North American Racing

Godolphin's favourite Essential Quality (11/8 fav.) proved too strong for Hot Rod Charlie in the run to the line with Preakness winner Rombauer a distant third. Jockey Luis Saez first Triple Crown event victory as well as trainer Brad Cox. But Brad Cox may also get the honours for Mandaloun in the Kentucky Derby if Medina Spirit is DQ'ed.

Well run race on a a tiring dirt track.

From where I sit it appears the winner of the Derby Medina Spirit has now returned two positives, however his sire Protonico is still listed as leading the 2nd season sires list courtesy of Medina Spirit's success.  

Hasn't the winner been disqualified, and if not why not?  Cheers in advance.

Just to go a bit positive.

Today one of the best meetings in the US starts at Saratoga!!! 40 days of racing and a package of 76 stakes worth US$21.5 million.

On Friday, Del Mar opens their summer meeting on the West Coast. That meeting is also very special.

Nice card today at Saratoga which should be worth noting and maybe watching Down Under if you get up early enough.

G1 Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality is opening at 1/2on against 5 other entrants in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes over 1 1/8 miles. Saratoga is the place where major Upsets happen. (Man o' War was beaten by Upset for his only loss many moons ago).

G2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt sprint over 6 furlongs is real beauty IMO. 8YO Whitmore and 6YO Firenze Fire have been tough in their careers, but up and coming Mischevious Alex has shown this season tha t hes ready to challenge the best. Last start 3rd in the G1 Metropolitan at Belmont over mile and a win in the G1 7 furlong Carter at Aqueduct is really good form for this.

G2 Bowling Green Stakes over 1 3/8 miles on the turf has three entrants sired by 2007 G1 Breeders' Cup Turf winner English Channel (stands at Calumet Farm today). Maybe they can run the trifecta?

Saratoga this weekend again has some interesting races.

In particular the newly upgraded G1 Saratoga Derby has a juicy US$1 million stake to attract some fine 3YOs. As I mentioned Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) is back to the US for the second leg of the NYRA turf Tiara after winning the Belmont Derby. The other Europeans here are Cadillac (IRE), 4th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last year, Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel - Sahrawi by Pivotal) 2nd last start in May at Chantilly. Joseph O'Brien trained State of Rest (IRE) who was third last start in a stakes race at The Curragh. Also Godolphin owned Secret Protector bred in Kentucky who was last start 3rd in the G3 Hampton Court at Royal Ascot.

So those that came are not the super best but its often the case that they don't have to be to come to the US and win.

The G3 Saratoga Oaks on Sunday also has a nice field with four Irish bred fillies.

Three have come over the Atlantic. Creative Flair (IRE), a Dubawi filly won at Newbury was barely beaten by a head as the favourite at Chantilly. Messidor (IRE) was 3rd in the 32 field Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot. Rocky Sky (IRE) is a very interesting purchase for American financier Peter Brant. A last start winner at Navan in April over 1 1/4 miles indicates that distance is not a problem.

Higher Truth is the only Irish bred that has done her racing in the US with a last start 3rd in the G1 Belmont Oaks to Santa Barbara who did not make the trip over. The US bred fillies have their work cut out for them.

The other bug races are on dirt. The G1 Test Stakes for 3YO fillies over 7 furlongs and a real interesting G1 Whitney Stakes for 3yo+ over 1 1.8 miles which has attracted only 5 runners, 4 of them have G1s.

Con Lima by Commissioner (USA) won the Oaks.

Quick rundown of the big weekend races.

G1 Beverly D. was won decisively Santa Barbara (IRE) as the Even money favourite. It will be interesting how O'Brien set up her autumn campaign and set her towards the Breeders' Cup. It will be interesting but one thing is for sure is the the filly luvs the US. And with a name like that California in November should be sweet.

G1 Former Secretariat Stakes, was won by Point Me By won by 3 lengths over Tango Tango Tango with Ginsburned a nose off in third. All three mentioned in the preview.

G1 Former Arlington Million was won by longshot Two Emmys (26/1) (English Channel out of Miss Emmy, by Buddha) defeating the 2/5on Domestic Spending (GB) by a neck. Armory (IRE) was disappointing 6th.

At Saratoga the stout 6YO mare Got Stormy (12/1) won the G1 Fourstardave Stks for the second time. She holds the mile turf track record of 1:32.00 and her time of 1:33.09. Not too shabby!

Spendthrift Farms bought the daughter of Get Stormy for US$2,750,000 last year at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale and then consummated a deal to lease her racing rights to MyRaceHorse, adding to a process with Spendthrift that has also included G1 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic and two-time champion Monomoy Girl.

European Raid this weekend in Canada and NY.

You would think I took  over Grey Affair's European thread

 
G1 Pattison Canadian International
Walton Street (GB), b, 7/g
Cape Cross (IRE) — Brom Felinity (AUS), by Encosta de Lago (AUS)
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Darley (GB)
Trainer: Charles Appleby
Jockey: Lanfranco Dettori

G1  Woodbine Mile  
Town Cruise, ch, 6/g
Town Prize — Candy Cruise, by Candy Ride (ARG)
Owner: Brandon Greer
Breeder: Terrance Reg Greer & Brandon Evan Greer (ON)
Trainer: Brandon Evan Greer
Jockey: Daisuke Fukumoto


G1 Summer Stakes  
Albahr (GB), ch, 2/g
Dubawi (IRE) — Falls of Lora (IRE), by Street Cry (IRE)
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin (GB)
Trainer: Charles Appleby
Jockey: Lanfranco Dettori

G1 Natalma Stakes (G1T)
Wild Beauty (GB), b, 2/f
Frankel (GB) — Tulips (IRE), by Pivotal (GB)
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin (GB)
Trainer: Charles Appleby
Jockey: Lanfranco Dettori

Belmont Park
$980,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes
Yibir (GB), ch, 3/g
Dubawi (IRE) — Rumh (GER), by Monsun (GER)
Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Breeder: Godolphin (GB)
Trainer: Charles Appleby
Jockey: Jamie P. Spencer

$671,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes
Shantisara (IRE), b, 3/f
Coulsty (IRE) — Kharana (IRE), by Dalakhani (IRE)
Owner: Dubb, Michael, Madaket Stables LLC and LaPenta, Robert V.
Breeder: Mr Oliver Donlon (IRE)
Trainer: Chad C. Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat

A couple of additional notes:

The two 3YO events at Belmont Park, the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes and Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes part of the NYRA Turf Trinity and Turf Tiara were run for the second time and thus were still classified as Black Type. However, the class and the stakes offered will surely place the event in graded class next season.

The second place finished to Yibir, Soldier Rising, a son of Frankel was second in the G1 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes that served as the second leg of the series. Bolshoi Ballet, the 2/1 favorite who captured the series-opening G1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes, was fourth. Connections of Yibir are contemplating whether to bring him back for the G1 Breeder's Cup at Del Mar at the same distance of 1 1/2 miles.

The first event on the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby was held on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The G3 Iroquois Stakes was won by Major General at 9/2 who confirmed his fine win in his first start at Saratoga to get automatic entry for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.