ELMONT, N.Y. – The $100,000 Mount Vernon Stakes is technically the feature on Thursday’s nine-race card at Belmont Park, but a multi-conditioned allowance race for older males on dirt, featuring of bevy of stakes winners, may be the more interesting race on the program.
The last thing trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. wanted or expected was to see his multiple stakes-winning filly Tonalist’s Shape work four furlongs in 45.35 seconds as she did Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park. But the manner in which the once-beaten 3-year-old did so had Joseph using superlatives like “phenomenal” and “breathtaking” to describe the move when looking back on it the following morning.
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Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. appears to have the upper hand in Wednesday’s $48,000 main event, carded at a mile under allowance and optional-claiming conditions, having entered two of the five starters in the race, Overdeliver and Outshine.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tom Amoss had a lot on his plate last weekend. Staying put in Louisville, the veteran trainer won the Ohio Derby at Thistledown with Dean Martini; sent Lone Sailor into retirement; started thinking about one-turn races again with Serengeti Empress after the filly faded to fourth in the Fleur de Lis; and was encouraged by a runner-up comeback effort by Risky Mandate.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor completed preparations for a scheduled start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap by working a half-mile in 49.66 seconds on Monday morning over the Belmont Park main track.
Under exercise rider Lexi Peaden, Code of Honor went his opening quarter in 26.28 and got his final quarter in 23.38 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.78 and six furlongs in 1:15.63. The main track was back-raked early in the morning, owing to rains that hit the area Sunday night.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Midnight Bisou and Tom’s d’Etat didn’t just pick up automatic Breeders’ Cup berths in their respective Grade 2 victories Saturday at Churchill Downs. Both horses put in dazzling performances, leaving no doubt that they are candidates for 2020 Horse of the Year.
Midnight Bisou won the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis with ridiculous ease, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure in her first start in nearly four months. Mike Smith was aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Imma Bling will attempt to turn the tables on Oil Money when the multiple stakes winners meet in Thursday night’s eighth race at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.
The pair will clash at five furlongs on the main track in a conditioned allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds and up. A field of seven is set to start, including stakes winner Win Lion Win.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes, closed as a solid favorite when Pool 5 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday.
Tiz the Law closed at 2-1, followed by Honor A. P. at 6-1, and the mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, at 8-1. Then came Authentic (11-1), Uncle Chuck (13-1), Cafe Pharoah (14-1), Cezanne (19-1), Art Collector (20-1), and Dr Post (20-1).
Prominent California trainer John Sadler has been fined $15,000 and suspended 15 days from Monday through July 13 as part of a stipulated agreement with the California Horse Racing Board after three of his runners tested positive for prohibited medications in the spring of 2019.
Sadler was suspended 60 days, but 45 days of the suspension – from July 14-Aug. 29 are stayed, provided Sadler does not have any violations for medications in Classes 1, 2, or 3 through June 28, 2021.
