SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Jim Dandy Stakes may have lost Preakness winner Exaggerator to Sunday’s $1 million Haskell, but it still came up a solid race led by Belmont Stakes one-two finishers Creator and Destin as well as Mohaymen, who makes his first start since finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby.
Destin seeks to give trainer Todd Pletcher a sixth victory in the Jim Dandy, which is the local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 27.
What a difference a year makes.
In 2015, American Pharoah came into the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park with seven straight wins, including all three legs of the Triple Crown. He already had locked up the title for champion 3-year-old male, and his popularity was so high that Monmouth created a weekend-long festival in his honor.
The 3-year-old filly division, on the other hand, was wide open.
This year, the tables are turned. Songbird is the undisputed leading filly, and Nyquist is holding onto a tenuous lead in the male division.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Hard Aces and Quick Casablanca finished a half-length apart when they were first and second in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on dirt last Sunday. They could meet again in a turf marathon next month.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Midnight Pleasure, the upset winner of a maiden race for 2-year-olds last Sunday, is likely to have his next start in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5.
Midnight Pleasure gave trainer Shelbe Ruis, 25, her first win at Del Mar. In the spring, Ruis began training a stable owned by her parents, Mick and Wende.
Shelbe Ruis said she would prefer to wait for the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs and skip the $200,000 Best Pal Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 13.
Ahh Chocolate and Brooklynsway are in, while Spelling Again is out for the signature race of the Ellis meet, the Grade 3 Groupie Doll Stakes on Aug. 6.
Trainer Neil Howard told Ellis publicity that Ahh Chocolate has trained well at Churchill since a fifth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis on June 18 at Churchill. The $100,000 Groupie Doll is run at a mile out of the clubhouse chute.
Tom McCarthy was memorialized and buried Tuesday in Louisville, but not before a sentimental goodbye from the great beyond.
The second-to-last starter for McCarthy before he died July 21 at age 82 was Blame Angel, who won a June 19 race at his home track, Churchill Downs. The day after McCarthy died, Blame Angel won a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Ellis Park, rallying to score by 2 3/4 lengths with Brian Hernandez Jr. up.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – They’re already talking about the Kentucky Oaks, and why wouldn’t they? It’s part of the dream.
Members of the Churchill Downs Racing Club are “over the moon,” said club manager Gary Palmisano Jr., after their 2-year-old filly, Dial Me, rallied to win a maiden race Saturday at Ellis Park in western Kentucky. Because the Ellis winner’s circle isn’t big enough, the win photo of Dial Me and about 80 people was taken on the racetrack itself.
DEL MAR, Calif. -- Illuminant, winner of the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita on May 30, has been intended for the Grade 1, $700,000 Beverly D. at Arlington on Aug. 13, but a pulled muscle in her back has delayed her being able to work, and if Illuminant can’t get adequate breezes in time for that race, she instead would await the Grade 2, $200,000 John Mabee Stakes here on Sept. 4, trainer Michael McCarthy said.
DEL MAR, Calif. -- An unexpected victory by the 2-year-old colt Big Score when making his debut in a grass race on Sunday helped buoy the spirits of trainer Tim Yakteen and owner George Krikorian, whose graded stakes-placed filly Big Book suffered catastrophic injuries when working on Saturday morning and whose condition deteriorated to the point that she was euthanized on Monday.
Big Score, like Big Book sired by Krikorian’s Dynaformer stallion Mr. Big, unleashed a terrific closing charge to win the one-mile turf race by 2 3/4 lengths.
