ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sunday’s $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes is crunch time for the Canadian-bred 3-year-olds prepping for the $1 million King’s Plate, and Dewolf is among those who must put up or shut up regarding the Aug. 16 Canadian classic.
North America’s busiest millionaire racehorse takes his act to Ellis Park on Sunday, when Banishing starts as the favorite in the $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes.
Lawrence Roman and David Jacobson, Banishing’s trainer, bought Banishing at auction for $80,000 in July 2024, and have they ever gotten their money’s worth, both in quality and quantity. During the year since his purchase, Banishing has made a dozen starts. He has earned almost $900,000 during 2025 alone and has made more than a million for these connections.
The 2-year-old filly Glory Me won her debut at Ellis Park on July 14 with enough verve that she’s headed to Saratoga.
By Gun Runner out of Our Khrysty, by Newfoundland, Glory Me, a $975,000 auction buy owned by Lael Stables, sat sixth during the early stages of a 6 1/2-furlong maiden, hit full stride coming into the stretch under Brian Hernandez Jr., and drew clear for a four-length win. Visually, the effort felt stronger than her 64 Beyer Speed Figure and suggested Glory Me will comfortably get longer distances.
The 3-year-old colt Owen Almighty, freshened since a valiant run in the Kentucky Derby, and the 3-year-old filly Shred the Gnar, scratched from the Acorn Stakes last month at Saratoga, both are on their way back to racing action for trainer Brian Lynch and owner Flying Dutchmen Racing and Breeding.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse takes a strength-in-numbers approach into Sunday’s 70th running of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks when he sends out Shifty, Winterberry, War Signal, No Time, and Ella It Is, among a field of 12.
The 1 1/8-mile Oaks heads a 10-race card that also includes the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes, an important King’s Plate prep, the Grade 2 Canadian, and the Grade 2 Connaught Cup.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It is highly appropriate that South African native Ryan Munger, now a Woodbine regular, is riding the South African champion Gimme a Nother in Sunday’s Canadian Stakes for fillies and mares. She merits top billing in the 1 1/8-mile event, which is one of two Grade 2 turf stakes on the Woodbine Oaks card, along with the $175,000 Connaught Cup.
Gimme a Nother was unbeaten in seven starts in her native land, from October 2023 to April 2024. Among her two Group 1 victories was a 4 1/2-length score over about 1 1/8 miles in the South Africa Fillies Classic.
After finishing last in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, Just a Touch firmly re-entered the graded stakes ranks as a 4-year-old colt last month to finish third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. Trainer Brad Cox sees even more room for improvement, and bettors are likely to agree as the colt lines up for the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
In a wide-open running of the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, it may help to have strength in numbers. Trainer Chad Brown has entered a trio of 4-year-old fillies in the field of seven, taking a decided advantage by hedging his bets.
Trainer Jose D’Angelo has Saturday’s featured 10th race at Gulfstream Park covered from front to back with Quereme Pass and King d’Oro.
“One to try to go wire to wire and one to close,” he quipped.
The route on Tapeta is a first-level allowance over a mile and 70 yards. A field of eight older runners is set to start, including Navy Cross, who has won three of his last four starts on the synthetic track at Gulfstream.
King d’Oro is moving back to Tapeta after closing for third in a turf route May 24. The speed never came back that day.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – La Cara, the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, was forced to scratch from Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga when the barn she was stabled in there was placed under quarantine due to a suspected case of strangles in another horse housed in that barn.
