Thu, 07/18/2024 - 13:55

Brown brings the class again in bid for eighth Matchmaker

Beaute Cachee (right) works with Chili Flag at SAR May 31 2024
Barbara D. Livingston
Beaute Cachee (right) will be reunited with jockey Frankie Dettori in the Grade 3 Matchmaker.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Year after year, trainer Chad Brown’s barn is filled with quality filly and mare turf horses, and Monmouth’s Matchmaker Stakes has been a major goal.

Brown has won the race seven times, including the last four editions, and he entered three in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 renewal at 1 1/8 miles on the Monmouth Park turf.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 13:25

Saturday opener new wrinkle to highly anticipated season

Benoit Photo
Due to logistics having to do with the San Diego County Fair, Del Mar opens on a Saturday this year, giving up a big-business Friday program.

The much anticipated opening day of the Del Mar summer meeting, the highlight of the California racing calendar for many participants and racing fans, arrives a bit later than normal this year.

Besides moving opening day to a Saturday, much of Del Mar is the same. The season offers the best racing of the year in the West, exceptional late summer weather, and a continued emphasis on turf racing, which has become the norm at many leading venues in the nation in recent years.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 13:15

Despite last-out loss, Idiomatic towers over Molly Pitcher field

Barbara D. Livingston
After a head loss to Randomized (right), Idiomatic tries to rebound in Saturday's Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Nobody seems to know who the Revolutionary War figure Molly Pitcher actually was. In fact, nobody seems to know if a single woman came to be known in legend as Molly Pitcher. As for the stakes race Saturday at Monmouth Park bearing the name of that person, or non-person, everybody knows who’s winning.

Idiomatic was champion older female of 2023, and while she comes to Monmouth following a surprise defeat last month at Saratoga, Idiomatic could give the Molly Pitcher opposition a half-furlong head start and still race competitively.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 12:35

Weekend GamePlan: Picks for United Nations, Matchmaker, Connaught Cup

Dataman wins Cliff Hanger at MTH May 25 2024
Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Dataman wins the Cliff Hanger at Monmouth to improve his 2024 record to 2 for 2. Vastly improved from a year ago, he will attempt to stretch out from 1 1/16 miles to 1 3/8 miles in the United Nations at Monmouth Park.

We’ll see if Candied can put up a fight against Thorpedo Anna in the Coaching Club American Oaks – the operative three-letter word being “see” rather than “bet.” And while Oversubscribed got a sweet setup in the Wild Applause, for me she’s a very likely Lake George winner at considerably lower odds than her morning line.

Out at Del Mar, an 11-letter word – inscrutable – describes the stakes action. And while Mindframe radiated value at 5-1 in the Belmont Stakes, his price plummets as a likely winner of the Haskell Stakes.

United Nations

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 12:30

Undefeated Medoro makes her return in San Clemente

Benoit Photo
Aboard for all four perfect starts, Antonio Fresu teams up with Medoro again in Saturday's Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar.

There will be a lot of firsts Saturday at Del Mar – first day of the season, first weekend opener for a Del Mar summer meet since 1953, and first start in three months for the undefeated filly Medoro. Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Clemente will also feature Iscreamuscream, who is undefeated in two sprint starts.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 12:20

United Nations: Webslinger may have found his calling as a marathoner

Webslinger wins the Chorleywood at CD June 15 2024
Coady Media
Webslinger snapped a seven-race losing streak in his last start when stretched out to 1 3/8 miles in the Chorleywood at Churchill Downs.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – After a series of near misses in middle-distance turf events, Webslinger finally got it done when trainer Mark Casse stretched him out to 11 furlongs in last month’s Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Casse hopes Webslinger has found his niche at these longer trips, and the 4-year-old gelding looms a strong contender Saturday at Monmouth Park in the Grade 2, $600,000 United Nations going 1 3/8 miles on turf. The United Nations is race 11 and immediately precedes the Haskell Stakes on the biggest day of the Monmouth season.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 11:25

Mindframe could put it all together in Haskell

Barbara D. Livingston
Mindframe (outside) comes off a gallant second, in just his third lifetime start, in the Belmont Stakes.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The gang’s not all here on the Jersey Shore. Bob Baffert has trained nine Haskell Stakes winners. Even when he loses, he nearly always has a runner for Monmouth Park’s main event. When Bob’s away, Todd can play, or so it appears this Haskell Day – though Danny and Brad can have a say.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 09:40

Flag Of Honour brings speed to turf in Connaught Cup

Michael Burns
Flag Of Honour, winner of the Jacques Cartier, moves to turf for the Grade 2 Connaught Cup at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario –Woodbine’s leading Tapeta sprinter Flag Of Honour switches to grass in Saturday’s $175,000 Connaught Cup, a Grade 2 stakes scheduled for seven furlongs on the main course on the Woodbine Oaks undercard.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 09:15

Kevin Attard has full house for Woodbine Oaks

Michael Burns
Inudation was seventh in her comeback race, but defeated stablemate War Painter in the Princess Elizabeth last fall.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard won back-to-back runnings of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks with Munnyfor Ro and Moira in 2021-22. He will take a strength-in-numbers approach into Saturday’s renewal of the 1 1/8-mile event with the quintet of War Painter, Caitlinhergrtness, Inudation, My Girl Della, and Vucchella.

Thu, 07/18/2024 - 09:15

Plate Trial just another step for My Boy Prince

Michael Burns
The top contender for the King's Plate, My Boy Prince headlines Saturday's King's Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – My Boy Prince will continue his march toward the $1 million King’s Plate on Saturday’s Woodbine Oaks undercard in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes.

My Boy Prince put together a spectacular juvenile campaign that earned him Canadian champion male 2-year-old honors. He capped his championship season with a commendable third in the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.