Ring Weekend back on turf for Sir Cat

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Ring Weekend, the winner of the Tampa Bay Derby on dirt in March, will return to the grass in Friday’s co-feature, the $100,000 Sir Cat Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile. In his only turf race, Ring Weekend finished second to Divine Oath in a maiden race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18. Divine Oath won Saturday’s Grade 3 Arlington Derby.

A fever prevented Ring Weekend from making it to the Kentucky Derby, and he finished fifth with a difficult trip in the Preakness Stakes. In his most recent start, Ring Weekend was pulled up after getting involved in a hot early pace battle in the Grade 3 Pegasus.
“I’m not abandoning the dirt, but we want to go back to the grass and regroup,” trainer Graham Motion said. “His numbers on grass were good.”

Ring Weekend drew post 7 in a field of eight that includes one main-track-only entrant, Pablo Del Monte.
Others entered in the Sir Cat include Cabo Cat, the winner of the Manila Stakes at Belmont on June 28; Storming Inti, second in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill on Derby Day; and Tourist, who has run two freakishly good races since being transferred by Bill Mott to the turf.

A total of 104 horses were entered for the opening-day card, 12 of whom are relegated to the also-eligible list. For the third straight summer, maiden sprint races for 2-year-olds will be limited to eight starters. Both maiden races scheduled for Friday drew 10 horses.

Revealing Moment, a full sister to Grade 1 Delaware Handicap winner Belle Gallantey and the subject of a 28-way shake when entered in a claiming race at Belmont Park last Sunday, was entered back in an $85,000 turf allowance sprint for Friday by trainer Carlos Martin.