Big matchups at Saratoga, Monmouth point toward year-end racing honors
Clairiere and Malathaat are going head-to-head at Saratoga. Secret Oath and Nest are racing at Monmouth. Chad Brown has horses running everywhere from the Jersey Shore to the Woodbine Oaks. In England, Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes pits two top 3-year-olds against four accomplished earlier rivals.
Taiba is the 3-2 favorite on the morning line for Saturday's $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. Bob Baffert is back to take charge of the Gun Runner colt after finishing his 90-day suspension. Jack Christopher enters the Haskell undefeated after four starts and untested. Pipeline and Highly Motivated are the favorites. The other entries are from a few of better horses. The winner of this race will be announced at the end of December. It will take place at Saratoga.
Secret Oath and Nest are the 1-2 finishers from the Kentucky Oaks. They meet again in Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. Nostalgic was 10th in the Oaks after a slow start, but won the Grade III Gazelle at Aqueduct before that. Society is undefeated after three starts and has a chance to make her presence known. Search Results is a favorite in Sunday's Grade II Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park. Clairiere and Malathaat will meet for the sixth time in $200,00 Grade 2 Shuvee Stake at Sunday at the Saratsoga Race Course.
Brown is the favorite for Saturday's $600,000 Grade I United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park. Tribhuvan and Adhamo finished first and second in the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park in their last start. Gufo finished third in that race. Friday's Oceanside Stake at Del Mar is first stakes event of the season. McKinnon and Balnikhov are among the 3-year-olds testing 1 mile on the grass.
Eminent Victor and Dolce Zel are the morning-line favorites for Friday's $175,000 Grade III Lake George Stakes at Saratoga. Chad Brown has three of the eight entrants for Saturday's Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stake at Monmouth Park. Lady Rockstar is 2-for-2 in the United States for trainer Brendan Walsh. Vigilante's Way has finished second in her last three starts for Shug McGaughey. Belabel is the favorite for the $200,00 Grade II San Clemente Stages at Del Mar on Saturday.
Big races at Saratoga and Monmouth point toward year-end racing honors. Ten fillies and mares signed up for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Caress Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at the Saratsogian. A full field is entered for the $175,00 (Canadian) Grade II Connaught Cup at 7 furs on the Woodbine all-weather. Eight are entered in the Monetsugary's Wolf Hill Stake at 6 fares on grass.
Front Run the Fed won the Van Clief Stakes at Colonial Downs. Change of Control won Andy Guest Stake at the same venue. The horses are racing for the end-of-year honors.
Boardroom headlines Sunday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Hendrie Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather. Artie's Princess and Lorena are the first two finishers from the restricted Ballade Stake on June 26. Dynasty of Her Own is in from California where she ran well on Golden Gate all weather.
There's a field of eight for Sunday's $100,000 Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park. Margaret Burbridge, a Twirling Candy filly trained by Wesley Ward, makes her career debut.
Moira, Sahlabiya and Causin' Mayhem are the favorites in Sunday's $500,000 renewal of the Woodbine Oaks. The Minkster enters undefeated after three starts. Todd Pletcher brings Causesin’ Mayhem, an Into Mischief colt. Duke of Love and Lac Macaza are also contenders.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot features the best 3-year-olds against older rivals. Westover won the Irish Derby for laughs, but he finished third in the Cazaoo Derby at Epsom.
Emily Upjohn will not race in the Irish Oaks because the aircraft that was to transport her was out of service. She will instead race Mishriff, Torquato Tasso, Broome and Pyledriver. Next week is the "Glorious Goodwood Festival" at the racecourse. Stradivarius, Kyprios and Trueshan are confirmed for the Good Wood Cup on Tuesday. Andrea Atzena replaces Frankie Dettori on Stradoivarian.
The Breeders' Cup World Championships will return to Santa Anita in 2023 for the record 11th time. The 2016 World Championship at Santa Monica attracted 118,484 fans over two days. This year's event is slated for Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
