Ring Weekend eyes King Edward Stakes

Ring Weekend ran a powerful race to finish second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico on Preakness Day while making his first start in 14 months. He could race next in the Grade 2, $200,000 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine on July 2, according to trainer Graham Motion.

"This will give him plenty of time to recover from his comeback race," Motion said. "I want to keep him at a mile this year."

The Dixie, held in light rain and over "good" ground, was the first start for Ring Weekend since he won the Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March 2015. He worked several times following the Kilroe before going to the sidelines with a foot abscess.

Ring Weekend, 5, was carried wide into the first turn of the Dixie by race favorite Grand Arch. He rallied wide into the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, gained the lead in deep stretch, but was mowed down late by Takeover Target.

"I'm thrilled by how he ran," Motion said. "He's had a tough time of it."

The Kind Edward will be run at Woodbine the day before the $1 million Queen's Plate, a 1 1/4-mile race on Tapeta for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. Motion plans to run Scholar Athlete, the recent winner of a first-level turf allowance at Belmont Park, in the Plate.

Scholar Athlete, a son of Einstein, is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds. West Point owns Ring Weekend in partnership with the St. Elias Stable.