ELMONT, N.Y. – The 2-year-old colt Wit made quite the auspicious career debut on Belmont Stakes Day, overcoming a slow start to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race by six lengths.
Wit is a son of Practical Joke and a half-brother to the Grade 3 winner Barkley owned by Mike Repole, Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable. He is trained by Todd Pletcher, who also sent out that race’s runner-up Keepcalmcarryon.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Malathaat, the undefeated winner of the Kentucky Oaks, returned to the work tab for the first time in almost a month Thursday, breezing a half-mile in 50.58 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.
Malathaat worked in company with Dynamic One, the Wood Memorial runner-up who finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby. It was Dynamic One’s first workout since the Derby.
Malathaat, who is 5 for 5, is training toward an expected start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine managed to squeeze in a successful 96-day meet between lockdowns in 2020. This year’s meet, which also was delayed from mid-April due to government restrictions from the ongoing pandemic, gets under way Saturday in unison with Stage 1 of Ontario’s reopening, with closing day scheduled for Dec. 5.
Los Alamitos will run three 1,000-yard races worth $30,000 to $50,000 on Nov. 27 for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds that earn points in 870- and 1,000-yard races during the track’s year-round evening meeting.
The 1,000-yard races are essentially run at 4 1/2 furlongs. The field for the $50,000 race will be determined by purse earnings in races at 870- and 1,000-yard distances from March 12 to Nov. 21.
The 2-year-old filly Mainstay won her career debut June 4 at Monmouth like a future stakes horse, and trainer Butch Reid said she could wind up in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 15 at Saratoga.
Racing over a sloppy track, Mainstay made the lead before the turn and drew smartly away, showing excellent speed, to post a 7 3/4-length victory in a five-furlong maiden race. She earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure while winning without being asked.
“More than likely heads to Saratoga,” said Reid. “Probably the Schuylerville.”
Altaf got a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure winning the $100,000 Lady’s Secret Stake on June 6 at Monmouth by a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths. Now 3 for 3 in dirt races, Altaf aced her stakes and two-turn debut, and likely is headed next to the Grade 3 Shuvee over 1 1/8 miles on July 25 at Saratoga.
“She stepped up again, got it done around two turns, and hopefully we can keep her on a steady campaign now,” said trainer Chad Brown.
Pirate’s Punch won the Salvator Mile when the Monmouth fixture was contested last September, and he will try to win it again Saturday in his first race since November.
Pirate’s Punch exited a 12th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with a chipped knee that required surgical repair. Trainer Grant Forster took plenty of time bringing Pirate’s Punch back into racing shape and has deemed him ready for Saturday’s Grade 3 Salvator Mile.
Brad Cox, still basking in the glow of winning his first Triple Crown race June 5, when Essential Quality captured the Belmont Stakes, has plenty more 3-year-old firepower in his stable. Fulsome, Warrant, and Gagetown all recently won stakes races in the Midwest, and on Thursday night, Cox will load Mandaloun on a van and send him from Churchill Downs to race Sunday at Monmouth in the Pegasus Stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Bankit, the New York-bred who became a millionaire when he dominated the Commentator Stakes by 13 1/4 lengths here May 31, will be pointed to the $800,000 Charles Town Classic on Aug. 27, trainer Steve Asmussen said.
“That will most likely be one of his targets going forward for the rest of the year,” Asmussen said. “What a cool old horse he is, freakishly consistent his whole life. For him to be a millionaire is pretty cool.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Her first foray into New York racing is still in its infancy, but trainer Brittany Russell is satisfied with how things have gone this spring at Belmont Park.
Russell, whose main string is based in Maryland, has about 10 head in New York and has a win, two seconds, and three thirds from eight starters at the Belmont spring/summer meet. She came excruciatingly close to her second win on Sunday when her front-running Defy Expectations was run down late by Jill’s a Hot Mess in a $30,000 claiming race.
