With only a minor chance of rain into the weekend, soggy Churchill Downs could get back onto the grass course as soon as Saturday. And if the filly Love Appeals gets back on grass in the Sunday feature, she can get back to the winner’s circle for the first time in 13 months.
Brad Cox didn’t win the Kentucky Derby, didn’t win the Preakness, but don’t shed a tear for the man. Cox comes into summer with a typically loaded stable that includes leading older dirt-route horse in both the female and male divisions.
A total of 24 fillies and mares were nominated to the $100,000 Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park. Chad Brown trains eight of them, and you can bet Brown closely considered who among that octet best fit the spot. Tax Implications and Notinamillionyears were the two that passed the entry box, both key players in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile grass race.
Trainer David Jacobson will have both ends of the pace spectrum covered Sunday when he sends out the coupled entry of Synthesis and Durante in the second race at the Belmont meet at Aqueduct.
The horses will travel six furlongs in the conditioned allowance that carries an optional-claiming price of $80,000.
“I think we’re the perfect entry,” Jacobson said. “Synthesis will come from behind and Durante will be close.”
A field of six is set to start, including Grade 3 winner Runninsonofagun and stakes winner Nova Rags.
Adare Manor, who will start as a heavy favorite in Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita, has had one jockey since the beginning of 2023, Juan Hernandez.
As a team, they are almost unbeatable, having won 6 of 9 starts. Hernandez was aboard Adare Manor for a four-race winning streak last year that included the Santa Margarita Stakes, and for the 5-year-old mare’s latest success, a runaway win in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 13.
The winning streak began with a come-from-behind victory in a $50,000 claimer in a turf sprint at Santa Anita on a Friday in early March.
Nearly three months later, the 7-year-old gelding Johnny Podres is a multiple stakes winner, has won three consecutive starts, and is possibly on the verge of his first graded stakes win in Sunday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
It will not be easy. The race is full of contenders.
Peter Flies appears the one to catch in Sunday’s statebred allowance feature over six furlongs at Emerald Downs. Trained by Charles Essex, Peter Flies carries a fitness edge over five foes who have collectively raced once since September 2023.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kaukokaipuu has had a rocky start to his year and will try to get back on track in Sunday’s featured conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option at Woodbine.
Trained by Ted Holder, Kaukokaipuu participated in all three legs of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown, after winning the Queenston Stakes and running second in the Grade 3 Marine. He finished far back in the $1 million King’s Plate in August behind gate-to-wire winner Paramount Prince, a rival he defeated in the seven-furlong Queenston.
Forever Souper found himself blocked for much of the stretch run when finishing third in the Henry Clark Stakes on April 9 at Laurel Park while victorious Dataman had a clear run to the wire. Do not assume Forever Souper will be reversing the outcome Saturday at Monmouth Park in the $100,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes.
