Flintshire (pink cap), seen finishing second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Turf, will try to overcome his "seconditis" in Saturday's $1 million Manhattan at Belmont Park. Photo courtesy Breeders' Cup
The question of the week in Thoroughbred racing is: Can Exaggerator parlay his Preakness victory into two-thirds of a Triple Crown? That would be the capper to an embarrassment of weekend riches at Belmont Park.
The Friday and Saturday cards at the Long Island track include a combined six Grade I events, four Grade II's, a lonely Grade III and four Listed events. Two of the Grade I races are Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" affairs. And ... the 2-year-old set cranks things up a notch with the Astoria for fillies and the open Tremont, each worth $200,000. The weather forecast is good: Highs in the mid to upper 70s and only a small chance of precipitation late Saturday.
Incredibly, there's more. Woodbine on Sunday features the Woodbine Oaks and the Plate Trial. Delaware Park on Saturday has the Obeah Stakes for fillies and mares, presaging next month's Grade I Delaware Handicap. Filly and mare turf runners go 1 1/16 miles in the Old Forester Mint Julep at Churchill Downs on Saturday and 1 1/2 miles in the Possibly Perfect at Santa Anita on Sunday.
International action, after last weekend's Derbies, Oaks and assorted supporting events, slows to a gentle roar. We do note, however, thanks to astute South African observer Liesl King, that the Aga Khan's claim to have overseen five generations of his Derby winner's pedigree was a generation off the mark, running out with his grand-dam's sire, Darshaan. Nonetheless, a pretty impressive record.
And, of course, as soon as the Belmont is in the books, attention will shift to Ascot and the start of the Royal meeting on Tuesday.
Remember, if you find the Belmont programs overwhelming, help is available at www.popejude.com. And to follow all the action, it's Horse Racing Radio Network at www.horseracingradio.net.
Let's get to it.
The Belmont Stakes
Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator drew gate No. 11 for the $1.5 million Grade I Belmont and opinions were divided in his camp about whether that's good or bad in the 1 1/2-miles event.
"It's a wonderful post position," said Exaggerator's rider, Kent Desormeaux. "I can't see any horses that will cross over on him." He said he should "be able to establish position, preferably without ever getting a grain of sand in his face."
Kent's brother, Keith, who trains the Curlin colt, wasn't so thrilled with the No. 11 gate in a 13-horse field. He noted the race is one lap around the sweeping Belmont Park oval, meaning the first turn comes up a lot sooner than in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness, where the field starts at the top of the stretch.
"It's not as inconsequential as it is in the other two races," Keith Desormeaux said. "So I'd prefer not to be on the outside, because we have to take back and drop in. Three-sixteenths is a decent run, but not enough. Not enough to say that the gates don't matter."
The trainer also said his brother will have to judge the early pace to determine how close to keep Exaggerator to the early leaders.
There's likely to be a good bit of "waiting around" during the first mile of the longest of the Triple Crown races. The few "speed" horses in the field, with the possible exception of Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin, are suspect at best to be around at the finish. The list of those who in past races have run from far back includes not only Exaggerator but also Preakness runner-up Cherry Wine, Arkansas Derby winner and runner-up Creator and Suddenbreakingnews, Wood Memorial runner-up Trojan Nation, UAE Derby winner Lani, and Blue Grass winner Brody's Cause.
"I'd hate to predict a position," Kent Desormeaux said of his plans for the race. "Going to let Exaggerator get comfortable. Wherever that is, is where it's going to be ... Us jockeys know it's a long way. So they'll probably all be trying to slow down. I dream him forwardly placed and just being able, dreamingly, to decide when to pull the trigger."
Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, who developed a fever after finishing third behind Exaggerator and Cherry Wine in the Preakness, skipped the Belmont and has returned to his California base.
The rest of the Saturday card at Belmont Park is of uncommon quality.
Saturday at Belmont Park
The winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes aren't meeting at Belmont on Saturday. But the winners of the Kentucky Oaks and the Black-Eyed Susan are. Cathryn Sophia, who took the Oaks by 2 3/4 lengths, and Go Maggie Go, who won the Black-Eyed Susan on Preakness day by 2 1/2 lengths, are among six set for the $700,000, Grade I Acorn at 1 mile. Among the others, Carina Mia already has two graded stakes wins to her credit.
Ten rivals will be trying to beat international superstar Flintshire in the $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan at 10 furlongs on the inner turf course. Flintshire, a 6-year-old son of Dansili, has earned more than $7.5 million while racing from Hong Kong to California, New York, England, France and Dubai. The Juddmonte Farms homebred, however, has had a lingering case of "seconditis," finishing runner-up in such as the Breeders' Cup Turf, Dubai Sheema Classic, Longines Hong Kong Vase, and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (twice). He has only five wins, compared with 10 seconds, from 19 starts. Chad Brown is listed as Flintshire's trainer for Saturday's race, subbing for Andre Fabre. Javier Castellano will have the mount. He will have plenty of competition in his 2016 debut. Divisidero, World Approval and Slumber were the first three finishers in the Grade I Turf Classic on Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Big Blue Kitten was fifth in that race. Wake Forest won the Grade I Man o' War at Belmont is his last start. Take the Stand comes from a victory in the Grade II Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds.
The field for the $1.25 million Grade I Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap -- the Met Mile -- includes three horses starting for the first time since Dubai World Cup night, plus the winner of the 2015 Group II Godolphin Mile at Meydan. Frosted finished fifth in the World Cup itself on March 26. Marking was fourth and Sloan Avenue fifth in this year's Godolphin Mile, won in 2014 by Tamarkuz. The latter makes his first start since last October and seeks his first win since the Dubai triumph. Frosted is the 7-2 morning-line pick for the Met Mile. Also fancied are Noble Bird, 11-lengths winner of the Pimlico Special three weeks ago; Stanford, pacesetting winner of the Grade II Charles Town Classic in April; and Ami's Flatter, victorious in the Grade III Commonwealth during the Keeneland Spring meeting.
Seven fillies and mares -- six of them really good -- are engaged for the $1 million Grade I Ogden Phipps at 1 1/16 miles around one turn. Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria is here. So is Sheer Drama, who just did beat Stopchargingmaria in a dramatic stretch duel in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland this spring. Cavorting comes off a 5-lengths victory in the Grade II Ruffian last month. Curalina returns after a 7 1/2-lengths win in the Grade I La Troienne on Kentucky Oaks Day. Forever Unbridled has won three straight, most recently the Grade I Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. The only apparent imposter is Desert Valley, who was last seen finishing third, beaten 13 1/2 lengths, in a $20,000 claimer at Thistledown.
The $700,000 Grade I Jaipur for fillies and mares at 1 mile on the Widener Turf Course is a handicapping puzzle. Mrs McDougal is the 4-1 morning-line favorite after winning the Plenty of Grace at the course and distance. Strike Charmer was second in that race. But Strike Charmer, Tapitry, Recepta and 2014 Kentucky Oaks winner My Miss Sophia then finished 1-2-3-4 in the Grade III Beaugay last month and all of them are in this field. Celestine won the Grade II Honey Fox at 1 mile on the Gulfstream Park turf in her last start and is 2-for-2 on the Belmont greensward. Faufiler, a dead closer, just missed winning the Grade II Royal Heroine at Santa Anita in her last start. Lexie Lou, the 2014 Queen's Plate winner, returned to the winner's circle after her last outing. Rainha Da Bateria and Lady Lara are both proven veterans in graded stakes on the grass. And don't overlook Irish Rookie, a 4-year-old filly who ran with some distinction at the top levels in France, England and Ireland last year and this spring.
The $400,000 Grade III Brooklyn Invitational is an early-day preview of the Belmont Stakes -- 1 1/2 miles on the main track, but for 4-year-olds and up. Of the 10 starters, only Neck 'n Neck has won at this distance and that was long ago. Last year, as a 6-year-old, he finished fifth, 12 1/4 lengths in arrears. Samraat finished a respectable fourth in the 2014 Belmont and looks possible here. The 2015 Queen's Plate winner, Shaman Ghost, could stretch out and has been training well at Belmont. Turco Bravo, Securitiz and Neck 'n Neck finished 1-2 over the Belmont strip at 1 3/8 miles in their last outing. Kid Cruz is the lukewarm, 3-1 morning-line favorite after two straight wins. Go figure.
There's a lot to like -- and A Lot is the early favorite -- in the $300,000, Grade III Jaipur Invitational at 6 furlongs on the grass. A Lot, Green Mask and Mosler finished 1-2-3 in the recent Elusive Quality at 7 furlongs over the course. Green Gratto, Rocket Heat and Guns Loaded are signed on and should provide a torrid pace although the No. 11 gate could compromise the chances of Guns Loaded.
The $500,000 Grade II Woody Stephens is for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs -- somewhat unaccountable for a race named after the trainer who saddled the winners of five straight Belmont Stakes going nearly twice that far. Whatever the justice of that, this heat features among its 13 entrants: Sharp Azteca, winner of the Grade III Pat Day Mile in his last start; Dig Deep, last-out winner of the Hilton Memorial at Charles Town; Justin Squared, undefeated and fresh off a win in the Chick Lang at Pimlico; and I Will Score and Mrazek, first and second in the Grade III Laz Barrera at Santa Anita in their last start. This is ripe for an upset, maybe by Tom's Ready, who was second in the Louisiana Derby, then a fading 12th in the Kentucky Derby. Counterforce and Seymourdini each have two wins and two seconds from four starts.
Cupid was the hot horse for the Kentucky Derby after he won the Grade II Rebel at Oaklawn Park for trainer Bob Baffert. But then he ran 10th in the Arkansas Derby and hasn't been seen since -- until he faces four rivals in the $150,000 Easy Goer for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. He's the 3-5 favorite on the morning line. The field also contains Rally Cry, who was sixth in the Grade III Gotham in March, and Economic Model, who was second in the Grade II Swale.
Belmont Park on Friday
Private Zone, the likely favorite for the $250,000 Grade III True North, has been scratched, reportedly after trainer Brian Lynch tested positive for marijuana. The 7-year-old Macho Uno gelding, second to Runhappy in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, cannot be re-entered in another trainer's name under New York racing rules. The unfortunate scratch leaves the likes of Catalina Red, fresh off a win in the Grade II Churchill Downs on Derby Day, and Always Sunshine, victorious in the Grade III Maryland Sprint Handicap on Preakness Day. Both of them should be running late.
The $500,000 Grade II New York is a 1 1/4-miles turf event for fillies and mares featuring the 1-2 finishers from the Grade II Sheepshead Bay, French-bred Sea Calisi and Chilean-bred Guapaza. All but one of the seven entrants is foreign-bred and the lone Kentucky-bred, Havana Moon, makes her first U.S. start after racing in France. Photo Call rates a chance.
The morning-line favorite among seven entered for the Tremont Stakes for 2-year-olds is the only filly in the field, Lady Stardust. She, like five others, enters this after winning at first asking. The other, Hey Mike, won his first race, then finished second against winners in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs. Note: Lifelong Dreamer, bred and owned by trainer Wesley Ward, won his only previous start in a $35,000 claimer at Gulfstream Park by 5 1/2 lengths, geared down.
The 1 1/2-mile Rags to Riches Invitational for fillies and mares features Mei Ling, Joint Return and Theogony but none of the six starters has gone this distance on the dirt before so it's pretty much a hatpin-in-the-program race.
Then there's the grassy, 2-miles Belmont Gold Cup with $300,000 on offer and a baker's dozen in the field. Only two have attempted the distance and neither of them was around at the end. Recognizable names from shorter races include Up With the Birds, Da Big Hoss, Twilight Eclipse and Kaigun. Biz the Nurse ran some good races at the top level in Italy last year and Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the mount -- likely at an attractive price.
Seven will contest the $150,000 Jersey Girl for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs with Blip n' Th Bye, Off the Tracks and Kareena the morning-line anointed.
Delaware Park
I'm a Chatterbox heads a field of five for Saturday's $100,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park, the local prep for next month's Grade I Delaware Handicap. "Right now, the Delaware Handicap is our No. 1 goal," said trainer Larry Jones.
"Hopefully, the Obeah and the Delaware Handicap will set her up for some of the big races at Saratoga later on, but right now, the Delaware Handicap remains our number one priority."
Also in the field: Calamity Kate, Savings Account, Genre and Royal Jewelry. Calamity Kate won last year's Delaware Oaks but has not scored since that heat.
Churchill Downs
Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Old Forester Mint Julep Handicap for fillies and mares attracted 10 to go 1 1/16 miles on the grass. The logical exacta involves the favorites, Cash Control and Mizz Money, who drew gates No. 4 and No. 5. Cash Control exits a third-place showing in the Grade II Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Derby weekend. Mizz Money comes off a win in the Grade III Gallorette at Pimlico on Peakness weekend.
Woodbine
Sunday's program includes not only the $500,000 (Canadian) Woodbine Oaks at 9 furlongs on the all-weather course but also the $150,000 (Canadian) Plate Trial at the same distance. There's still a good bit of shaking out to do before Canada's signature race on July 3. Two years ago, Lexie Lou won the Oaks, then went on to win the Plate.
Santa Anita
Sunday's feature is the listed $75,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on the grass.
