Even as autumn approaches, some 3-year-olds are still trying to find their way, including the six who race a mile on dirt in Sunday’s $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.
Every entrant but one is still eligible to the first allowance condition. The exception is stakes winner Henry Q, trained by Doug O’Neill, who tinkers with surface and equipment.
This has been a busy summer at Ruidoso Downs for the 3-year-old Quarter Horses Cyber Attack and Sicario V, with one pivotal race remaining.
After posting major stakes wins in June and July, Cyber Attack and Sicario V are two of the leading contenders in Sunday’s $1,199,686 All American Derby at 440 yards.
Cyber Attack, the champion 2-year-old colt of 2022, won the $895,633 Ruidoso Derby at 400 yards on June 10, but was second by 1 1/2 lengths to Sicario V in the $804,288 Rainbow Derby at 440 yards on July 16.
Missed the Boat finds the allowance conditions in his favor in Sunday’s feature race over one mile at Emerald Downs. The Candice Cryderman trainee stretches out to a mile after sprinting all season, but he does have a 5-2-1 record from his last eight two-turn starts.
The 7-year-old son of Midshipman won a second-level allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 6, but he remains eligible for this race by entering for the $30,000 tag. Missed the Boat will begin from the rail, and his 81 Beyer Speed Figure is the top last-out figure in the eight-horse field.
Red Route One is coming back to his roots as he switches surfaces for Sunday’s Grade 3, $1 million Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs, the course on which he won his maiden nearly a year ago.
The Dueling Grounds Derby, which has drawn a field of 12 3-year-olds to go the 1 5/16-mile route on the undulating course, is one of three featured events on Sunday’s 12-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Central. It is joined by the $1 million Dueling Grounds Oaks, which attracted 13 entrants, and the $500,000 National Thoroughbred League Handicap, with a field of 10.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Conman made quite a splash when romping in his Woodbine debut in the Hamilton Stakes, and the New York-bred will try to double up going a mile in Sunday’s $125,000 Toronto Cup Stakes.
Trained by Mark Casse, Conman was competitive against statebred allowance company at Aqueduct and Belmont Park during the spring before experiencing a troubled trip when a subpar sixth on July 20 at Saratoga.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Dazzling Blue didn’t win her first try in a graded stakes, but her performance in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes on July 8 at Belmont Park made trainer Brad Cox excited to give her another shot at winning one.
That attempt comes in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress Stakes, when Dazzling Blue meets just four rivals in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.
Breeders’ Cup Classic clues should drop Saturday in New York and California – and lord knows we need some. The Saturday turf action at Del Mar holds appeal in theory, but this handicapper found opinions difficult to form.
Pacific Classic
Here’s a question: Who will be the shorter Pacific Classic price, Defunded or Arabian Knight? Tough call, but the main point is both are going to get bet. Of the two, I strongly prefer Arabian Knight. Defunded is a 5-year-old who’s wholly exposed, doesn’t truly want 1 1/4 miles, and habitually is overbet.
It’s a filly-mare turf stakes race on the East Coast, so be sure trainer Chad Brown, who dominates the division, has entries for the $100,000 Violet Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park. As of late Thursday morning, however, it was hard to be sure if both of Brown’s entrants, Beaute Cachee and Veronica Green, would be running in the Violet, carded for 1 1/16 miles.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As summer heads to fall, and the Breeders’ Cup comes closer into view, the older male dirt division, beyond one mile, is lacking a clear leader. Yes, White Abarrio was terrific in the Grade 1 Whitney here four weeks ago, but that was his first win at 1 1/8 miles in more than a year.
Rattle N Roll and Proxy have shown signs of being significant players in the division and will get a chance to prove themselves Classic contenders when they square off in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.
Pure Class brings a highly fashionable pedigree into Gulfstream Park’s fifth race on Saturday.
The 2-year-old is a full brother to both Big and Classy, a Gulfstream standout who is 7 for 9 in 2023, and Sassy Beast, winner of the $150,000 Andy Guest at Colonial Downs in July.
Pure Class debuts in a six-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds bred in Florida. The Saturday card also includes a $35,000 starter allowance led by Uncle B and a first-level allowance for fillies and mares bred in Florida.
