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UPI Horse Racing Weekend Preview

By Robert Kieckhefer, UPI Racing Writer
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, under Martin Gacia, gets his second fast workout in 5 days on Thursday at Del Mar. DMTC photo
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, under Martin Gacia, gets his second fast workout in 5 days on Thursday at Del Mar. DMTC photo

WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- Call it goose bumps or goose flesh, several of this weekend's races are shaping up to give fans plenty of excitement.

Bob Baffert has both Bayern and Hoppertunity entered in the Grade II San Diego at Del Mar -- but that's not why the trainer says he's getting "goose bumps" now. Read on to find out what is pumping up the laid-back trainer.

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In England, Derby winner Golden Horn is looking around for competition as he tackles some tough older foes in the Group I King George at Ascot.

And some of the most promising 2-year-olds from the top barns are getting their first real test as Saratoga kicks off its iconic summer meeting.

Never iconoclastic, we'll start with the British classic:

England

World top and Derby winner Golden Horn looks to add another perfect note to his unbeaten career symphony in Saturday's Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. The Cape Cross colt already has bested older horses, outclassing the field in the Coral Eclipse in his last outing. This cast could be a tad tougher, boasting the likes of Snow Sky, Flintshire and especially Eagle Top. If he runs his race, though, it would appear 6-for-6 is well in the sights of the John Gosden trainee, with a monumental Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the horizon. Golden Horn's 132 Racing Post Rating from the Coral Eclipse victory tops the world rankings, 4 pounds better than Shared Belief, whose 128 was earned on dirt in the San Antonio. The closest non-sprint turf rating is 125, shared by Solow and the The Grey Gatsby -- the latter a helpless victim of Golden Horn in the final furlong of the Eclipse.

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Richard Hughes, within days of retirement, has picked up the ride on Eagle Top, hoping to add this event to his long list of "races won". "I'm absolutely delighted to have got the ride," said Hughes. "He's second favorite and looks to be the danger to Golden Horn." Eagle Top previously had been ridden by Frankie Dettori, who partners Golden Horn, and William Buick, who has the mount on Romsdal. Rain is expected at Ascot on Friday, potentially extending into Saturday, so the going could be easier than good.

Saturday's Skybet York Stakes up north is a Group 2 event with Group 1 quality. Leading the field is Custom Cut, a five-time winner at the group level. Seven others, also including multiple group winner Tulius, are declared runners for the 1 1/2-plus miles event.

Looking just a tad farther ahead, Gleneagles and Solow are among 11 contenders for next Wednesday's Qatar Sussex Stakes. The 1-mile event, worth 1 million pounds sterling, is the centerpiece of the "Qatar Goodwood Festival," known as "Glorious Goodwood" before Qatar agreed last December to a hugely lucrative 10-year-sponsorship.

Back in North America:

Classic

Breeders' Cup Classic champ Bayern and the always-promising Hoppertunity -- both trained by Bob Baffert -- are set to face off in Saturday's $200,000, Grade II San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. They come from different directions. Bayern adds a little distance after dismal performances in the 7-furlongs, Grade II Churchill Downs and the Grade I Met Mile. Hoppertunity cuts back to 1 1/16 miles after coming up just a nose short of Hard Aces in the Grade I Santa Anita Gold Cup. Bayern's a confirmed front-runner while Hoppertunity will come from just off the pace.

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There are six others in the race, any of which could jump up to spoil the Baffert Bash. Appealing Tale was second in the Grade I Triple Bend in his last outing. Majestic City jumped up to win the Grade III Lone Star Park Handicap two races back. Catch a Flight won the Grade II Californian on May 30 and finished a close third in the Gold Cup. Sammy Mandeville was a second behind Catch a Flight in the Grade III Precisionist in May. Sahara Sky is a graded stakes winner and No Walking appears to be rounding into form in his 4-year-old season. Oddly enough, none of these yet owns a win at Del Mar.

Speaking of Baffert -- and, at this point, how can you not? -- he waited only five days after Triple Crown winner American Pharoah worked 6 furlongs in 1:11 2/5 to send the champ out for another 6 panels, clocked in 1:11 flat. "I think he's getting faster," Baffert said. "He gives me goose bumps." The Pioneerof the Nile colt is booked for the $1 million, Grade I Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park next weekend. "He's right on course," Baffert said. "No excuses. He'll be ready to go there."

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Distaff

Tepin enters Saturday's $500,000, Grade I TVG Diana Stakes at Saratoga riding a three-race winning streak, most recently including the Grade I Just a Game at Belmont Park. Her last two victories were at 1 mile and she adds a furlong for this event -- a trip that hasn't worked out for her in the past. Stephanie's Kitten and Kitten's Queen, both trained by Chad Brown and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, will run uncoupled. Hard Not to Like makes the transcontinental trip after winning the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita. Lady Lara, My Miss Sophia and Waltzing Matilda round out the quality cast.

Include Betty has been improving as the year progresses and is one of eight 3-year-old fillies set for Sunday's $300,000, Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The Include filly finished eighth in the Kentucky Oaks, second in the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico and then won the Grade I Mother Goose at Belmont in her last outing. The field also includes I'm a Chatterbox, making her first appearance since finishing third in the Kentucky Oaks after sweeping the Fair Grounds series for 3-year-old fillies. Curalina has won three in a row, most recently the Grade I Acorn at Belmont. Keen Pauline won the Black-Eyed Susan in her first stakes try. And Wonder Gal has been a consistent earner in graded stakes without winning since her career debut.

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Strut the Course and Checkered Past are the morning-line favorites among seven in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian), Grade III Ontario Matron at 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather course. Strut the Course won the Dance Smartly Stakes on the turf in her last outing. Checkered Past was last seen upsetting the Trillium Stakes over the same course and distance as Saturday's test.

Filly & Mare Turf

Feathered has thrived since Todd Pletcher put her on the turf and gets another chance on opening day at Saratoga in the Grade II Lake George for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. She won the Grade III Edgewood at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day and then, in the Grade I American Oaks at Santa Anita at 1 1/4 miles, faded a bit after making a sprightly pace and finished second, beaten only 3/4 length against a good field. She is by Indian Charlie out of the Dynaformer mare Receipt. My Year Is a Day finished fifth in the Edgewood in her U.S. start for Graham Motion after bringing sound credentials from France. Motion also saddles Jellicle Ball, who is fresh off the plane from England, where her only bad race was finishing 12th, beaten 40 lengths in the Quipco 2000 Guineas for trainer John Gosden. There are others, too. Celestine has won four straight, including three stakes. Cara Marie is a speedball who won at 1 mile last time out. Mississippi Delta has won her last three and would love rain. Mrs McDougal and Partisan Politics certainly could figure. With a lot of speed and some solid closers, it should be fun to watch.

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Sprint

Six speedballs are entered for Sunday's $300,000, Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar, headed by Masochistic. The 5-year-old Sought After gelding has won three straight races, most recently the Grade I Triple Bend at Santa Anita, rather easily beating some of the same foes he will see on Sunday. Kobe's Back cuts back to 6 furlongs after not firing in the Met Mile. Distinctiv Passion won the Grade III Los Angeles at Santa Anita over the same trip in his last race.

Blame Jim is the morning-line favorite among seven in for Saturday's $100,000, Grade III Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds going 6 furlongs at Monmouth Park. The Sharp Humor gelding, featuring two wins from six starts, comes to this off a second-place finish at Belmont Park. Bluegrass Singer, third in the Holy Bull way back in January and winner of the Parx Derby, continues to seek his ideal distance.

2-year-old fillies

The juvenile wars get going on the opening day at Saratoga as Wesley Ward, Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen and others have some of their best-looking 2-year-old fillies entered in the $150,000, Grade III Schuylerville at 6 furlongs. Ward brings Moment Is Right, undefeated in two starts including the Astoria at Belmont on June 4. The other is Banree, who won at first asking at Keeneland but disappointed in the Tremont at Belmont in Elmont. Asmussen will saddle Decked Out, who was second in the Astoria but bombed on the all-weather at Woodbine; One Minute, third in the Astoria; and Areolite, a Ron Winchell homebred. Pletcher counters with Positively Royal, a Bernardini filly out of a Storm Cat mare (hence the name), who easily won her only previous start and has been training well at the Spa. Little Miss Miss is in from Parx and Off the Tracks has shipped from South Florida.

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There's also a waiting list to get into Friday's sixth race at Saratoga, a 5 1/2-furlongs maiden special for juvenile fillies.

2-year-olds

Eleven are set for Saturday's $150,000, Grade III Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, with Cocked and Loaded, He's Comin in Hot and Paynes Prairie among the fancied. Cocked and Loaded, a Colonel John colt, is 2-for-2 after winning the Tremont in his last start with a pace-stalking trip. He's Comin in Hot is doing just that after a front-running win in the Grade III Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on June 27. Paynes Prairie was second in the Tremont, then returned to break his maiden at Belmont on the Fourth of July. Don't dismiss Uncle Vinny, who was the favorite in the Tremont but got home second-last of seven after being bumped around at the start. He's by Uncle Mo. Otherwise, these are all recent maiden winners, most of them having scored at first asking. Watch and learn.

Michael Stidham is making a summer of shipping horses trained at Arlington, where legislative and other woes have led to a reduction in purses and stakes, to sites that still have a vibrant program -- from California to Canada. Enter into that category The Zip Zip Man, a City Zip gelding who won at first asking at Arlington in June and resurfaces in Saturday's $125,000 (Canadian) Colin Stakes at Woodbine. He's the 8-5 favorite on the morning line in a field of eight with Florent Geroux along for the ride. None of the others has more than a maiden win.

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Filly & Mare Turf Sprint

Stidham has yet another Arlington trainee, Leigh Court, in Sunday's $150,000 (Canadian), Grade III Royal North Stakes at Woodbine. The 5-year-old Grand Slam mare is a multiple graded stakes winner but has not raced since finishing fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup. Last year's winner, Ageless, is back for another try at age 6. The other five are well matched if those two don't run a top effort. Judging by her works at Arlington, Leigh Court is primed.

News and notes

Oaklawn, where American Pharoah prepped for his Triple Crown sweep, has upped the ante for its 2016 stakes schedule. The changes include purse increases from $300,000 to $500,000 for the Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 15 and from $750,000 to $900,000 for the Grade II Rebel in March. "It's amazing to think of how far our 3-year-old stakes program has come over the last dozen years," said Director of Racing David Longinotti.

Since 2004, when Smarty Jones won the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby before victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Oaklawn's 3-year-old stakes program has produced eight horses which have accounted for 12 Triple Crown race victories -- a list also including Afleet Alex, Curlin, Summer Bird and Lookin at Lucky.

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