Tag: Weekend Lineup

Five Grade 2 races highlight the stateside racing action this weekend, three of which will be run on the turf.

Kicking things off on Friday is the G2 Penn Mile, with the third meeting between sophomore turf stars Major Dude and Candidate likely to produce a thrilling finish in Pennsylvania. Famed race announcer Larry Collmus, who calls the Breeders' Cup World Championships and first two legs of the Triple Crown, will call the Penn Mile as well as the five other stakes races.

Saturday's Grade 2 turf action continues with the Royal North at Woodbine and the Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park. Eleven are entered in the former, while the latter turf contest drew a deep field of eight sophomores.

Also on tap is the “Stephen Foster Preview Day” at Churchill Downs Saturday, offering six stakes with opportunities to prep for the July 1 Stephen Foster (G1) and undercard. In the Foster Prep, the G3 Blame Stakes, Pimlico Special winner Rattle N Roll will face an intriguing group of seven rivals.

The G2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita brings back several starters from this year's Kentucky Oaks, including third-place finisher The Alys Look for new trainer Chris Davis.

Reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Moira will make her 2023 debut in Woodbine's G3 Belle Mahone Stakes on Saturday, as well.

The weekend closes out with the featured G2 Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine as Artie's Storm will try to defend his title, as well as the inaugural running of the Pink Lloyd Stakes at the multiple champion gelding's home track.

Friday

7:45 p.m. – Grade 2 Penn Mile at Penn National

Major Dude and Candidate – two of the most promising 3-year-old turf stakes horses in the country – face off for the third time in the ninth running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Penn Mile on the grass at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Major Dude, the 8-5 favorite on the morning line, comes into the Penn Mile off a half-length defeat when third following a tremendous stretch battle in the Grade 2 American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Major Dude, who will be ridden by champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Penn Mile, has competed in eight straight stakes races since breaking his maiden on debut last summer at Monmouth Park. He's won the Grade 2 Pilgrim along with the Kitten's Joy. One of his defeats came to Candidate in the Dania Beach Stakes in January at Gulfstream Park. Pletcher, second last year in the Penn Mile with Annapolis, is keenly aware of his formidable rival.

Candidate began his career last fall at Laurel Park then over the winter stamped himself as a force in the 3-year-old turf division by knocking off Major Dude and then finishing second to him in the Kitten's Joy. In his most recent start, the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland, Candidate finished a close-up sixth in a race that has proven a giant key heat, with third-place finisher Webslinger coming back to win the American Turf and runner-up Nagirroc running a powerhouse race to take the James Murphy Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico.

Penn Mile Entries

Saturday

4:16 p.m. – Grade 2 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine

Baby No Worries will make her second straight start at Woodbine when the 4-year-old takes on 10 filly and mare rivals in Saturday's $175,000 Royal North (G2T), the first turf stakes race of the 2023 season. Trained by Tim Girten, Baby No Worries is 3-3-4 from 15 starts, with her latest victory coming this January at Turfway Park when she came from last of 12 to post a half-length score in the six-furlong allowance race.

Other hopefuls include multiple graded stakes-placed Bay Storm, who will have John Velazquez in the irons for trainer Jonathan Thomas, and seven-time winner Adaay in Asia (GB), making her North American debut.

Royal North Entries

5:12 p.m. – Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park

Silver Knott will try to add to trainer Charlie Appleby's recent North American success when he takes on a field of sevenrivals for Saturday's nine furlong test over the inner turf at Belmont Park. Silver Knott, a Lope de Vega bay, enters off a distant 11th in the Group 1 British 2000 Guineas on May 6 over soft going at Newmarket, finishing 17 1/4 lengths in arrears of the victorious Chaldean. This was his first effort since his North American debut, where he finished a close second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on November 4 at Keeneland Race Course. There, he was ninth down the backside, made a bold move in upper stretch along the rail, and held an advantage for a couple strides nearing the wire, but could not stave off the outside rally from Victoria Road.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will seek his third straight Pennine Ridge conquest when sending out Far Bridge [post 8, Joel Rosario] and Sharar [post 2, Manny Franco].

Far Bridge enters from a troubled second in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs. Piloted by Rosario, Far Bridge raced in mid-pack along the inside down the backstretch and maintained his rail skimming position at the top of the lane. He made his bid to the inside of pacesetter Mo Stash in the final furlong, but couldn't hold off a four-wide rally from the victorious Webslinger, who prevailed by a nose. The effort produced a field-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Sharar will make his debut for Pletcher following a campaign in the Middle East with trainer Fawzi Nass. The son of Gun Runner, and half-brother to 2017 Champion Turf Female Lady Eli, enters off a triumph in the 10-furlong Jumeriah Derby on February 24 at Meydan Racecourse. Since arriving under Pletcher's care, Sharar has recorded two half-mile breezes over the inner turf, and most recently went 48.84 seconds on May 26.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will go three deep in pursuit of his third Pennine Ridge coup when sending out Kalik [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Congruent [post 5, Flavien Prat] and Belouni [post 3, Jose Ortiz].

Pennine Ridge Entries

7:44 p.m. – Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita

A wide-open affair on paper, the Summertime Oaks, to be contested at 1 1/16 miles, has attracted a field of seven sophomore fillies.

Fresh off a solid third place finish for trainer Brad Cox in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, The Alys Look figures prominently as she goes for a new barn and makes her Southern California debut. The Alys Look, who has been stabled at Keeneland following her 2 ¾ length defeat in the Kentucky Oaks May 5, will make her first start for Kentucky-based trainer Christopher Davis.

Although light on seasoning, John Sadler's Anywho looks to be long on ability, as she galloped to a two-length score in a seven furlongs allowance here on March 27, which was her first start for Sadler. A first-out winner at going seven eighths at Aqueduct Oct. 23, Anywho, a filly by Bolt d'Oro, rang up a Summertime Oaks best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 90 in her March 27 win.

A disappointing fifth as the 3-5 favorite two starts back in the Sunland Park Oaks on March 26, Bob Baffert's Doinitthehardway returned home and bounced back with 2 ¼ length allowance score on May 12 and thus looms a solid contender.

Distanced by 17 lengths at 45-1 in the Kentucky Oaks, Peter Miller's Grade 1 winning And Tell Me Nolies should run a much improved race with regular rider Ramon Vazquez back aboard. Second to Baffert's Faiza in both the G2 Santa Anita Oaks April 8 and in the G3 Santa Ysabel March 5, And Tell Me Nolies had an outstanding 2-year-old campaign, winning both the G1 Del Mar Debutante and the G2 Chandelier Stakes prior to running eighth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland Nov. 4.

Summertime Oaks Entries

Sunday

4:48 p.m. – Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine

Artie's Storm will face 10 rivals in the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse Stakes. Trained and owned by Paul Buttigieg, Artie's Storm, a 5-year-old son of We Miss Artie-Tiz Stormy Now, made his seasonal debut in last year's Eclipse, and went on to cross the wire a one-length winner at 7-1. It's the same scenario this time for the dark bay who went 1-3-1 from seven starts in 2022, the runner-up efforts coming in three Grade 3 events, the Dominion Day, Seagram Cup and Durham Cup. Jockey David Moran believes the lifetime earner of $455,995 (U.S.) is ready for his most recent challenge.

Eclipse Entries

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Foster Preview Day, Deep Turf Fields appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mage will be the only Kentucky Derby runner to contest the second jewel of the 2023 Triple Crown. Following the scratch of second choice First Mission on Friday morning, the favorite faces a small field of six new shooters in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico.

Of those six, the top betting choice comes in the form of Bob Baffert trainee National Treasure. Baffert will also saddle the undefeated Black-Eyed Susan favorite, Faiza, as the feature attraction on Friday's card.

Friday's Pimlico card offers six stakes, three graded, worth $1 million in purses on a 14-race program co-headlined by the 99th running of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies.

Meanwhile, Saturday's card at Pimlico offers 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.6 million in purses on a 14-race program headlined by the 148th renewal of the Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Other graded-stakes on the card are the $200,000 Dinner Party (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for females 3 and older going 1 1/16 miles, both scheduled for the turf; $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs; and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabian horses.

The only other graded stakes race on offer this weekend is the 1 1/2-mile turf marathon at Churchill Downs, the G3 Louisville Stakes on Saturday afternoon.

Friday

5:10 p.m. – Grade 3 Pimlico Special

Grade 1-winning millionaire Rattle N Roll, having won at the distance in his previous start, will go after his sixth career stakes victory and fourth in graded company in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3). Trained by Ken McPeek, who won the 2020 Preakness with filly Swiss Skydiver, 4-year-old Rattle N Roll exits a 1¼-length victory in the April 22 Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland. It was his sixth win from 16 lifetime starts at seven different racetracks, pushing his bankroll to $1.21 million.

Clapton comes out of a determined half-length victory over Chilean Group 1 winner O'Connor in the 1 1/16-mile Ghostzapper (G3) April 1 at his home course of Gulfstream Park, where he became a stakes winner in the one-mile Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap against fellow Florida-breds last fall.

Law Professor, bred and owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stable, captured an off-the-turf edition of the Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2) in December 2021 for previous trainer Mike McCarthy. The 5-year-old Constitution gelding joined trainer Rob Atras last summer, and he won the one-mile, 70-yard Tapit in September on the grass at Kentucky Downs off a five-month layoff.

Representing the home team is Ronald Cuneo's multiple stakes winner Armando R trained by Laurel Park-based Damon Dilodovico, who ran third in the 2016 Special with Warrioroftheroses. The 7-year-old Blame gelding snapped a three-race losing streak with a gutsy head victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance April 20 at Laurel.

Cooke Creek enters the Special having run second by three-quarters of a length March 12 at Gulfstream and third by a neck April 20 at Keeneland, the latter at 1 1/8 miles. A 4-year-old son of champion Uncle Mo, he won the Rocky Run second time out in his stakes debut and ran second in the Nashua (G3) to cap his juvenile campaign. He went winless in five 2022 starts, all in stakes, his best finish a season-opening third in the one-mile Jerome.

Keystone Field, the 2022 Claiming Crown Jewel winner that ran second to Law Professor two starts back in the Excelsior; Kuchar, second in two prior stakes tries including a two-length loss to Rattle N Roll in the American Derby; and Speed Bias, making his stakes debut after hitting the board in six of eight starts, complete the field.

Special Entries

5:44 p.m. – Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico

The undefeated Faiza will try to extend her perfect record and win her fifth graded stakes in Friday's $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2). Faiza and regular rider Flavien Prat will start from Post 9 in the field of 12.

Hoosier Philly had a sensational 2-year-old season for trainer Tom Amoss, sweeping three races at Churchill Downs. The gray/roan daughter of leading sire Into Mischief out of the Tapit mare Tapella sold for $510,000 as a yearling. She broke her maiden on Sept. 22, won the Rags to Riches in the slop by 7 ½ lengths and took the Golden Rod (G2) by five lengths. This year, though, her fortunes changed at Fair Grounds. She was third, 8½ lengths behind the winner in the Rachel Alexandra (G2), and fourth, 15 ¼ lengths back in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).

Cats Inthe Timber, trained by Brittany Russell, picked up her first stakes victory in the Weber City Miss on April 15 at Laurel. The Haymarket Farm homebred daughter of Honor Code has won three of six career starts and finished off the board just once. Jevian Toledo, who ride in the Weber City, has the return call in the Black-Eyed Susan. He and Cats Inthe Timber drew Post 11.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time winner of the race, entered two fillies: Frosty O Toole and Miracle, who landed in adjoining stalls. Frosty O Toole and Joel Rosario drew Post 5, while Miracle and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will leave from Post 6.

The Mike Maker-trained Pate was not a threat in the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn on April 1, her first try beyond six furlongs. The Virginia-bred daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver is co-owned by Agave Racing Stable and Living the Dream Stables. Maker will also saddle Towhead, who finished second by a nose as a maiden in the Juvenile Fillies at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 3. She was off the board in her two most recent starts, both Grade 3 races, the Honeybee and the Fantasy.

Jose Ortiz will ride Pate for the first time. They will start from Post 3. Towhead and Tyler Gaffalione landed on the outside in Post 12.

Jockey Manny Franco has been up for all three of Balpool's victories in five career starts and will be her pilot in the Black-Eyed Susan. They drew Post 8. Balpool, trained by Rob Atras for Madaket Stable, has won her last two starts, both at Aqueduct, an optional claimer/allowance and the off-the-turf Memories of Silver on April 29.

Black-Eyed Susan Entries

Saturday

4:53 p.m. – Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico

Grade 3 winner Wondrwherecraigis, with a comeback victory under his belt last month, returns to stakes competition seeking a second graded triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Sprint. A 6-year-old son of Munnings, Wondrwherecraigis hadn't raced in 208 days when he lined up for a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance April 13 sprinting six furlongs at Laurel Park. He dueled with Grade 1-placed Borracho and Grade 3 winner Chateau through sizzling splits of 21.94 and 44.47 seconds before putting them away, and was able to hold off a late run from fellow multiple stakes winner Witty to prevail by a head.

A solid field was entered for the Maryland Sprint including Grade 3 winner Willy Boi, owned by Lea Farms and trained by Jorge Delgado, the same connections that sprung a 12-1 upset of the 2022 Chick Lang with Lightening Larry.

Russell will have a second Maryland Sprint contender in George Sharp's Maryland-bred Hello Hot Rod. The 5-year-old Mosler gelding began his career with Russell, winning three of four starts including the Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct before being sold at auction in February 2021. He went winless in eight starts before notching back-to-back victories last fall at Remington Park.

Godolphin homebred Prevalence is entered looking to snap a five-racing losing streak since capturing the six-furlong Commonwealth (G3) last spring for trainer Brendan Walsh. He has finished off the board in each of those races, three in graded-stakes, including a seventh behind Sibelius in the Mr. Prospector (G3) last December at Gulfstream. He returns to the dirt following a failed turf debut on the Gulfstream course March 4.

Multiple stakes winner Threes Over Deuces and Midwest shipper Full Authority, respectively second and fifth in last year's Maryland Sprint; stakes winner Nakatomi, third in the March 4 Tom Fool (G3) at Aqueduct; Grade 3-placed Straight No Chaser, exiting a 7 ¼-length optional claiming allowance triumph April 1 at Oaklawn Park; multiple stakes-placed Al Loves Josie, sixth in the Whiteley; and multiple graded-stakes placed War Tocsin complete the field.

Maryland Sprint Entries

7:01 p.m. – Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico

Mage will be the only Kentucky Derby runner to contest the second jewel of the 2023 Triple Crown, and faces six new shooters in the 1 3/16-mile contest. The Gustavo Delgado trainee and jockey Javier Castellano will have to work out a trip from post three.

Following the scratch of second choice First Mission, the next lowest odds come from Bob Baffert trainee National Treasure, most recently fourth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby. The son of Quality Road will add blinkers for the Preakness Stakes, and be piloted from the inside post by jockey John Velazquez.

Trainer Chad Brown will be seeking his third Preakness victory with a similar pattern: a horse that qualified for the Kentucky Derby, but skipped the first Saturday in May in order to contest the Preakness Stakes instead. This year, it's Blazing Sevens who will leave the starting gate from post position seven under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Blazing Sevens last raced April 8 when he finished third in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. That came after an eighth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park in his seasonal debut. In the Blue Grass, Brown equipped Blazing Sevens with blinkers for the first time.

Preakness Entries

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