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June 16 (UPI) -- The Royal Ascot is just around the corner, with the new King in command for the first time and jockey Frankie Dettori competing for the last time. But first, there's some interesting graded-stakes action this weekend in North America, including the return of an Eclipse Award champ.
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On the international front, while the Ascot folks polish up the carriages and dust off the top hats, 3-year-old fillies mix it up in the Prix de Diane or French Oaks. There's another Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" in South America.
Wasting no time, we'll start with:
Turf
There are lots of ways to go in handicapping Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Monmouth Stakes with six lining up to go 1 1/8 miles.
The morning-line pick is Tribhuvan, who makes his 7-year-old debut here for trainer Chad Brown after a nearly 10-month layoff.
There are a few others with more recent stakes experience, including Never Explain, winner of three in a row including the Grade III Dinner Party at Pimlico in his last. Brown has an excellent record with well-rested horses.
Saturday's $175,000 Chorleywood Stakes at Ellis Park is a wide-open affair with nine set to go 1 1/4 miles.
The oddsmaker gives a narrow nod to Foreign Relations, who won the Grade III Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs in his last start, good enough for 2-1 odds here.
At 3-1 on the morning line is Therapist, who was eighth in the Louisville but won the Grade II Pan American at Gulfstream Park in April.
Sunday's $100,000 Grade III San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita is run at 1 3/4 miles, which didn't scare off six prospects. Offlee Naughty comes off two straight graded stakes wins, going 1 1/4 miles and 1 1/2 miles in those and defeating several of the others.
Filly & Mare Turf
Consumer Spending and Gina Romantica, both trained by Chad Brown, are the favorites in a field of eight set for Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Gina Romantica was last seen winning the Grade I QE II Cup at Keeneland. Consumer Spending was second in the Grade III Beaugay at Belmont Park in her seasonal debut.
The 3-year-olds
With no clear leader in the division, Saturday's $150,000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park gives someone a chance to step up and, on form, that is likely to be Kingsbarns.
The Todd Pletcher trainee won his first three starts, including the Louisiana Derby. But then he tired after pressing the pace in the Kentucky Derby and finished 14th.
It's no gimme for the Uncle Mo colt, though. He drew the outside gate in a field of eight with Howgreatisnate just to his inside. The latter has had a couple of rough trips, but won the Long Branch over the course in his last start with figures that would make him competitive.
Classic / Dirt Mile
Artorius, another Chad Brown charge coming off a layoff, is the morning-line pick in Saturday's $150,000 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park.
The Juddmonte homebred looked like a big deal during the first half of 2022, but then hit the wall in the Travers and failed to menace again at Keeneland in the fall in his last start.
Nimitz Class, on the other hand, has five straight wins, albeit against easier than Artorius faced last year.
Distaff
Wet Paint, fourth in the Kentucky Oaks, and Hoosier Philly, second in the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan, are the chalk in a field of six for Saturday's $150,000 Monomoy Girl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Ellis Park.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Last year's Eclipse Award champion, Goodnight Olive, is back in action in Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Bed o' Roses Stakes at Belmont Park.
The 5-year-old Ghostzapper filly was undefeated in four starts last year, including the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, but ran into traffic problems in her most recent start and settled for third in the Grade I Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs.
Wicked Halo, second in the Derby City Distaff, returns.
Juvenile
Saturday's $100 Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita drew six colts to tackle 5 1/2 furlongs. Tranche finished seventh in his debut at Keeneland, and then was third in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs.
Going Mobile and Refocus both won their only previous start. Next Level, Harry Houdini and Mirahmadi make their initial start with the latter as the odds-on favorite on the morning line.
Juvenile Fillies
Five are set for Saturday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante at Santa Anita. Three were first-race winners and the others get their first experience. Becky's Dream and Crazy Hot top the morning line.
Around the world, around the clock
France
Sunday's Group 1 Prix de Diana or French Oaks has 15 confirmations with lots of buzz about Running Lion. The filly, trained by John and Thady Gosden, is a daughter of Roaring Lion and has posted four straight wins on both all-weather and turf.
In her last, she spanked a decent field in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket, winning by 4 1/2 lengths.
There's tougher competition here, including Novakai, second to eventual Oaks winner Soul Sister in the Musidora; undefeated Group 1 winner Jannah Rose; French Guineas winner and runner-up Blue Rose Cen and Lindy; and Aidan O'Brien charge Never Ending Story.
Brazil
Sunday's Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil (G1) for 4-year-olds and up at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro is a "Win and You're In" Challenge race for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
England
It's almost Royal Ascot time, this year with the added question mark of how much of a role King Charles III will play in the event.
Last year's renewal saw a rebound from the pandemic gloom but sorely missed the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose patronage of the sport played such a crucial role in making Royal Ascot ... well, Royal.
We'll be watching that lead carriage each day to see which Royals are riding.
We'll also be watching Frankie Dettori, who has made Royal Ascot his personal playground for decades and now makes his farewell appearance midway through his retirement tour.
"It's very hard to let go when you've been doing this for 30-odd years," Dettori said in an interview for the Royal Ascot media guide. "I have to prepare myself for it. ... For sure, I will cry. I'm not even going to pretend that I'm not going to."
Beyond the pageantry, there's plenty of international intrigue with the usual American invasion bolstered this time around by the likes of Hong Kong stayer Wellington and a huge contingent of Australian sprinters.
The Yanks include the usual complement of 2-year-olds under the care of trainer Wesley Ward, who has pioneered the U.S. presence at the Royal Meeting. Among them this year, all being well, is American Rascal, whose dam is Lady Aurelia.
The British Horseracing Authority will conduct enhanced prerace veterinary examinations in furtherance of horse welfare.
Things kick off Tuesday with three Group 1 events.
The St James's Palace Stakes is for 3-year-old colts at 1 mile on the round course and expected to see a clash between English 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean and Paddington, winner of the Irish Guineas.
The Queen Anne is for 4-year-olds and up at the straight mile with Godolphin's Modern Games and Native Trail facing Inspiral.
And the King's Stand is a 5-furlongs dash with 20 entries including Ward's Twilight Gleaming. The Group 2 Coventry Stakes is for 2-year-olds and has 32 entries.
Wednesday's schedule features the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at 1 1/4 miles with Godolphin's 2021 Derby winner, Adayar, expected to go favorite.
The Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes is for fillies and mares down the straight mile, and the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Thursday is Group 1 Gold Cup day with the 2-miles staying test always a highlight of the week. That's supported by the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes for 2-year-olds, with the aforementioned American Rascal set to line up, and the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, a 1 1/2-miles race for fillies and mares.
