ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor, the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth winner, and Vekoma, the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes winner, are both targeting the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes at a mile here on July 6 to kick off the second half of their campaigns.
Code of Honor, who crossed the finish line third but was elevated to second in the Kentucky Derby, returned to the work tab on Saturday, breezing three furlongs in 37.33 seconds over the Belmont main track.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Pavel, fourth to Thunder Snow in each of the last two runnings of the Dubai World Cup, will make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 8, trainer Doug O’Neill said Monday.
Pavel, who won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster in his second start after running fourth in the 2018 Dubai World Cup, is the sixth Grade 1 winner to commit to the race, joining Thunder Snow, McKinzie, Mitole, Promises Fulfilled, and Firenze Fire. Coal Front, winner of the Grade 2 Godolphin Mile, is also confirmed to run.
ELMONT, N.Y. – As Bill Mott perused the past performances for the prospective field for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park, something caught his attention – and his ire.
Mott trains Seismic Wave, who finished fourth in the American Turf on May 4 at Churchill Downs, 1 1/2 lengths behind Digital Age. Mott felt his horse was compromised by the soft ground at Churchill that day.
“I don’t understand these tracks that put firm ground,” when it’s not, Mott said. “[Joel] Rosario said he didn’t really like it that much. The ground was soft.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – The multiple graded stakes winners Catalina Cruiser and McKinzie worked six furlongs Monday at Santa Anita in advance of scheduled appearances in stakes at Belmont Park in early June.
McKinzie, who won his fifth stakes in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes on May 3 at Churchill Downs, was timed in 1:11.80, the fastest of five works at the distance. Trainer Bob Baffert said McKinzie will start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, a $1.2 million race at a mile on June 8.
“He’s right on schedule,” Baffert said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Memorial Day weekend at Santa Anita has been kind to Marckie’s Water in two of the last three years.
On Memorial Day in 2017, Marckie’s Water won his first stakes in the $201,035 Snow Chief Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds. Last Saturday, Marckie’s Water won his first graded stakes in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, a feat trainer Richard Baltas once doubted was possible.
“I didn’t think he’d win a graded stakes,” Baltas said Monday.
Ours to Run, who won her sixth consecutive stakes race Saturday night in the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle at Evangeline Downs, will be based this summer at Ellis Park, trainer Larry Jones said Monday.
Ours to Run’s win streak dates back to last year’s Mademoiselle.
Ours to Run was always prominent Saturday for a 1 1/4-length win, covering 5 1/2 furlongs in a sharp 1:03.48. She was the odds-on favorite in the seven-horse field. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Soi Phet, the 11-year-old stakes winner, is on the verge of being retired.
Trainer Leonard Powell said Monday that Soi Phet may have one more start, in the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes for California-breds on June 29 at Los Alamitos, depending on how he trains in coming weeks.
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The reigning Louisiana-bred of the Year will likely see action this summer at Louisiana Downs.
Monte Man was named the state’s top runner of 2018 by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association in April, and in his first start since won Saturday night’s Louisiana Legends Sprint at his Evangeline Downs base. He’s now a candidate for the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint at Louisiana Downs, trainer Ron Faucheux said Monday. The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up is Aug. 3.
ELMONT, N.Y. – There was an overflow field of 21 horses entered for the Kentucky Derby. The 13-horse field for the Preakness was the largest for that race since 2011 and one short of capacity. When it comes to running in the Belmont Stakes, enthusiasm is not as high.
As of Monday, eight horses were deemed definite starters for the Belmont Stakes. Two more, Joevia and Owendale, were likely and doubtful, respectively.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Effective Thursday, Churchill purses will undergo an across-the-board increase of 10.7 percent, with maiden-special races now starting at $95,000 and allowances at $97,000 (both figures include bonuses for Kentucky-breds).
Purses for seven stakes also have been boosted. Four stakes have gone from $100,000 to $125,000, and three overnight stakes from $100,000 to $120,000.
