It took a little prodding from the outrider to get Honor Code to begin his half-mile work early Sunday morning at Belmont Park, but it took very little prodding from his rider, once under way, for Honor Code to turn in an extremely impressive drill as he continues to prepare for the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 8.
Brewster Smith's analysis of the Monday 7/13 card at Yonkers Raceway.
Territories came from last in a field of eight and won the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat by a half-length over Dutch Connection as Full Mast disappointed in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds at Chantilly.
Fantastic Style and Living the Life, the first two finishers of Saturday’s $200,750 Great Lady M. Stakes for female sprinters at Los Alamitos, will be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland in late October.
American Pharoah worked at Santa Anita on Sunday, going five furlongs in 59.20 seconds. The workout left trainer Bob Baffert assured the Triple Crown winner is on course for the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Sunday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
Three horses catch my interest Sunday at Belmont Park, with two coming midway through the card and the other in the nightcap.
How heavily does this pick four play hang on A LOT (#5) in race 9? Well, a lot.
The favored Esperanza ($4.20) gained command from the outset and led a group of 10 3-year-old fillies the entire mile for a 2 3/4-length win in Saturday night's $63,625 Iowa Stallion Filly Stakes.
Texas Bling won the $50,000 Assault Stakes at Lone Star Park for the second year in a row Saturday night, holding off the favorite Texas Air by a half-length. It was another three lengths back in third to He Has Bling.
