Tag: Weekend Lineup

While the Kentucky Derby may be the biggest and most famous race for 3-year-olds in North America, there are more “derbies” throughout the summer months than you can shake a stick at.

Early season races like the Florida, Arkansas and Santa Anita Derbies serve as major preps for the big prize at Churchill Downs that everyone wants to win, but there are lots of consolation events for very good 3-year-olds racing on dirt once the Triple Crown ends in early June.

That season starts this weekend with Saturday's Grade 3 Ohio Derby at JACK Thistledown racetrack near Cleveland and continues with the G3 Indiana Derby, Iowa Derby and Los Alamitos Derby on July 9, the G3 West Virginia Derby on Aug. 6, and the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby Aug. 14, among other races.

The three big G1 dirt races for 3-year-olds during the summer months are the July 23 TVG.com Haskell, the Aug. 27 Runhappy Travers Stakes and the Sept. 24 Pennsylvania Derby.

The Ohio Derby came up strong with three horses who exited the Kentucky Derby last out heading the lineup in a field of eight. Tawny Port was established the 3-1 morning line favorite after a seventh-place finish behind longshot Rich Strike in the Run for the Roses.

Also worth noting that the weekend includes the Group 1 Irish Derby from the Curragh.

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

Saturday

4:40 PM – Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park

Only five 3-year-old fillies are entered in this one-turn 1 1/16-mile main track fixture, and that's no surprise since it comes just two weeks after a four-horse field contested the G1 Acorn at Belmont going a one-turn mile on Belmont Stakes day.  The only graded stakes winner among them is Juju's Map, who took the G1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland last October before finishing second behind Echo Zulu in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of Liam's Map will be the heavy favorite after a dominating allowance score at Churchill Downs May 6 in her only start at 3. Shahama had some trouble running sixth in the G1 Kentucky Oaks and will try to give Todd Pletcher his seventh Mother Goose win.

4:48 PM – Lady Jacqueline Stakes at JACK Thistledown

The Lady Jacqueline is not a graded race but its $250,000 purse brought a solid field of 10 to the North Randall racetrack and casino. Army Wife won back-to-back graded stakes in 2021 and was a good third to Malathaat in the G1 Alabama. She had a good prep  at Churchill Downs to begin her 2022 campaign on June 2 for trainer Mike Maker. Kenny McPeek-trained Crazy Beautiful is another multiple graded stakes winner and Maracuja, who won the G1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga over Malathaat and Clairiere last summer is capable of winning this on her best day.

4:55 PM – Grade 3 Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs

The Chicago is one of the graded stakes pilfered from the scrapheap at Arlington Park and, despite being won mostly by synthetic track specialists it has maintained its G3 ranking. The change of scenery, surface and increased purse has made this 2022 renewal worthy of its graded status and the field of seven is quite good. Sconsin and Bell's the One have developed a good rivalry while proving to be top-class sprinters, and Kalypso has shown to be particularly effective  at seven furlongs, winning the G2 Santa Ynez and G1 La Brea at that distance in California when trained by Bob Baffert. But the mare they may all have to run down is Lady Rocket, from the Brad Cox barn.

5:35 – Grade 3 Ohio Derby at JACK Thistledown

The $500,000 Ohio Derby, which dates back to 1876 when it was run at defunct Chester Park in Cincinnati, is one of four stakes on the program on the Cleveland area track's biggest day of the  year. G1 Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, G2 Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway and G3 Lexington Stakes winner Tawny Port – all exiting off-the-board finishes behind Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby – head a line-up of eight 3-year-olds racing over nine furlongs. D. Wayne Lukas-trained Ethereal Road, whose scratch from the Kentucky Derby allowed Rich Strike into the field from the also-eligible list, may also be a solid contender after dominating the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard May 21. Of the three horses exiting the Kentucky Derby, Classic Causeway may have the most early speed, something he failed to show when running 11th at Churchill Downs. The Giant's Causeway colt's owners moved the horse from Brian Lynch to Kenny McPeek. But there appears to be plenty of speed in the lineup with Dallas Stewart-trained Brigadier Gerard and Mike Maker-trained Pineapple Man capable of setting quick early fractions. There's probably a reason Irad Ortiz Jr. opted to come to Ohio to ride Tawny Port for Brad Cox. He'll be accelerating late.

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Last week, Belmont Park was the focus of the racing world with the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, preceded by a host of stakes for other Thoroughbred divisions. Earlier this week, the action shifted across the pond to England's Ascot racecourse for the Royal meet.

On Saturday, the Jersey Shore will be the place to be as Monmouth Park  revs up for the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 23 with a preview day that includes four added-money events and the return of Hot Rod Charlie, who edged Mandaloun in the 2021 Haskell but was disqualified for stretch interference.

Hot Rod Charlie goes postward with Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard in the G3 Salvator Mile, the final contest on a big 14-race card that gets under way at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Out West in Arcadia, Calif., Santa Anita wraps up its summer season on Sunday with a pair of grass stakes, including the G3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes, one of the most unique races on the continent at 1 3/4 miles and with a start at the top of the hillside grass course. Phil D'Amato, leading trainer at the meet in a runaway, has two horses entered in the San Juan Capistrano as he bids for his fourth consecutive win in the race. Even with a win, he'll still have a ways to go to catch the late Hall of Famer, Charlie Whittingham, who won the marathon fixture a remarkable 14 times.

The San Juan Capistrano shares the closing day spotlight with another turf event, the G3 American at one mile.

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

Saturday

3:27 PM – Grade 3 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park

Only five older horses entered the Poker with Chad Brown – who has yet to record a victory in this race –  holding a pair of aces, including English-bred Masen, the solid 6-5 morning line favorite who comes off a listed stakes win over just two foes at the same distance at Belmont on May 22. Flavien Prat rides this one, giving up the mount on Hot Rod Charlie in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park. Brown's other entrant, Public Sector, put together three consecutive graded stakes wins in New York last summer and is second choice on the morning line at 5-2. Jose Ortiz rides. Luis Saez will be aboard Wolfie's Dynaghost, who has early speed and could be a threat to steal the race.

Poker Entries

4:47 PM – Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park

Princess Grace put together an impressive four-race winning streak in Grade 2 and Grade 3 races and then was defeated in her final two starts of 2021, including a third-place finish in the G1 Matriarch at Del Mar last November.  She hasn't started since but has training steadily at Fair Hill for Michael Stidham, who has a good strike rate for horses coming off layoffs. Chad Brown has a formidable duo in Irish-bred Lemista and Fluffy Socks, both of whom figure to be in the hunt. Fluffy Socks has a stronger record with two graded stakes victories on her ledger. Shug McGaughey brings Vigilantes Way back to Monmouth to defend her Eatontown title,  having drawn off by  2 1/4 lengths in 2021 under Paco Lopez, who rides her back.

Eatontown Entries

5:19 PM – TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park

The Pegasus, at 1 1/16 miles, is a key prep for the TVG.com Haskell and has drawn a field of nine, led by a pair of horses that won stakes at Oaklawn this year. Home Brew, a Street Sense colt trained by Brad Cox, comes off a win April 23 in the Oaklawn Stakes. Prior to that, he was a well beaten 10th as the favorite to Dash Attack in the Smarty Jones. The latter, a Munnings colt trained by Ken McPeek,  followed his Smarty Jones victory with three consecutive defeats and then rebounded with a win over the Monmouth surface in the May 14 Long Branch Stakes. They both have the Chad Brown-trained Electability to beat. The Quality Road colt has yet to win a stakes but comes off a third-place finish to runaway winner We the People in the G3 Peter Pan.

TVG.com Pegasus Entries

5:47 PM – Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park

Chad Brown has won the last five runnings of the Monmouth and has two strong contenders of the 12 entered in this year's renewal. French-bred Sacred Life has been competitive against Grade 1 company and owns an overpowering win over the Monmouth grass course two years ago in the Oceanport Stakes. Manny Franco comes down from Belmont to ride. Brown's other entry, English-bred Public Sector, was a two-time graded stakes winner last year who will be ridden by John Velazquez. Graded stakes winner Tax comes back from a 17-month layoff for trainer Danny Gargan, who is trying the Arch gelding on turf for the first time in his 15th career start. Kent Sweezey-trained long shot Epic Bromance could be a horse for the course, with two wins, one second and one third over the Monmouth grass in four starts.

Monmouth Stakes Entries

6:15 PM – Grade 3 Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park

Hot Rod Charlie returns to Monmouth Park for trainer Doug O'Neill off a three-month break after a strong runner-up performance in the $12 million Dubai World Cup. The Oxbow 4-year-old nosed out Mandaloun in last year's Haskell but was disqualified after causing Midnight Bourbon to clip heels and lose his rider in the stretch. With Mike Smith aboard, he's been installed the 4-5 morning line favorite. Todd Pletcher sends Mind Control back to Monmouth and while the 6-year-old may be better sprinting around one turn, he has shown an ability to get the distance of the Salvator Mile. Shirl's Speight is a Grade 1 winner on turf for Roger Attfield, who is trying to enhance the Speightstown 5-year-old's record for possible stud duty purposes with a graded stakes win on dirt. He's only tried dirt once in 10 previous starts and he'll need to improve greatly off that effort to be a factor in here.

Salvator Mile Stakes Entries

7:00 PM – Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita

There is some depth to this field of six older fillies and mares, with four of the starters having registered graded stakes wins, led by Private Mission, the 9-5 favorite for Sean McCarthy, who is training most of Bob Baffert's horses while the latter is suspended. The Into Mischief filly won the G2 Zenyatta last October at Santa Anita. McCarthy has a second runner, Varda, who is winless in two starts since a G1 victory in the Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in 2020. Lady Mystify won the G3 Remington Park Oaks for trainer Peter Eurton last September and comes off a very good third to champion Malathaat and Bonny South at Keeneland in the G3 Doubledogdare on April 22. Argentine-bred Blue Stripe posted a 6-1 upset in the G2 Santa Margarita in April with a strong stretch run for trainer Marcelo Polanco.

Santa Maria Entries

Sunday

7:00 PM – Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita

Phil D'Amato has two contenders in his bid for a fourth consecutive San Juan Capistrano. Irish-bred Rijeka will be making his fourth start for D'Amato after running mostly in marathon events in Florida and Kentucky for Saffie Joseph Jr. Rijeka has two wins from three starts in the D'Amato barn but has yet to be tested in a stakes in California. Joe Bravo rides. Red King will be making his fourth consecutive San Juan Capistrano start, having bookend third-place finishes around a 2020 victory. The 8-year-old by English Channel will be running late under Abel Cedillo. Brandon Walsh ships Irish-bred Modus Operandi from Kentucky, where the Frankel gelding most recently finished eighth in the G3 Louisville at long odds. He has recorded one U.S. victory from six starts since exiting Aidan O'Brien's yard at Ballydoyle in Ireland. His lone Irish victory was an 11-length score in an 18-horse maiden field at 1 1/4 miles. Umberto Rispoli will be aboard.

San Juan Capistrano Entries

9:00 PM – Grade 3 American Stakes at Santa Anita

The American brings down the curtain on the Santa Anita meet as the final of 11 races on closing day of a meet that began last Dec. 26. The race attracted an evenly matched group of 10 with no standout favorite.  Vanzzy, now trained by Dan Blacker, is going in sharp form. Leading trainer Phil D'Amato has two entered, both with solid chances, led by Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry, who is 2-for-2 in the U.S. Jack Sisterson returns to California after being based in the Midwest and has Kentucky Pharoah primed off a strong effort at Pimlico on May 20.

American Stakes Entries

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A total of nine Grade 1 races highlight this weekend's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in Elmont, N.Y., with one Friday and eight on Saturday's blockbuster card. Though the field sizes may leave something to be desired, there is no shortage of stars lined up to show off for horse racing fans.

Among the top matchups is that of the Met Mile, featuring the brilliant but lightly-raced Flightline stretching out to face off against another triple-digit Beyer earner Speaker's Corner, as well as Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West.

In the Ogden Phipps, the 2021 champion older mare Letruska will be taken on by last year's champion 3-year-old filly, Malathaat, in what figures to be a major showdown on the track.

Undefeated sophomore colt Jack Christopher returns in the G1 Woody Stephens, while champion 2-year-old filly Echo Zulu cuts back to a mile in the G1 Acorn.

Trainer Chad Brown has a bevy of entries in the weekend's turf races, from the pricey French purchase Rougir in Friday's G1 New York to three entrants in the G1 Just A Game and four in the G1 Manhattan.

Of course, the third jewel of the Triple Crown is the final Grade 1 race on Saturday's card at Belmont Park. Eight sophomores have been entered in the 1 1/2-mile contest, including longshot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and the talented but quirky Peter Pan winner We The People.

Don't forget that next week, beginning on Tuesday, June 14, the international horse racing action heats up with the Royal Ascot meeting.

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

Friday

5:50 PM – Grade 1 New York Stakes at Belmont Park

After making the competition blush in her seasonal debut, Rougir returns in Friday's featured $750,000 New York (G1), a 10-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park.  Chad Brown will saddle four entrants, all owned fully or in part by Peter Brant: Rougir, Flighty Lady, Bleecker Street, and Virginia Joy, as the conditioner searches for a record-tying fourth New York win.

New York Entries

Saturday

12:33 PM – Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park

Breeders' Cup winner and reigning Eclipse Award Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu will look to recapture the dominant form she displayed in her first five starts when cutting back to a one-turn mile in the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday.

While Echo Zulu will be cutting back in distance, Godolphin homebred Matareya will be stretching out for trainer Brad Cox following three consecutive wins in sprints.

Dream Lith will return to the main track after running fifth in her turf debut in the Grade 2 Edgewood on May 6 at Churchill for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Acorn Entries

1:08 PM – Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes at Belmont Park

Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Just a Game drew a field of five talented older fillies and mares to tackle one mile over the Widener turf course. Named in honor of Peter Brant's 1980 Champion Female Turf Horse, Brant will be represented by a trio of capable Chad Brown trainees in search of his first Just A Game score.

Leading the charge is 6-year-old dual Grade 1 winner Regal Glory, a daughter of Animal Kingdom who has won six of her past eight races with her worst effort being a fourth in this race last year behind Godolphin's Althiqa. She exits consecutive victories in the Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar; the Grade 3 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf in January at Gulfstream Park; and the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in April at Keeneland. Regal Glory will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 2.

Speak of the Devil, a $2.2 million Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale graduate, and In Italian, who has yet to finish out of the exacta in five starts, are Brant's other two entrants.

Just A Game Entries

2:22 PM – Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park

Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun drew a field of six swift sophomores to sprint seven furlongs over Belmont's main track, topped by undefeated rising star Jack Christopher. Jack Christopher has yet to be tested in a trio of tries, winning by a combined total of 15 1/4-lengths.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Wit was third in the Champagne behind Jack Christopher, but boasts two New York graded stakes on his resume. The winner of last summer's Grade 3 Sanford at The Spa opened his 3-year-old account with a determined win in the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Twice placed in Grade 1 company, he seeks to break through at the top level when he leaves post 3 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Mark Casse-trained Grade 2 winner Pappacap reopposes on Saturday, breaking from post 2 under Flavien Prat. The Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Grade 3 Gotham winner Morello [post 4, Joel Rosario] and Oaklawn allowance winner Chasing Time [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione], who adds blinkers, complete the lineup.

Woody Stephens Entries

3:05 PM – Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park

The Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps has had no shortage of legendary matchups in its 53 editions and will continue that pattern this year as defending race winner Letruska will face the formidable Malathaat in the 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

 Letruska, a 6-year-old daughter of Super Saver, was last seen earning a determined repeat victory in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 23 at Oaklawn Park. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Letruska set the pace for the 1 1/16 miles and was met with a challenge by returning rival Clairiere at the top of the lane, but rebroke and dug in to secure the victory by 1 1/4 lengths.

Letruska will face no shortage of formidable foes, including the three-time Grade 1 winning Malathaat for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Malathaat was a $1.05 million yearling purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale and is out of the Grade 1 winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, who won the 2012 Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont for Pletcher.

The bay daughter of Curlin enters from a gutsy win in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on April 22 at Keeneland, her first race since she closed out her sophomore campaign with a close third-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar. In the Doubledogdare, Malathaat was rated 5 1/2 lengths off the pace in fifth under regular Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez and swung three-wide in the turn to inch away to her three-quarter length score over returning rival Bonny South.

Ogden Phipps Entries

3:53 PM – Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park

Casa Creed returns to defend his title against a loaded field of 13 contenders in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur, a six-furlong Widener turf test for 3-year-olds and up at Belmont Park.

Trainer Wesley Ward, who won the 2014 Jaipur with Undrafted, will saddle Arrest Me Red [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.]. The 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out with a 1 3/4-length score in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Another entrant, True Valour, who has raced at distances ranging from 5 1/2-furlongs to 1 1/8-miles, seems to have found his niche in turf sprints for trainer Graham Motion. True Valour was a close-up sixth under Joel Rosario, defeated 2 1/4 lengths in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in March 2021 at Meydan.

Jaipur Entries

4:43 PM – Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont Park

The long anticipated showdown between two of the nation's fastest racehorses, Flightline and Speaker's Corner, will take place in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap going a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and upward at Belmont Park. A cumulative nine triple digit Beyer Speed Figures appear on the form of Flightline and Speaker's Corner, with both horses entering the Met Mile off open-lengths triumphs going one turn.

Trainer Wayne Catalano will also send up a formidable contender in Aloha West, the winner of last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint. The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners-owned 5-year-old Hard Spun dark bay was fifth behind Jackie's Warrior in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs last out on Kentucky Derby day.

Met Mile Entries

5:38 PM – Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park

Highland Chief, a 19-1 upset winner of the Grade 1 Man o' War last out, returns to Belmont Park for Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, a 10-furlong inner turf test for older horses. Meanwhile, Gufo will look to avenge his Man o' War defeat and improve on last year's third-place finish in this event when closing to finish four lengths back of the victorious Domestic Spending.

Santin will look to double up in Grade 1 wins for trainer Brendan Walsh. The regally bred 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor enters from a hard-fought neck score over Mira Mission in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has won the Manhattan a record seven times, including the last three in succession. He will send out L'Imperator [post 1, Eric Cancel], Rockemperor [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Adhamo [post 4, Flavien Prat] and Tribhuvan [post 7, Manny Franco] as he looks to extend his record.

Manhattan Entries

6:44 PM – Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will break from the fourth stall in Saturday's's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes and was assigned morning line odds of 7-2. We The People, breaking from the rail, is the morning line favorite at 2-1 in the stamina-testing 1 1/2-mile classic run at Belmont Park.

Fan favorite Rich Strike, who won the Derby at odds of 80-1,  has been the focus of media coverage at Belmont Park throughout recent days, as he has stretched his legs in trademark long gallops since his arrival in New York on June 1.

Favored We The People will come to the race after a win in the Grade 3 Peter Pan and the rail position will give rider Flavien Prat options.

Todd Pletcher, three-time Belmont Stakes-winning trainer, will sent out Kentucky Derby fifth-place finisher Mo Donegal as well as Kentucky Oaks runner-up Nest, the only filly in the field of eight.

Barber Road ran sixth in the Kentucky Derby for trainer John Ortiz, and the grinding-style colt will now attempt the longer distance of the Belmont Stakes. Creative Minister returns off a Preakness third-place finish for trainer Ken McPeek, and Preakness fifth-place finisher Skippylongstocking also returns in the Belmont for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Golden Glider, trainer by Mark Casse, completes the field.

Belmont Stakes Entries

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