LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 16, 2021) ― Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. There are 13 graded stakes over the next three days, led by Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, featuring the runners-up from the Triple Crown races: Mandaloun in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, Midnight Bourbon in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes and Hot Rod Charlie in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. NBC will broadcast the TVG.com Haskell, beginning at 5 p.m. ET as a part of its “Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Win and You’re In – presented by America’s Best Racing” live coverage. Monmouth will card five graded stakes in all. This weekend also gets rolling with the two most popular race meetings of the year in Del Mar, which opens today, and Saratoga, which opened on Thursday. On Saturday, Del Mar features the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap for older horses on TVG (9:30 p.m. ET), and Saratoga’s spotlight will be on the Grade 1 Diana Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf. The Diana and the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes for 2-year-olds will be televised live on FOX beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. Races in the rundown are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews, when available, can be found through the link for each race.
TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Del Mar, Delaware Park, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Woodbine and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.
“America’s Day at the Races” will be broadcasting live from Saratoga on Friday, July 16 on FS2 from 1-6:30 p.m.; on Saturday, July 17 on FS1 from 1-2 p.m., on FS2 from 2-5:30 p.m., and on FOX from 5:30-6:30 p.m. On Sunday, July 18, “America’s Day at the Races” will be live on FS2 from 1-1:30 p.m., on FS1 from 1:30-3 p.m., and again on FS2 from 3-6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 16
5:29 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Saratoga on FS2
Trainer Chad Brown holds a strong hand with three starters in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple for 4-year-olds and up going 1 mile on turf, led by Klaravich Stables’ 5-year-old ridgling Value Proposition (GB) and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso’s 6-year-old Sacred Life (FR). Value Proposition, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 3, has won four of eight starts, including a last-out victory on June 6 at Belmont, taking a 1-mile optional allowance claiming race by 1 ¼ lengths. Sacred Life is seeking his first graded-stakes win since coming to the U.S. from France in 2019. Ridden from post 3 by Joel Rosario, this year Sacred Life finished third in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 9, and as the 6-5 favorite, came eight wide in the stretch and finished fourth in Pimlico’s Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes on May 15. Brown’s third starter Dubb, Nice Guy Stables and Caruso’s 5-year-old Delaware (GB) won the listed Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct on April 10. Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 7. The 5-year-old New York-bred gelding Rinaldi, trained by Jim Bond, won last year’s listed West Point Stakes against state-breds at Saratoga. Rinaldi finished second in the Danger’s Hour. He will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 1.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR071621USA9-EQB.html
9 p.m. ―$100,000 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar on TVG
The “Turf Meets The Surf” for its 82nd race meeting today at picturesque Del Mar, and the traditional opening-day feature is the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds. The one-mile turf race has a full field of 12 starters. Sterling Racing’s Whatmakessammyrun is the 7-2 morning line favorite off back-to-back scores at Santa Anita in an optional allowance claiming race on May 2 and a 3 ¾-length win in the listed Desert Code Stakes on June 6. Trained by Mark Glatt, Whatmakessammyrun will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 11. Exline-Border, SAF Racing, Stonestreet Stables and Richard Hausman’s Dream Shake, trained by Peter Eurton, will be trying the turf for the first time after five starts on the main track. After breaking his maiden at Santa Anita in a race featuring the much-hyped Bezos in February, Dream Shake had consecutive third-place finishes in the Grade 2 San Felipe and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He made a valiant stretch drive in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 1, losing by just a head to Jackie’s Warrior. Dream Shake finished fourth in his next start, the 7-furlong, Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on June 5. Joe Bravo has the mount from post 5.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR071621USA9-EQB.html
Saturday, July 17
1:52 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG
Juddmonte’s Juliet Foxtrot leads the field of seven fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes. Juliet Foxtrot, trained by Brad Cox, has won four graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley at Keeneland on April 10. She went off at 1-2 in the Grade 3 Old Forester Mint Julep at Churchill Downs on June 12, and had a clear lead at the sixteenth pole before being passed by Mintd, and wound up finishing second by a half-length. Juliet Foxtrot will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 5. Four starters in the Matchmaker are trained by Chad Brown, led by defending champion Nay Lady Nay, who is owned by First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm. Ridden by Paco Lopez from post 6, Nay Lady Nay, winless in two starts this year, finished sixth in her last start, the Grade 3 Eatontown over the Monmouth course on June 20. Klaravich Stables’ Counterparty Risk (IRE), third in the Eatontown, won the Grade 3 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes in February for Brown. Nik Suarez rides from post 3. Repole Stable’s 5-year-old Always Shopping, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Grade 3 La Prevoyante at Gulfstream in January. Florent Geroux has the mount breaking from post 1.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH071721USA5-EQB.html
3:29 p.m. ―$300,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG
Leading the seven-horse field for Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Monmouth Cup is John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley’s NY Traffic, who came within a nose of reaching future Horse of the Year Authentic at the wire in last year’s Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes. That was the highpoint of 2020 for the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained son of Cross Traffic. Afterward, NY Traffic finished eighth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and ninth in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. This year, NY Traffic won an allowance optional claiming race at Belmont Park on May 2, and finished second by a length to 79-1 Informative in Monmouth’s Grade 3 Salvator Mile on June 12. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 4. St. Elias Stables 4-year-old Dr. Post, third in last year’s Haskell, won the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park on May 1. Joel Rosario rides Dr. Post from post 5. The most impressive recent winner entered in the Monmouth Cup is Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s New York-bred Bank It, who drew off to a 13 ¼-length romp in the black type, 1-mile Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park on May 31 for trainer Steve Asmussen. Now a six-time winner, Bank It will be ridden by Paco Lopez from post 7.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH071721USA8-EQB.html
4:38 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG
Kueber Racing, Barlar, Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing’s Pennsylvania-bred Vault disappointed as the 3-1 second choice in last year’s Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes, finishing sixth. In this year’s renewal at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares, Vault, trained by Brad Cox, faces six rivals. Ridden from post 3 by Tyler Gaffalione, Vault won the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont Park on May 2 before finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs. E.V. Racing Stables’ 4-year-old Water White finished second to Vault in the Ruffian by 1 3/4 lengths, but trailed five rivals last time out in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. Trained by Rudy Rodriquez, Water White will be ridden by Hector Diaz Jr. from post 7. Joseph Allen’s 4-year-old Mrs. Danvers won last year’s Grade 3 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct, and this year, finished second in the Top Flight Stakes. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Mrs. Danvers will be ridden by Paco Lopez from post 2.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH071721USA10-EQB.html
5:12 p.m. ―$500,000 Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park on NBC
The 7-year-old Arklow, a five-time graded-stakes winner, leads a 10-horse field as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on the turf. Owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway, and trained by Brad Cox, Arklow finished fourth in last year’s United Nations as the 8-5 favorite. He was sixth the Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland, but rebounded to win the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Arklow made a successful 2021 debut on May 15, winning the Grade 3, 1 ½-mile Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs. Arklow will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 1. Trainer Chad Brown has three starters in the race, headed by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso’s 5-year-old Tribhuvan (FR), who finished second in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes on June 5. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 10. Waterford Stable’s Winters Back, trained by Todd Pletcher, finished second in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on June 5. David Cohen rides from post 6.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH071721USA11-EQB.html
5:40 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on FOX
Hall of Famer trainer Todd Pletcher, who will have his induction ceremony into Racing ‘s Hall of Fame next month in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has won the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes a record seven times. In Saturday’s 106th Sanford, for 2-year-olds run at 6 furlongs, Pletcher saddles Repole Stable and Gainesway Stable’s Wit, who won a 6-furlong maiden special weight on June 5 at Belmont by six lengths. A son of Practical Joke, Wit, the 8-5 morning line favorite in a 12-horse field, will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 1. Hall of famer John Velazquez, who holds the Sanford Stakes record for most wins by jockey with seven, has the mount aboard Breeze Easy Stable’s Headline Report. Trained by Wesley Ward, Headline Report, won a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 23 as the odds-on favorite with Velazquez up. Headline Report, a son of Gormley, will break from post 9. Mueller Thoroughbred Stable’s Candy Landing, trained by Brendan Walsh, won on debut in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on June 11 by 4 ½ lengths at 17-1. The son of Twirling Candy will be ridden by James Graham from post 2.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR071721USA9-EQB.html
5:47 p.m. ―$1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on NBC
Three starters from the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve ― Mandaloun (2nd), Hot Rod Charlie (3rd), and Midnight Bourbon (6th) ― are back together again among seven 3-year-olds entered in Monmouth Park’s Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. The Haskell winner gains a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1, $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Juddmonte’s Mandaloun, trained by Brad Cox, has started once since the Derby, winning the 1 1/16-mile TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth on June 13 by a neck after overcoming a poor start. Florent Geroux has the mount from post 3. Boat Racing, Roadrunner Racing, Gainesway Stable and William Strauss’s Hot Rod Charlie is the 6-5 morning line favorite. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Hot Rod Charlie battled Essential Quality through the stretch in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 5, losing by 1 ¼ lengths. The Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 4. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Midnight Bourbon will be making his first start since finishing second to Rombauer in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes on May 16. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who saddled the brilliant filly Rachel Alexandra to victory in the 2009 Haskell, Midnight Bourbon will be ridden by Paco Lopez from post 6. An intriguing newcomer to the 3-year-old scene is Spendthrift Farm’s Following Sea, the 3-1 third choice, who broke his maiden at Oaklawn in April and swept to a 6 ½-length victory in a 6 ½ furlong Belmont Park allowance race on June 3. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Joel Rosario has the mount on Following Sea from post 1.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH071721USA12-EQB.html
6:03 p.m. ―$100,000 Grade 3 Arlington Stakes at Arlington Park on TVG
Michael Hui’s 7-year-old gelding Zulu Alpha, a 12-time winner, is the one to beat making his seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Arlington Park Stakes on turf against seven rivals, headlining Million Preview Day. Trained by Mike Maker, Zulu Alpha, winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park in January 2020, went on to capture two Grade 2 races in the MacDiarmida, also at Gulfstream, and the TVG Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland. Unfortunately, a leg injury in September following a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup put a stop on the rest of his season. David Cabrera has the mount from post 2. Lothenbach Stables’ Captivating Moon won the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes in February for trainer Chris Block, but has finished out of the money in his last four starts, including a fourth-place finish over the Arlington surface in the listed Hanshin Cup Stakes at 1 mile on June 26. Declan Carroll has the mount from post 8.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP071721USA6-EQB.html
6:16 p.m. ―$500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga on FOX
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has saddled the winners of the last six runnings of the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes. Looking to extend the streak in a field of eight fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the turf, Brown is saddling Peter Brant’s 5-2 morning line favorite Lemista (IRE) and Juddmonte’s Pocket Square (GB). Lemista, a 4-year-old daughter of Raven’s Pass, won four races in Ireland, including the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes last year at The Curragh. In her U.S. debut in Belmont Park’s Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile Beaugay Stakes on May 8, Lemista finished second by a neck to Harvey’s Lil Goil. Lemista will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 7. Pocket Square, who raced in Europe the past two years, won her first race in the U.S. on April 7 at Keeneland, taking a 1 1/16-mile allowance by 2 ¼ lengths over 10 rivals. She was the 5-2 favorite in Belmont’s Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5, but lacked a response in the stretch and finished fifth. John Velazquez has the mount, breaking from post 2. The Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman’s 4-year-old Harvey’s Lil Goil has won five races, including the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup last October at Keeneland for trainer Bill Mott. A daughter of American Pharoah, Harvey’s Lil Goil closed out the year with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland. Following her Beaugay win, Harvey’s Lil Goil finished fifth in the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont on June 4. Junior Alvarado has the mount from post 5. Godolphin’s 1,2 finishers from the Just a Game, Althiqa (GB) and Summer Romance (IRE), are back for trainer Charlie Appleby. Althiqa defeated Summer Romance by three-quarters of a length in the Just a Game. Manny Franco will ride Althiqa from post 8, while Luis Saez has the mount on Summer Romance from post 6.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR071721USA10-EQB.html
7:11 p.m. ―$100,000 Grade 3 Modesty Stakes at Arlington Park on TVG
Twelve fillies and mares have been entered in the Grade 3 Modesty going 1 1/16 miles on turf and La Nora’s 6-year-old mare Joy Epifora (ARG) is the 7-2 morning line favorite. Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Joy Epifora finished second in a 1 1/8-mile optional allowance claiming race at Churchill Downs in her last start on June 13. After winning two races in France last year, Hunter Valley Farm, Debra O’Connor and Marc Detampel’s Family Way had a second-place finish in an allowance race at Keeneland in April, and then won a 1 1/8-mile optional allowance claiming race at Churchill Downs on May 21. Adam Beschizza will ride, breaking from post 7. Ballybrit Stable’s 6-year-old Illinois homebred Bramble Queen, a nine-time winner, makes her second start of the year for trainer Michael Dini. In her 2021 debut on May 23 at Belmont Park, Bramble Queen finished fifth in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP071721USA8-EQB.html
9:30 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on TVG
Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm’s 5-year-old gelding Royal Ship (BRZ) is the 9-5 morning line favorite in a nine-horse field for the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. Since arriving from Brazil last year and making four consecutive starts on turf, Royal Ship found a home on the main track at Santa Anita Park for trainer Richard Mandella, winning the Grade 2 Californian on April 17, and finishing second by a head to Country Grammer in the Grade 1, 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup on May. 31. Mike Smith has the mount from post 4. CRK Stable’s Express Train, third in the Hollywood Gold Cup, won Santa Anita’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes in January and finished second by a half-length to Idol in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March. Trained by John Shirreffs, and ridden from post 5 by Juan Hernandez, Express Train broke his maiden in 2019 at Del Mar and won an allowance optional claiming race over the track last year. Jim Daniell and Donna Daniell’s 4-year-old Florida-bred Rushie, finished second in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes on May 10 and was fourth last time out in the Hollywood Gold Cup for trainer Michael McCarthy. Umberto Rispoli has the mount from post 1.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR071721USA10-EQB.html
Sunday, July 18
4:17 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine on TVG
Stronach Stables’ Ontario-bred Silent Poet is the defending champion of the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, facing eight rivals at 7 furlongs on turf. Trained by Nicholas Gonzalez, the 6-year-old gelding has won 10 races in 20 starts, including last year’s Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes. Justin Stein has the mount from post 2. Tracy Farmer’s 5-year-old gelding Chuck Willis (IRE), a winner of four in a row, figures to be one of the favorites. Trained by Mark Casse, Chuck Willis has won three races at Woodbine, including a wire-to-wire score in a 1-mile handicap on May 31. Kazushi Kimura has the mount from post 8. Ivan Dalos’s Ontario-bred Avie’s Flatter has won five races, including his 2021 debut, taking a 7-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Woodbine by 5 1/4 lengths on June 3. Trained by Josie Carroll, the 5-year-old Avie’s Flatter finished second in the 2019 Queen’s Plate. He will be ridden by Luis Contreras from post 1.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO071821CAN7-EQB.html
9:30 p.m.― $100,000 Grade 3 Cougar Stakes at Del Mar on TVG.
Little Red Feather Racing, Gordon Jacobsen and Philip Belmonte’s 7-year-old Red King, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, returns to Del Mar for Sunday’s Grade 3, 1 ½-mile Cougar II Stakes in a field of six older horses. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Red King upset multiple graded stakes winner United in the Del Mar Handicap. This year, the son of English Channel has had two third place finishes at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham and in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano. Umberto Rispoli has the mount from post 4. My Racehorse and Spendthrift Farm’s 4-year-old Tizamagician won the Grade 3, 1 ½-mile Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita by nine lengths on April 18 for trainer Richard Mandella. Tizamagician returns to California following a second-place finish in the Grade 2, 1 ½-mile Brooklyn Stakes at Belmont Park on June 5. He will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 6.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR071821USA10-EQB.html
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