OCEANPORT, N.J. – Slim Shadey, a rising force in the turf ranks, and Simon Callaghan, his youthful trainer, both look for a breakthrough win on Saturday in the $500,000 United Nations Stakes.
The U.N. tops the second biggest day of the year at Monmouth Park. The U.N. and the $1 million Haskell Invitational are the meet’s two Grade 1 stakes.
[MONMOUTH PARK: Get PPs and watch Saturday’s full card live]
Minutesandtouches will try to make amends for his loss as the favorite in the $50,000 Journal when he runs in a $40,000 optional claiming race at Northlands Park on Saturday. The one-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses, including the 2011 local horse of the year, Freedoms Traveller.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse seeks his third straight win in the $150,000 Ontario Damsel Saturday at Woodbine. Casse saddles Dene Court, who should be favored in the one-mile turf route for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Dene Court showed ample promise early last summer, when she graduated at first asking before running second to Judy the Beauty in the Shady Well Stakes. She earned a Beyer Figure in the high 70s on each occasion.
“We thought she was a real nice filly at 2,” said Casse, who won the Damsel with Bingo in 2011 and with Barracks Road in 2010.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Hymn Book may not be the horse most people are talking about going into Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park, but those who back him at the windows could be singing his praises after the race.
One of three Grade 1 winners among the eight horses entered for the Suburban, Hymn Book, 6-1 on the morning line, comes into the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile race having lost his last two starts.
Saturday’s $50,000-added Juan Gonzalez Memorial for 2-year-old fillies at the Alameda County Fair may have come up tougher than it looks.
The field of seven has three first-time starters in it, yet they could be the ones to beat in the 5 1/2-furlong race on Pleasanton’s dirt track.
Topping the list is Broken Sword, a Jerry Hollendorfer trainee who brings three straight bullet works into the race, including a 59.20 five-furlong drill Wednesday. Island Frolic and Honest Desire are also preparing for their racing debuts.
MIAMI – When Musical Romance walked into the starting gate for the 2011 Princess Rooney Handicap, she was just another nice Calder stakes horse on a bit of a roll at the time. Six months later, she was both a Breeders’ Cup and Eclipse Award champion.
When Musical Romance steps into the gate for Saturday’s Grade 1 Princess Rooney, she will do so as the starting highweight, favorite, and reigning division champion. What a difference a year makes!
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Troy Taylor and owner Glen Todd have teamed up to win six of the 11 stakes races contested at Hastings this year and they should add to their riches when Evelyn’s Dancer runs in the $50,000 Supernaturel Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies drew seven horses, but Evelyn’s Dancer looks formidable.
Schillerthekiller won his local debut in the six-furlong Free Press on June 17, and will be looking to duplicate that success when he stretches out to a mile for Saturday’s Wheat City at Assiniboia Downs.
The $30,000 Wheat City, for 3-year-olds and upward, attracted a field of six and will go as the seventh of eight races on the program.
Schillerthekiller, a 4-year-old gelding, shipped in from Canterbury Park for the Free Press. He stalked the pace in that race before taking charge for a 2 1/4-length victory under returning rider Adolfo Morales.
The combination of temperatures expected to crest above 100 degrees and high humidity has caused one track in the Mid-Atlantic region to cancel its live racing card on Saturday and another to push back its first post time by one hour.
For the second straight Saturday, Delaware Park has called off its live racing because of a heat wave. The National Weather Service has predicted a high temperature of 101 degrees, with a heat index of up to 109, in the Wilmington, Del., area.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Roxy Gap had been entered in Friday’s Royal North prep, an open allowance race for fillies and mares at six furlongs on turf, along with her stablemate Barracks Road. But when Saturday’s overnight saw the light of day Wednesday, there was Roxy Gap, who was entered in the seven-furlong Sweet Briar Too on the main track and will be scratched from Friday’s feature.
The $100,000 Sweet Briar Too, an overnight stakes for fillies and mares, attracted a field of seven with Roxy Gap the horse to beat.
