LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 23, 2021) ― Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. There are nine graded stakes over the next three days, led by Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks from Saratoga and two Grade 2 turf stakes races on Saturday from Del Mar—the $250,000 Eddie Read and the $200,000 San Clemente. Saturday gets started with a mid-summer jewel from Ascot, the King George and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, which will serve as a Win and You’re In race for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. 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 23 on FS2 from 1-6:30 p.m.; on Saturday, July 24 on FS2 from 1-7 p.m.; and on Sunday, July 25 on FS2 from 1-2 p.m., on FS1 from 2-3 p.m., and on FS2 from 3-6 p.m.
Friday, July 23
5:39 p.m. – $150,000 Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga on FS2
Hall of Fame and seven-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher is represented in the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at one mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course by morning line favorite Jouster, a Noble Mission (GB) filly owned by Starlight Racing and Glen Hill Farm. Jouster, who will break from post 5 in the field of 10 3-year-old fillies under Luis Saez, recorded the field’s best Beyer of 88 in her Grade 2 Appalachian score at Keeneland in April. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has four entered in the Lake George and looks to extend his winning streak in this race to three and add to his record total of four Lake George wins. Leading the way for Brown is Klaravich Stables’ Technical Analysis (IRE). From post 8, Jose Ortiz will pilot Technical Analysis, who exits the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes on the Belmont Park turf where she ran sixth in her first stakes start. Brown also sends out Minaun (IRE), a last out runner-up in Belmont’s 1-mile Wild Applause on June 26. Owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Iris Smith Stable and Rigney Racing, Minaun will break on the far outside in post 10 under Manny Franco. Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta’s Amy C (GB) and Head of Plains Partners’ Fluffy Sox complete Brown’s quartet. Amy C won her only start in Brown’s care on June 25 at Belmont after starting her career in France and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr from post 6. Fluffy Sox earned a graded stake win as a juvenile in the 1-mile Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes on the Del Mar turf and finished fifth last out in the Wonder Again. Joel Rosario will pilot the daughter of Slumber (GB) from post 3.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR072321USA9-EQB.html
Saturday, July 24
10:35 a.m. – $1,199,000 Group 1 King George and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes on TVG and RTN
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, Europe’s midsummer showpiece and a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Longines Turf, headlines this weekend’s racing at Ascot in the England. With Enable now retired after a record-breaking third win in the race last year, the stage is set for a new star of the middle-distance division to emerge. Aidan O’Brien is set to send out a formidable pair in the King George: Love, the dual-Classic winning filly from last year who made a perfect seasonal debut when winning the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Broome, recent winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The field also includes Godolphin’s Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Adayar and John and Thady Godden’s Mishriff. Hardwicke Stakes winner Wonderful Tonight and the impressive 3-year-old Lone Eagle complete a small but stellar field of six.
https://www.drf.com/race-entries/track/ENG-ASC/country/ENG/date/07-24-2021#raceInfoTab5
3:23 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on FS2
Undefeated Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Malathaat leads a compact field of four 3-year-old fillies in the 105th running of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. The Todd Pletcher-trainee extended her perfect record to 5 for 5 in the Kentucky Oaks when she overcame a sluggish start to wear down runner-up Search Results. The daughter of Curlin is owned by Shadwell Stable and will break from the rail under two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey John Velazquez. Clairiere, fourth in the Kentucky Oaks, started the year with a win in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes presented by Fasig-Tipton and was last seen when third in the Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. Steve Asmussen trains the Curlin filly for owner Stonestreet Stables. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons from post 4. Maracuja also started in the Kentucky Oaks where she finished seventh for owner Beach Haven Thoroughbreds and trainer Rob Atras. The Honor Code filly has one win from five lifetime starts and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr. from post 2. Rounding out the field is WinStar Farm’s Rockpaperscissors, a daughter of Distorted Humor who won an allowance race last out at Indiana Grand Race Course for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Luis Saez has the mount on Rockpaperscissors from post 3.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR072421USA5-EQB.html
3:43 p.m. $175,000 Grade 2 Nassau Stakes on TVG
Fox Hill Farm’s Jolie Olimpica (BRZ) headlines a full and balanced field of 12 entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Nassau Stakes from Woodbine in Canada. Undefeated in her native Brazil in three starts in 2019, Jolie Olimpica has raced exclusively against graded stakes company since being imported to the United States, winning two of six starts. Jolie Olimpica, the 5-2 favorite in the Nassau, finished third as the beaten favorite in the Grade 3 San Simeon in her most recent start in March. Another Time, a winner of two of four starts at Woodbine, is the second choice in the morning line at 6-1. https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO072421CAN-EQB.html#RACE6
4:19 p.m. $200,000 Grade 3 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup
Three Diamond Farm’s graded stakes winner Field Pass has been installed the 8-5 favorite against five other contenders in Saturday’s $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup at Pimlico. Field Pass is winless in three races in 2021, however, two of those losses came by narrow margins against formidable competition in the Grade I Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland in April and the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs in June. Victor Carrasco is named to ride Field Pass, who is trained by Mike Maker.
Two other graded stakes winners will contest the BWI Turf Cup: Godolphin’s homebred 2020 Grade 2 Del Mar Derby winner Pixelate, and Calumet Farm’s 5-year-old English, winner of the 2019 Grade 3 Virginia Derby.
https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM072421USA-EQB.html#RACE8
6:13 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 3 Caress Stakes on FS2
Robin Sparkles looks to extend her winning streak to three when she takes on five other fillies and mares in the 5 ½ furlong Grade 3 Caress Stakes on the Saratoga turf for owner Michael Schrader and trainer Bruce Brown. The New York-bred Elusive Quality filly, who will break from post 2 under Jose Ortiz, scored her maiden win last August in a Saratoga turf sprint and won a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming turf event at Belmont Park in her most recent start. Pennsylvania-bred Caravel will make her Saratoga debut in the Caress Stakes and also seeks her third straight win. The Mizzen Mast filly exits Monmouth Park’s five-furlong Goldwood Stakes on the turf and picks up the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. for breeder/co-owner/trainer Elizabeth Merryman and new co-owner Bobby Flay. Flay purchased a majority interest in Caravel, who will break from the rail, from Merryman after the filly impressed last out at Monmouth. Jakarta, another Pennsylvania-bred entry, is winless in five 2021 starts after winning four times last year for owner Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker. The 6-year-old Bustin Stones mare finished 4th behind Robin Sparkles in her most recent start in which she stumbled at the break. Luis Saez has the mount on Jakarta from the outside post.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR072421USA10-EQB.html
8:36 p.m. $250,000 Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes on TVG
Del Mar will present a stakes doubleheader Saturday with the 48th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes and the 54th edition of the Grade 2, $200,000 San Clemente Stakes.
The Eddie Read, named for Del Mar’s long-time publicity director and contested at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, has drawn a field of seven older stakes horses. Cannon Thoroughbred LLC’s Smooth Like Strait, with Umberto Rispoli in the irons, is the 9-5 morning line favorite. A son of Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait has won seven of 15 lifetime starts and is coming off a front-running victory in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita Park on May 31 where he defeated fellow Eddie Read contenders Say the Word and Restrainedvengence. LNJ Foxwoods’ millionaire United, ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Richard Mandella, is the second choice in the morning line at 5-2. The son of Giant’s Causeway is the defending champion, having won last year’s Eddie Read, and is coming off a disappointing fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita on May 29.
https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR072421USA-EQB.html#RACE8
9:36 p.m. $200,000 Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes on TVG
Going Global, ridden by Prat and trained by Phil D’Amato, is the 4-5 morning line favorite in the San Clemente, named for the Orange County beach town to the north of Del Mar. Going Global is undefeated in four starts, all at Santa Anita on the turf, since being imported from Ireland. The 3-year-old Irish-bred filly scored an impressive victory in the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes on May 22 in her most recent effort. Kaleem Shah’s Madone, trained by Simon Callahan and ridden by Juan Fernandez, is the second choice in the morning line at 4-1. Madone finished sixth in the Honeymoon in May behind Going Global after capturing the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at one mile at Santa Anita in early May. The San Clemente will be contested at the same one mile distance on the turf and has drawn a full field of 12.
https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR072421USA-EQB.html#RACE10
Sunday, July 25
5:39 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 3 Shuvee Stakes on FS2
Millionaire Dunbar Road headlines a field of seven fillies and mares in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Shuvee Stakes on Saratoga’s main track. An earner of $1,210,740 for owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown, the 5-year-old mare finished 5th in her only 2021 start in the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes presented by Twinspires.com at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. Dunbar Road, a daughter of Quality Road, recorded her lone career Grade 1 victory when she took the 2019 Alabama Stakes over Saratoga’s main track. Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the mount from post 4. WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Crystal Ball starts from post 6 under Luis Saez and will try to maintain her perfect record in 2021. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly has won each of her three starts this year and most recently took the 1 1/8-mile listed Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown. Crystal Ball, trained by Rodolphe Brisset, is winless in two Saratoga starts but was runner-up to Paris Lights by a head in the 2020 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sends out Antoinette, a 4-year-old Hard Spun filly owned by Godolphin. In her most recent start, Antoinette finished second to Letruska, the 5-year-old mare who has spent three consecutive weeks as No. 1 in the weekly NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. In her only previous start over the Saratoga main track, Antoinette finished 3rd in last year’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, won by the Mott-trained Paris Lights. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will guide Antoinette from post 5.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR072521USA9-EQB.html
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