailed at the wire by Space Blues (IRE). Smooth Like Strait has been based at McCarthy's Churchill Downs barn since Aug. 2 and completed his major work for the Arlington Million on Saturday with a swift half-mile move in :47.80. He'll be ridden by John Velazquez from post 4.

Another top horse that entered the Arlington Million is Juddmonte's homebred Set Piece (GB). The 10-time winner has four wins from five starts beneath the Twin Spires that includes victories in last year's $130,000 Opening Verse, $110,000 Douglas Park Overnight Stakes and $300,000 Wise Dan (G2). Set Piece sports one victory this year when he stormed from off the pace to win the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) at Pimlico. Set Piece will be ridden by 2015 Arlington Million winner Florent Geroux from post 1.

Arlington Million Entries

7:30 p.m. – Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar

The 70th edition of the Yellow Ribbon Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile spin on the turf course for fillies and mares, aged 3 and up, carries a $250,000 purse and has drawn a field of seven headed by the multiple-stakes winning 4-year-old Going Global.

Going Global, who is owned by Dubb, Gevertz or Nentwig, et al, has won eight of her 14 lifetime starts and compiled a bankroll of $817,292. The Irish-bred by the Acclimation stallion Mehmas raced in her native land as a 2-year-old, winning one of two starts, then went right on a roll at age 3 in the U.S. She won four straight stakes, then ran second in one before winning two more. The bay has raced twice this year – winning the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita, then coming back there to finish a close-up third in the Grade 1 Gamely.

Trainer Phil D'Amato has named Umberto Rispoli to ride Going Global Saturday and they'll break from Post 2 in the lineup. Morning line maker Jon White has hung her a solid 6-5 favorite in the stakes.

Yellow Ribbon Entries

9:00 p.m. – Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar

In the Sorrento, which is seen as the major stepping stone to the meet's top offering for 2-year-old fillies – the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, Sept. 10 – the chestnuts Procrastination and Absolutely Zero loom large.

The former, a daughter of Not This Time foaled in Kentucky, has started only once, but it was a dandy. The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' miss ran off and hid from a field of straight maidens in good time for five furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 4, finally reporting home eight lengths the best. She was handled that day by rider Ricky Gonzalez and trainer Mike McCarthy has named him back for the Sorrento.

Absolutely Zero, a California-bred by Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, has won both her outings, the most recent the Fasig Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita on June 18. Trainer Doug O'Neill has had rider Mario Guiterrez up for both the filly's scores, so you know he wouldn't go any other way for the Sorrento.

Procrastination is listed at 8-5 on the morning line with Absolutely Zero just a tick behind at 9-5.

Sorrento Entries

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The highlight of this weekend's graded stakes action is undeniably the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic that has drawn a contentious field of six runners. Breeders' Cup and Pegasus World Cup winner Life Is Good will be challenged by the undefeated Olympiad along with three other Grade 1 winners: Hot Rod Charlie, Happy Saver, and Americanrevolution.

New York's Turf Triple Series continues on both Saturday and Sunday, with 3-year-old males in the G1 Saratoga Derby on Saturday and the fillies on Sunday in the G3 Saratoga Oaks.

On the West Coast, Saturday's action is headed by the G1 Clement Hirsch, another “Win and You're In,” in which Shedaresthedevil will attempt to defend her title.

Mountaineer Park in West Virginia will host its premier racing day on Saturday as well: the G3 West Virginia Derby highlights a nine-race card with seven stakes races.

The harness racing industry will also have a big day on Saturday at the Meadowlands, topped by the $1 million Hambletonian for sophomores trotting one-mile in Race 15 [6:28 p.m.]. The Lucas Wallin-trained Rebuff is undefeated in three starts this season and has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite. The son of Muscle Hill was last seen taking one of two eliminations on July 30 at Meadowlands by 1 1/4 lengths. He will face the Yonkers Trot Champion Joviality S, one of two fillies in the field; and Jiggy Jog S, the other filly in the field who won the second elimination on the July 30 card.

Also worth noting that Saturday's racing includes the G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, which features six of Europe's top juveniles.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:

Saturday

5:07 p.m. – Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga

Matareya has answered every question asked of her with aplomb this year, finding her best stride around one turn and posting a perfect 4-for-4 record that she will put on the line against six rivals in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Test.

Matareya has flourished this year under the care of conditioner Brad Cox after going 1-for-4 in her juvenile campaign. The bay daughter of the late Pioneerof the Nile has won her four outings this season by a combined 22 1/4 lengths, most recently scoring her first Grade 1 victory in the $500,000 Acorn on June 11 at Belmont Park.

Test Entries

5:43 p.m. – Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga

Life Is Good and Olympiad are set to battle for sovereignty amongst the older horse division in Saturday's 95th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

One of three entrants for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, a three-time Whitney winning conditioner, CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good was a five-length winner over Grade 1 winner Speaker's Corner in the seven-furlong Nerud, which came after a fourth-place finish in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March – his only off the-board placing in nine career starts.

Olympiad has enjoyed an unbeaten 4-year-old year and seeks his first Grade 1 victory for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The son of Speightstown had never run two turns prior to this year, but has shown an affinity for route races in all five of his 2022 starts. Following a decisive 7 1/4-length victory in a January 15 Gulfstream Park allowance optional claimer, Olympiad won Fair Grounds Race Course's Grade 3 Mineshaft and Grade 2 New Orleans Classic in the spring en route to successful engagements in the Grade 2 Alysheba and Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

Whitney Entries

6:20 p.m. – Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational at Saratoga

Classic Causeway will take on 10 rivals as he looks to capture Saturday's 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for sophomores. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the multiple graded-stakes winning Classic Causeway made his turf debut a winning one in the first leg of the Caesars Turf Triple series with a gate-to-wire score last out on July 9 in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will have three chances to play spoiler with graded-stakes winners Emmanuel [post 3, Flavien Prat], Annapolis [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Grand Sonata [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione].

Nations Pride, who returns in this spot after four local works, was away slowly from post 10 under Frankie Dettori in the Belmont Derby, closing from ninth to finish just three-quarters of a length back of Classic Causeway.

Internationally-acclaimed trainer Aidan O'Brien will be represented by Stone Age, a Galileo colt who exited the outermost post 12 in the Belmont Derby under Ryan Moore, closing six wide in upper stretch to complete the trifecta.

Saratoga Derby Entries

9:04 p.m. – Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar

A sparkling field of seven fillies and mares – topped by the multi-millionaire and defending champ in the headliner, Shedaresthedevil — will compete for a $400,000 prize and Breeders' Cup berth in the Hirsch. Shedaresthedevil has won 10 of her 20 starts, including nine graded stakes, among them last year's Hirsch in which she scored smartly by more than three lengths.

Chief threat to the top one appears to be the double-quick filly Private Mission, who can be expected to set the pace in the Hirsch. Owned by the Baoma Corporation and trained by Bob Baffert, Private Mission currently shows $397,300 in earnings and comes into the race off a good tally in the Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on June 18.

Hirsch Entries

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This weekend's graded stakes action features a Grade 1 sprint contest on each coast, with the Vanderbilt at Saratoga drawing reigning sprint champion Jackie's Warrior and the “Win and You're In” Bing Crosby offering a well-matched field of 10.

Saturday's action also includes the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at the Spa, featuring several of the top contenders from the 3-year-old division: Preakness winner Early Voting will face off with Kentucky Derby second- and third-place finishers Epicenter and Zandon.

Later Saturday evening, the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on the West Coast will see Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer challenged by Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun.

On Sunday, 2-year-old champion Corniche will make the first start of his sophomore season in the Grade 2 Amsterdam. The former Bob Baffert trainee is now conditioned by Todd Pletcher.

Also worth noting that Saturday's racing includes five stakes worth $400,000 at Laurel Park.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:

Saturday

4:50 p.m. – G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga

Reigning Champion Male Sprinter Jackie's Warrior will look to build upon an already stellar campaign when he takes on five challengers in Saturday's Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up. Now that Jackie's Warrior has flourished as a sprinter, trainer Steve Asmussen said he is on a more targeted schedule this year with the ultimate goal being a return engagement in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland.

The accomplished Ny Traffic will try to play spoiler in his first start in Grade 1 company since finishing 9th in the 2020 Preakness for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., while trainer Dallas Stewart will hope to see veteran Long Range Toddy [post 5, Luis Saez, 117 pounds] find the winner's circle for the first time since a neck score in the 2019 Grade 2 Rebel.

Kneedeepinsnow [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 117 pounds] will look to go from claim to fame as he makes his third outing since being haltered for $80,000 out of a winning effort that garnered a career-best 100 Beyer in April at Keeneland. Trained by Matt Shirer, the Flat Out gelding has picked up two stakes placings for his new connections, finishing second in the Work All Week in June at Hawthorne and third in the Kelly's Landing 2 1/4 lengths behind Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West last out on July 2 at Churchill.

Vanderbilt Entries

5:37 p.m. – G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga

Trainer Chad Brown will look to continue his rocket start at the Saratoga Race Course summer meet when saddling Grade 1-winners Early Voting and Zandon for Saturday's Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs on the main track. Early Voting arrives off a victory in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course, while Zandon arrives off nearly three-month's rest from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Epicenter arrives at the Jim Dandy with vengeance following a close second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness as the post-time favorite. The bay son of leading third crop sire Not This Time closed from eighth position in both races. After finishing three-quarters of a length shy of victory in the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter was a deep-closing second in the Preakness, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in arrears of Early Voting. Boasting a record of 8-4-3-0 and field-best earnings in excess of $1.9 million, Epicenter defeated Zandon in the Risen Star before capturing the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval.

Jim Dandy Entries

8:30 p.m. – G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar

As a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race, the Crosby winner receives a guaranteed berth, with all fees paid, in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland in November. A trio of crackerjack sprinters head the lineup in Michael Lund Petetsen's Shaaz, Slam Dunk Racing and Madaket Stables' Florida shipper Drain the Clock and Kretz Racing's American Theorem.

Crosby starter Shaaz has been training up the proverbial storm out of the Bob Baffert barn. The 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt has only started four times, but he's won three (one through a disqualification) and boasts a trio of bullet works at Del Mar coming into the dash.

Drain the Clock, whose last start was in the Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream on July 2 where he showed speed but fell back to finish fourth. The fast son of Maclean's Music races for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. and is a seven-time winner of nearly $700,000.

American Theorem comes into the heat off a photo-finish tally in the Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita on May 29. That race was the biggest score yet for the ridgling by American Pharoah.

Bing Crosby Entries

9:30 p.m. – G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar

In the San Diego, which veteran observers at Del Mar are saying is one of the best editions of the race ever, Country Grammer appears to be a solid favorite. The Tonalist 5-year-old horse comes into the race off a smashing score in the $12 million Dubai World Cup back in March, a triumph that boosted his bankroll to $10,837,320. He's been prepping steadily for trainer Baffert for this comeback.

Mandaloun, an Into Mischief 4-year-old colt with more than $2 million in earnings, finished second in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, but when the horse who was first across the line – Medina Spirit – was subsequently disqualified for a drug issue, Mandaloun was moved up to first. His last start was a fourth-place finish in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on July 2.

Royal Ship, a Brazilian-bred 6-year-old, is a seven-time winner of nearly $400,000. He was third in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 30 in his most recent effort. Hall of Fame rider Smith will be aboard him for the 11th consecutive time.

San Diego Entries

Sunday

5:05 p.m. – G2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga

Multiple graded-stakes winner Arklow returns off a nearly 10-month layoff in Sunday's Bowling Green, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 8-year-old Arch bay was last seen in October at Belmont Park finishing fifth in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, a race he won in 2019 over multiple Grade 1-winner Channel Maker.

Bowling Green Entries

5:39 p.m. – G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will have two chances to secure a record-equaling fifth victory in the Amsterdam when he sends out reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Corniche and graded stakes winner My Prankster in Sunday's 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomores.

Corniche, owned by Speedway Stables, will look to kick off his sophomore campaign on a high note as he makes his first outing since a prominent 1 3/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Del Mar. Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster will look to turn the tables on fellow Amsterdam aspirant Gunite after a narrow loss to him last out in the Maxfield on July 3 at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Grade 1-winner Gunite will make his third start off an eight-month respite for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. One of three entrants for leading second crop sire Gun Runner, Gunite was last seen posting his half-length score over My Prankster in the Maxfield to earn his first victory since taking the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga in September.

Amsterdam Entries

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