Summer officially arrived earlier this week and the serious countdown is on for Opening Day at Del Mar and Saratoga. First things first, however, with one last weekend in June and another edition of Saturday Special presented by Pin Oak Stud, home of Alternation, Broken Vow and Cowboy Cal.
Santa Anita Park takes top billing this week with a pair of Grade 1 stakes – the Gold Cup and Triple Bend, while Thistledown hosts a strong renewal of the $500,000 Ohio Derby, Belmont runs the Bed o’ Roses featuring Wavell Avenue and Pimlico preps for the end of the spring meet with a five-pack of stakes.
And don’t forget everything overseas, where the news isn’t completely dominated by Britain’s decision to quit the European Union or even the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, which is pretty strong nonetheless.
All that and more in this week’s edition. Enjoy.
Newcastle. Race 2. 9:30 a.m. UK is out of the EU, but racing remains. The Betfred Chipchase Stakes, a Group 3 going 6 furlongs, starts off a stellar card.
Newmarket. Race 2. 9:45. The Fred Archer Stakes. Named after The Tin Man. Oh, a tragic tale of a jockey dead at 29.
The Curragh. Race 1. 10:00. How many sons and daughters of War Front does Coolmore own? Here are two more, Intelligence Cross and Whitecliffsofdover, ready to break their maidens.
Newcastle. Race 4. 10:40. The Betfred Northumberland Vase offers a consolation prize for horses that were eliminated at the 48-hour declaration stage for the Northumberland Plate. Heck of a consolation prize, a $110,500 purse for 2 milers. We’ve liked The Cashel Man for a while, he’s value here.
Newmarket. Race 4. 10:55. Birchwood aims to snap a losing streak – behind such pillars as The Gurkha, Hit It A Bomb, Air Force Blue, Galileo Gold – in the John Sunley Memorial Criterion Stakes.
The Curragh. Race 3: 11:05. Calumet aims at winning the Celebration Stakes with Foxtrot Charlie, winner of two of three for Dermot Weld.
Newcastle. Race 5. 11:15. The prize. The John Smith’s Northumberland Plate offers $220,500 over 2 miles. Sad to see this signature race switched from turf to all-weather. The times they are a changin’.
Royal Windsor. Race 5. 11:20. Clotilde, winner of three out of her last four, is rated 15 pounds lower than Chill The Kite, but could win the Midsummer Stakes.
The Curragh. Race 4: 11:40. Group 2 chance for 2-year-olds. Peace Envoy doesn’t get a break, wheeling back nine days after finishing fourth at Royal Ascot. And, what do you know, Coolmore and Andrew Rosen send out War Decree, a son of War Front.
The Curragh. Race 5. 12:20 p.m. The Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby shows the top-heavy nature of Irish racing. Eight Irish-based horses, three trainers. Aidan O’Brien triggers four while Dermot Weld unleashes two, including Derby winner Harzand, and Jim Bolger offers two. Just one British-based runner, Red Verdon, a son of Lemon Drop Kid, who ran well behind Harzand three weeks ago.
Thistledown. Race 1. 12:55. Word is the place is now called JACK Thistledown. The signature day of the season starts with a $5,000 claiming heat.
Pimlico Race Course. Race 1. 1:10. Final Saturday of the spring meeting starts with 5-furlong turf maiden.
Churchill Downs. Race 2. 1:14. One Mean Man, full brother to Gallorette winner Mizz Money, should appreciate break from stakes company in 1-mile grass allowance.
Churchill. Race 3. 1:43. Bob Baffert shipped his Kentucky string back to Southern California but left Jimbo Fallon, a gelding owned by his wife and workmate for Mor Sprit leading up to the Kentucky Derby, behind with D. Wayne Lukas.
Pimlico. Race 3. 2:06. First of five stakes on the card, the $60,000 Edward P. Evans for Virginia-bred/Virginia-sired. Rose Brier nearly won the Grade 3 Red Bank last time and a repeat of that performance buries this group.
Parx Racing. Race 5. 2:43. Adirondack King chased eventual Stephen Foster winner Bradester to no avail last time when second in Majestic Light at Monmouth. He looks good from the rail in $100,000 Turning For Home. So does Majestic Affair, in from New York.
Arlington Park. Race 2. 2:47. Eight 2-year-old fillies for 4 1/2-furlong maiden and a couple Illinois-bred firsters – My Darling Sophia and She’s Fine Tuned – are the morning-line choices.
Pimlico. Race 5. 3:02. Maryland-bred fillies and mares take their turn in $75,000 All Brandy going 9 furlongs on the grass. Vielsalm nearly delivered hometown story of the weekend when second last time in the Grade 3 Gallorette.
Belmont Park. Race 4. 3:04. One of the better races on the card features last-out graded stakes competitors American Patriot, Kasseopia and Hunter O’Riley. Ray’s The Bar is the one to beat off good comeback race last month.
Belterra Park. Race 5. 3:26 p.m. Fixador, off since finishing fifth in last year’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational going 12 furlongs at Saratoga, resurfaces in 5-furlong turf allowance. He won going short in his native Brazil, but that was back in 2013.
Pimlico. Race 6. 3:30. Exaggerated won the Giant’s Causeway two back and chased the hugely talented Lady Shipman last time in the The Very One on Preakness Day. She didn’t scare them away in $60,000 White Oak Farm, however, and faces 10 others in 5-furlong turf sprint.
Belterra. Race 6. 3:55. Altissimo, Ohio-bred by the late New York sire Noble Causeway, looks to improve to 3-for-3 in state-bred allowance going 6 1/2 furlongs.
Pimlico. Race 7. 3:58. Phlash Phelps the deserving favorite to defend his title in $75,000 Find Stakes for Maryland-breds.
Delaware Park. Race 7. 4:15. Expect the speedy Burndines to be on the lead in grass allowance-optional, but can he hold off Laythatpistoldown?
Churchill. Race 8. 4:19. Dee Dee Bertie delivered emotional win for Klein family and Charlie and Amy LoPresti during Keeneland meeting. Bluegrass Cat filly looks to bounce back from poor effort on wet track in her turf debut.
Pimlico. Race 8. 4:26. Hooligan, also entered in White Oak Farm earlier on the card, might benefit from the stretchout if she goes in $60,000 Nellie Mae Cox going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Woodbine. Race 8. 4:51. The $125,000 Nandi Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong event on the main track for 2-year-old fillies sired by a stallion standing in Ontario for his entire season the year of conception and registered with the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society for that season. Now that’s a mouthful.
Monmouth Park. Race 9. 4:52. Ostrolenka tries open company in two-turn allowance-optional after three straight efforts in New York-bred stakes for Todd Pletcher.
Thistledown. Race 7. 4:54. Nine entered for $75,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap, including three from Loooch Racing Stables – Floral Sky, Morant Bay and Rowlands Big Smile.
Arlington. Race 6. 4:55. Sarah Sis back “home” for Grade 3 Chicago Handicap.
Belmont. Race 8. 5:13. Realm was impressive winner of his debut last summer at Saratoga. He’s winless in three subsequent starts – all this year – although each was better than the previous. Slight edge in 9-furlong allowance.
Monmouth. Race 10. 5:24. Getting away from Tepin was just what Isabella Sings – the morning-line favorite for Grade 3 Eatontown – needed in her last, a victory in the Miss Liberty. She puts 2-for-3 record on Monmouth turf course on the line against good group that includes Bureau de Change, Sea Coast, Means Well and Invading Humor.
Churchill. Race 10. 5:21. Diva Express, winner of Grade 3 Winning Colors last time out, looks to add another stakes win for John Oxley and Mark Casse in $67,000 Roxelana.
Gulfstream Park. Race 9. 5:30. The $75,000 Boca Chica for state-bred older fillies and mares attracts seven.
Thistledown. Race 8. 5:30. Mo Tom was quasi wise-guy pick in Kentucky Derby after rough trip in Louisiana Derby. He finished eighth in Louisville and is the choice for $500,000 Ohio Derby against a good group that includes Adventist, Wild About Deb, Cocked And Loaded and Decorated Soldier.
Belmont. Race 9. 5:45. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue tries again in Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses after back-to-back defeats in Grade 1 stakes in Kentucky.
Canterbury Park. Race 9. 5:54. Joe Sharp is everywhere – well, at least horses he trains are seemingly everywhere, including Sioux Hockey in this 7 ½-furlong allowance race on the grass.
Santa Anita Park. Race 4. 6:00. Who doesn’t like some good Huevos Rancheros? Apparently the morning-line maker, who pegs 2-year-old son of Into Mischief at 20-1 for debut.
Santa Anita. Race 7. 7:30. Hollywood Strike – son of Smart Strike out of Hollywood Story – should appreciate stretching out for second start.
Oak Tree at Pleasanton. Race 8. 7:54. The $50,000 Oak Tree Handicap attracts graded stakes competitors Eagle Screams, Tamarando, Southern Freedom, Hollywood Angle and Docs Legacy.
Santa Anita. Race 8. 8:00. Keep a close eye on the Grade 1 Triple Bend for clues into Breeders’ Cup Sprint later this year. Subtle Indian looks to bounce back from loss in Kona Gold, his first since last June, while Kobe’s Back seeks to reclaim top spot in circuit’s sprint division.
Santa Anita. Race 9. 8:30. The Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, formerly known as the Hollywood Gold Cup before developers flattened historic SoCal venue, attracts familiar cast led by Hoppertunity, Melatonin, Imperative and Hard Aces. Looking for new player? How about Bal A Bali, first time dirt for Richard Mandella.
