Aldous Snow ($12.60) held off Dynamic Sky in the final strides to capture the Grade 3, $174,600 Singspiel Stakes for the second year in a row by a head under jockey Eurico Da Silva.
Dogwood Trail avenged her previous setback at the hands of Huasca four weeks earlier when it really counted, in her graded stakes debut, leading throughout to register a 1 1/4-length triumph over the 3-2 favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Azalea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Now that Monmouth Park has won the American Pharoah lottery, the hard work begins. How do you best prepare the facility to handle an all-time record crowd?
Ready Racer isn’t nearly as good as when he was named the champion sprinter in Alberta in 2013. Nonetheless, he is coming off a sharp win in a $17,500 claiming race going 6 1/2 furlongs June 17, and he appears to have a good chance of repeating when he runs in a slightly shorter race at the same level Wednesday evening at Northlands Park. The six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew eight horses, and there is plenty of speed to set up the strong late move of Ready Racer.
Strut the Course made a three-wide move from off the pace under jockey Luis Contreras and held off a charging Watsdachances in the late going to capture the Grade 2, $226,000 Dance Smartly Stakes by a head at Woodbine.
Lady Eli’s dominant victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational not only kept her unbeaten but continued to validate the belief of her trainer, Chad Brown, that she is the “best filly of her age group” regardless of surface.
Trainer Bob Baffert said one idea for Gimme Da Lute, winner of Saturday's Los Alamitos Derby, is the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2. Baffert also has Triple Crown winner American Pharoah pointed for the same race.
Beliveau came on strongly in the final furlong to take the $150,400 Clarendon Stakes for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds at Woodbine on Sunday.
Moving Style improved upon his winning performance in last year’s Michigan Breeders Governor’s Cup Handicap at Hazel Park by breaking the track record for six furlongs Saturday in this year’s $20,000 renewal.
Jockey G.R. Carter Jr. won 10 of the 32 trials for the Rainbow Quarter Horse Futurity held Friday and Saturday at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. He also was aboard First Valiant Sign, who remains the lone horse eligible for a $4 million Triple Crown bonus after he made the finale when running third in the last race of the day Saturday.
