Instant Replay has shipped to Louisiana Downs for the $250,000 Super Derby on Saturday largely because of the distance of the richest race of the meet.
“I think the mile and an eighth will play in his favor,” trainer Brad Cox said.
In a way, Yours Sincerely only ran the last furlong of a maiden race for 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 16 at Del Mar.
After a slow start, she was ninth in early stretch. Very quickly, Yours Sincerely closed with a rush to win the one-mile turf race by 1 1/4 lengths.
The eye-catching rally was quite an American debut for the Irish-bred Yours Sincerely, who starts with an outstanding chance in Saturday’s $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Yours Sincerely drew post 11 in a field of 13 and is once again likely to race as a closer, according to trainer Phil D’Amato.
A horse who flopped in England. A horse who has traveled from England. And a horse who has never been anywhere near England. It should come down to Shisospicy, Tabiti, and Kilwin in the Music City Stakes on Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
The 6 1/2-furlong Music City, a Grade 2 worth a mere $2 million, attracted an overflow field of 16 3-year-old fillies, with a dozen in the field’s main body.
DEL MAR, Calif. – What is missing from the filly and mare turf division? A leader. The last eight graded turf stakes for fillies and mares in California have produced eight different winners.
What is missing from the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar? Speed. Nine fillies and mares are entered. None is a genuine front-runner.
Medoro could fill both roles Saturday. A flashy comeback win stamps her the favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Mabee. As for pace, Medoro usually presses. Saturday, she could inherit the lead by default.
A nose separated Defending Champ and Favorite Jesshawk when they were first and second in a division of the Golden State Derby trials on Aug. 16 at Los Alamitos. Saturday’s $197,300 final could be equally as close.
Defending Champ set the fastest qualifying time for the Golden State Derby, finishing 400 yards in 19.64 seconds. Favorite Jesshawk had the second-fastest time of 19.65.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The fastest filly drew the worst post for the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, but does breaking from the rail really matter for Explora?
Twenty days after a smashing debut, Explora wheels back in the seven-furlong Debutante. Sure, the rail is a hurdle. But it’s not a deal-breaker. And the 88 Beyer Speed Figure by Explora, third-highest by a juvenile filly in North America, alleviates post-position concerns of bettors. As for the trainer, not so much.
There were two seven-figure races for older runners going a route of ground last Saturday at Kentucky Downs. The marathon race was won by a German-based runner, Flatten the Curve. Later on the card, the $2 million Ladies Turf was won by the Brendan Walsh-trained Special Wan.
Lagynos will try and pull a Goliad in the Mint Millions on Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
Last season at Kentucky Downs, Goliad won a $500,000 handicap. Six days later, he landed the Mint Millions. On Aug. 28, Lagynos romped in the $500,000 Tapit Stakes. His turnaround is a few days longer than Goliad’s, still radically quick for this racing era.
Among the dozen entered to oppose him: Goliad himself.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse sends out three of the five runners for Saturday’s $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine in No Time, Winterberry, and Shifty. One could make a case for all three in the 1 1/16-mile inner turf event, which is the anchor leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.
