Spendthrift Farm freshman sire Dominus was represented by his first winner from his first starter when the juvenile filly P Boo made all the pace to win a $28,000 maiden special weight race for Louisiana-breds at Evangeline Downs by 4 1/4 lengths today. She completed the race in :53.24.
Paul Reddam will not be at Belmont Park on Saturday with his Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, who was knocked out of the final leg of the Triple Crown after running a minor temperature following his runner-up effort in the Preakness Stakes. But the prominent owner’s purple and white silks are still vying to appear in the Belmont winner’s circle, as he will send out homebred Mrazek in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters on the undercard.
The Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap has a history of being a stallion-making race, as it showcases the brilliance so desired in the American market. That history is why Frosted, most recently seen finishing fifth in the Dubai World Cup in March, will step outside of his comfort zone for Saturday's edition of the prestigious event, cutting back in distance as he returns to the races.
Forever Unbridled and Forever d'Oro will get wildly different receptions from horseplayers on Saturday at Belmont Park. Forever Unbridled is a Grade 1 winner who is part of a star-studded field in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes. Forever d'Oro is a recent maiden winner and will be a longshot in a Belmont Stakes topped by heavy favorite Exaggerator.
WinStar Farm has an interest in three horses in Saturday's renewal of the Belmont – Creator, Exaggerator, and Gettysburg. Creator and Gettysburg carry the WinStar colors in the classic, and the farm also owns the future stallion rights to Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator, the favorite for the Belmont.
Delay of Game, a Grade 3 winner and resident of Old Friends Equine Retirement in Georgetown, Ky., was euthanized Monday evening due to the infirmities of old age. He was 23.
Freshman sire Stay Thirsty was represented by his first winner in the U.S. when previously stakes-placed Thirstforlife, his first starter, came back in a $45,173 maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs on June 4 and won as much the best at odds of 1-10.
Freshman sire Hansen, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and champion juvenile male of 2011, sired his first winner when the 2-year-old gelding Hansen’s Victory took a $13,075 maiden race at Hastings Park on June 5.
Maryland-based freshman sire Cal Nation was represented by his first winner on June 5 when Parade of Nations won a $40,000 maiden-claiming race at Pimlico when making his first start. The juvenile gelding won by 2 1/4 lengths over another son of Cal Nation, Earned It, while taking the 5-furlong event in the final time of 1:00.36. Out of the Leading the Parade mare Parade of Colors, Parade of Nations is a Maryland homebred for John E. Williamson III and is trained by Bernard Houghton.
Two of this year's most exciting freshman sires will have representatives on a major stage this week, as Belmont cards a pair of juvenile stakes in the Tremont and the Astoria.
