Kentucky Derby winner Mage back in action in $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park

July 21 (UPI) -- The Triple Crown races are well in the rearview, mirror but the battle for supremacy in the 3-year-old division rages on this weekend as Monmouth Park hosts its biggest day of the year and Del Mar's reopening puts the official "summer" stamp on horse racing.

Saratoga also puts some filly and mare rivalries on the track. Among the 3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks rivals Gambling Girl and Wet Paint face off in the Grade I Coaching Club Amerian Oaks and the older distaffers are represented by Clairiere and Nest in the Grade II Shuvee.

On the world scene, Savethelastdance heads an Aidan O'Brien foursome in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh and won't have to face the filly who beat her at Epsom.

With three big tracks up and running, so is "the Pontiff," Jude Feld, whose industry insider report can be a big help in sorting all this out - www.popejude.com is the place to go.

But first, go here ...

The 3-year-olds

The 3-year-old battles heat up again in earnest Saturday as Kentucky Derby winner Mage returns to action in the $1 million Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park.

The race is a prestigious "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic and a warmup for the Grade I Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 26 -- the race that may finally shake out the contenders from the pretenders.

Mage's entry was announced on Twitter by trainer Gustavo Delgado Sr., speaking for the team that has been cautious about running their colt: "After much consideration and planning Mage's summer goal of getting to the Grade I Travers, we have decided to have a prep run in the Grade I Haskell this weekend."

Mage followed his victory in Louisville with a third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes and hasn't raced since.

The Good Magic colt thus has remained in the shadow of 2022 juvenile champion Forte, who defeated him by 1 length in the Florida Derby, but then was forced out of the Kentucky Derby with a bruised foot.

Forte then finished second in the Belmont Stakes behind Arcangelo, leaving the division a tossup.

How much of a tossup? So much so that Mage isn't even the morning-line favorite in the Haskell. That spot is taken by Arabian Knight, at one time a hot Triple Crown prospect for trainer Bob Baffert.

Baffert backed off him, unhappy with his training, and he hasn't raced since Jan. 28, when he won the Grade III Southwest at Oaklawn Park.

Baffert, who seeks his 10th Haskell victory, said of Arabian Knight after the Southwest, "By summer, I think he's gonna be ridiculous." Summer is here.

But wait! There's still more in the Haskell field: Tapit Trice, winner of the Grade I Blue Grass, seventh in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont; Geaux Rocket Ride, second in the Grade II San Felipe and winner of the Affirmed in his most recent start, ships across the continent from Santa Anita; Salute the Stars, winner of the local Pegasus Stakes, his third straight win; and a few live long shots.

Also still among those looking for supremacy among the 3-year-olds are the winner and runner-up from the Preakness, National Treasure and Blazing Sevens. And, of course, Arcangelo and Forte.

Blazing Sevens also is back on track, headlining Friday's restricted $135,000 Curlin Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at the Spa. "He's been doing well, and it's nice to have the Curlin as an option for him," trainer Chad Brown said.

He'll have to work for a win, though.

Scotland, another by Good Magic, is just a nose short of undefeated after three starts for Bill Mott. Lost Ark has had his issues but looked back on course winning his 3-year-old debut. Perform won the Federico Tessio at Laurel Park, but then was sixth in the Preakness.

It's a nice field and worth watching, especially if the big guns don't fire on the Jersey shore.

Also in the 3-year-old ranks:

Allure of Money got a break when the massive favorite, Maker's Candy, stumbled at the start of Monday's $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes and got away last of seven.

Allure of Money, a Central Banker colt, got a clean start, battled his way to the lead and then held off Maker's Candy through a long duel, winning by a neck. It was another 13 lengths to Mo Trump in third.

With Luis Perez up for trainer Michael Ferraro, Allure of Money ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:46.82. He's won four of his last five, all at Finger Lakes. Maker's Candy, trained by Mike Maker, was fifth in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, and then won the Mike Lee Stakes for state-breds at Belmont Park in May.

There are a dozen lining up for Sunday's $150,000 (Canadian) Plate Trial for Canadian-breds at Woodbine. They all have a lot to prove, but those who perform well will be among the top candidates for the $1 million (Canadian) King's Plate on Aug. 20.

And, on the news front, Oaklawn Park on Tuesday announced massive purse increases for its 3-year-old program leading to the Grade I Arkansas Derby.

The Smarty Jones Stakes purse goes to $300,000, the Southwest to $800,000, the Grade II Rebel from $1 million to $1.25 million and the Derby from $1.25 million to $1.5 million.

"We want our fans to have the opportunity to see some of the top thoroughbreds in the country, and increasing the purses to this level will bring those horses," Oaklawn President Louis Cella said.

The 3-year-old fillies

Kentucky Oaks second-place finisher Gambling Girl and fourth-place Wet Paint feature in a field of six for Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

The race also attracted division heavyweights Hoosier Philly, exiting a win at Ellis Park, Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks second Sacred Wish, Southlawn and She's Lookin Lucky.

Speaking of the King's Plate, fillies have done well in recent years in the Woodbine Oaks-Plate double. There are, however, no obvious standouts in Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-breds so it's hard to look that far ahead.

Ticker Tape Home, Elysian Fields and Me and My Shadow were the first three past the judge in the Fury Stakes over the course June 10 and thus head the morning line here. That, however, was 7 furlongs and this is 1 1/8 miles.

Classic

Proxy is the 3-5 favorite on the morning among seven entered for Saturday's $400,000 Grade III Monmouth Cup at 1 1/8 miles.

The 5-year-old son of Tapit, a Godolphin homebred, won the Grade I Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs last November, just missed to Stiletto Boy in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap in March, won the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap and threw in a clunker in the Grade I Stephen Foster in his latest trip.

At anything close to his best, he should have these guys at his mercy -- with the possible exception of Calibrate.

Sunday's $125,000 Grade III Cougar II at Del Mar has a field of seven, including a reformed claimer and a New Mexico invader. On the plus side, Kiss Today Goodbye has been improving and was third in the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup in his last start.

And ever-dangerous trainer Bob Baffert sends out Azul Coast for his first spin of the year in what looks like a soft spot.

Distaff

Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Shuvee at Saratoga has only four entries, but two of them are Clairiere and Nest.

Clairiere, a 5-year-old Curlin mare, finished third in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Distaff and comes off wins in the Grade I Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and the Grade I Ogden Phipps at Belmont.

Nest, a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin, has not raced since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup, well back of Clairiere. Before that, she reeled off consecutive victories in the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks, the Grade I Alabama and the Grade II Alabama.

The question before the court is: has Nest progressed from age 3 to age 4? The other two seem seriously outclassed.

Trainer Brown has two starters in Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Molly Pitcher for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park, the favorite, Search Results, and Distinctlypossible.

Search Results won this last year and has run well without winning in top company in three of four intervening races.

Others with the look of potential include "Nacho" Correas' Le Da Vida, Cherie DeVaux' Shotgun Hottie and the progressive Brendan Walsh-trained Godolphin homebred Loved.

Nine are on tap for Sunday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Trillium on the Woodbine all-weather track. The familiar names include likely favorite Super Hoity Toity, Il Malocchio and Kate's Kingdom, who was third last year.

Turf

One thing for sure about the 10 horses entered for Saturday's $600,000 Grade I United Nations at Monmouth Park: It's a veteran bunch.

There are two 4-year-olds and the rest range up to the 9 years of Red Knight -- the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The Pure Prize gelding, in the money in 22 of 35 starts, is a dead closer and thus dependent on trip and traffic in a 1 3/8-miles event that lacks any obvious early speed.

Filly & Mare Turf

Saturday's $300,000 Grade III WinStar Matchmaker at Monmouth Park could not be much wider open. Consumer Spending and Suprisingly finished 1-2, less than 1 length apart, in the local Eatontown Stakes in their latest and they, along with Personal Best, top the oddsmaker's list for the 1 1/8-mile tilt.

You'd never know there was a horse shortage in Southern California by looking at the overflowing entry box for Saturday's $200,000 Grade II San Clemente for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

Even after an early scratch, there's a full field of 15 plus an also-eligible. It's a tossup with a half dozen of the fillies posted at single-digit odds on the morning line.

Mohawk Trail, Preliminary and Queen Picasso top a field of nine for Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Ontario Colleen for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine. Queen Picasso, however, is cross-entered Friday at Saratoga.

Preliminary, another of those Chad Brown-trained turf fillies, won her first start at Gulfstream Park, and then got home 11th and last as the favorite in the Grade II Edgewood at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Mohawk Trail won the local Alywow Stakes in her most recent start.

Brown saddles five of the 10 3-year-old fillies entered for Friday's $175,000 Grade III Lake George Stakes at Saratoga -- three of them already stakes hardened, albeit without much in the win column, and two coming off maiden scores.

Christophe Clement has Queen Picasso, an undefeated Kingman filly last seen winning the Grade III Soaring Softly Stakes at Belmont Park. Don't overlook Lil Miss Moonlight and Princess Bettina.

Turf Sprint

Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Caress for fillies and mares at Saratoga has five entries plus one for "main track only."

The oddsmaker couldn't find much to separate them, but installed Roses for Debra as the 9-5 favorite on the basis of five wins from her last six starts. Notwithstanding, Bubble Rock, Our Flash Drive and Poppy Flower all look more appealing.

Why, then, is Roses for Debra the morning-line pick? The aforementioned Jude Feld reminds us the morning line is intended to predict how the public will bet a given field and is not a handicapping effort by the oddsmaker. That's good to bear in mind.

The Laurel Dash three weeks ago returned some some surprisingly lofty speed figures for the winner, Fore Harp, and runner-up Witty. If they can repeat, they should be tough in Saturday's $100,000 Wolf Hill at Monmouth Park. If not, it's program-stabbing time.

Witty is cross-entered in Saturday's $150,000 Van Clief at Colonial Downs, a wide-open affair in which he would be one of the better-fancied. It's tough to throw out any of the 10 set for that 5 1/2 furlongs. Pick 'em and profit.

Sprint

Quick now, who finished fifth in the 2021 Kentucky Derby? That would be O Besos, who subsequently was backed up to sprinting and finished fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

He hasn't raced since, but returns as the second-favorite in Saturday's $125,000 Jeff Hall Memorial at Ellis Park. He's pegged at 5-2 with Here Mi Song drawn outside in a field of nine and listed at 2-1.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Loyalty and Miss Speedy top the morning line for Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Hendrie on the Woodbine all-weather course. Loyalty has won five of her seven starts.

Miss Speedy exits a dominating victory over fellow Ontario-sired fillies in the Ballade Stakes and was second in the Grade III Whimsical two starts before that.

Wicked Halo is the even-money favorite on the morning line among seven in Sunday's $125,000 Twin Bridges at Ellis Park.

The 4-year-old Gun Runner filly, third in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, has finished second in each of her last two starts but those were good ones -- 1 length adrift of Matareya in the Grade I Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs and a neck behind champion Goodnight Olive in the Grade II Bed o' Roses at Belmont Park.

Around the world, around the clock

Ireland

Savethelastdance beat everyone except Soul Sister in the Epsom Oaks June 2 and won't have to face that rival as she returns as the antepost favorite in Saturday's Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

The premier pick of three in the field from Aidan O'Brien's yard, Savethelastdance famously won the Cheshire Oaks by 22 lengths as a warmup for Epsom.

She wasn't embarrassed with her effort in the Classic as Soul Sister went on to finish third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris on Bastille Day behind two top-self colts, Feed the Flame and Savethelastdance's stablemate, Adelaide River.

Another from the O'Brien yard, Warm Heart, and the Juddmonte hope, Bluestocking, also draw support for the Irish Oaks.

Warm Heart, by Galileo, has won three in a row with the Group 2 Ribblesdale the latest conquest with Bluestocking third. O'Brien also saddles Be Happy and Library, giving him half the field.

Meanwhile, back in the States ...

Saratoga

Itsallcomintogetha led from the start in Friday's $150,000 Cab Callaway Division of the New York Stallion Stakes for eligible 3-year-olds and held off odds-on favorite Ramblin' Wreck through the closing strides to win by a neck.

Itsallcomintogetha, by Weekend Hideaway, ran 1 mile on the firm inner turf course in 1:36.63 with Jose Gomez riding.

Orange Freeze broke last of nine in Thursday's $150,000 Statue of Liberty Division for 3-year-old fillies, rallied around rivals to get to the leaders a furlong out and ran on to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Bernt Again also rallied from far back to finish second. Orange Freeze, a Freud filly, got home in 1:37.75 with Joel Rosario in the irons.

Presque Isle Downs

Captain Courtney kicked away from her rivals in the stretch in Monday's $100,000 Malvern Rose Stakes for 3-year-old, Pennsylvania-bred fillies, winning by 6 1/4 lengths.

The Army Mule miss, with Victor Carrasco up for trainer Michael Trombetta, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:15.95.