1 of 2 | My Boy Prince, shown winning the Plate Trial, is the favorite for Saturday’s King’s Plate at Woodbine, Canada’s top race for 3-year-olds. Photo by Michael Burns, courtesy of Woodbine
Aug. 16 (UPI) — The King’s Plate in Canada, top 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar and Saratoga and some serious challenges in the 2-year-old scene headline weekend Thoroughbred racing.
Internationally, catch some star power at Deauville along the English Channel.
Jumping right in:
The King’s Plate
Thirteen 3-year-olds, ranging from last year’s Canadian champion 2-year-old to still-winless long shots, comprise the field for Saturday’s $1 million (Canadian) King’s Plate, the first leg of that country’s Triple Crown.
The 7-5 morning-line favorite is that selfsame juvenile champ, My Boy Prince, who has posted three straight wins coming into the 1 1/4-miles test over the Woodbine all-weather course.
The Cairo Prince colt showed he can compete in open company as he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year at Santa Anita.
Classic
Saturday’s $250,000 Grade III Philip Iselin at Monmouth Park has a tough field of six battle-tested warriors.
Subsanador is in from California, where he was second in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap two starts back. Il Miracolo was third in the Grade II Alysheba at Churchill Downs in his last outing. Everso Mischievous and Instant Coffee are both graded stakes winners.
Distaff
With Kentucky Oaks winner taking on the colts in the upcoming Travers Stakes, Saturday’s $600,000 Grade I Alabama for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga is a more wide-open race.
The contenders include Candied and Intricate, who finished second and third, respectively, to the division star in the Coaching Club American Oaks in their last start.
The eight-filly field also includes Indiana Oaks winner Chatalas and Delaware Oaks and Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Power Squeeze as well as several other up-and-coming types.
Filly & Mare Turf
Iscreamuscream puts her 3-0 record on the line in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Oaks. She exits a win in the Grade II San Clemente. Arnaud Delacour ships Whiskey Decision across the continent with three straight wins.
She Feels Pretty is the 2-1 morning line favorite in a big field for Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga. Watch for Ori to outrun 50-1 morning-line odds.
Linda’s Gift, a 5-year-old Arrogate mare who has won four of her last five starts, is the 4-5 morning-line pick in Friday’s CTT and TOC Stakes at Del Mar.
Turf Mile
Filo Di Arianna won the 2022 edition of the Grade II King Edward Stakes on the Woodbine turf, skipped last year’s running and is back to try again in Saturday’s $200,000 (Canadian) renewal.
The Brazilian-bred hadn’t won six subsequent starts going shorter against tougher foes, but broke through again last time out with a victory in the local Grade II Highlander. Mark Casse is the trainer.
Turf Sprint
You can pretty much throw a blanket over the eight-horse field set for Saturday’s $100,000 Select Stakes at Monmouth Park. Grooms All Business, Xy Speed and Nothing Better are narrowly at the front of that ranking.
Sprint
Patches O’Houlihan has won eight of 10 starts — all sprinting on the Woodbine all-weather –with a “catch me if you can” style, and it’s no bold venture to suggest he can do it again in Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Bold Venture.
The 4-year-old Reload gelding counts last year’s Bold Venture among his wins and is the morning-line favorite.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Saturday’s $100,000 Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park attracted eight, with Beth’s Dream and Bluefield at the top of the morning line.
Juvenile Turf
Governor Sam and Spiralizer top a field of six plus one “main track only” for Friday’s $150,000 Skidmore at Saratoga.
Governor Sam was last seen winning the Tyro Stakes on turf at Monmouth for his second straight score. Spiralizer won at first asking in June at Churchill Downs but then reported seventh in the Bashford Manor on June 30.
Mensa, Test Score and Cairo Caper look likely in a field of nine set for Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Soaring Free at Woodbine.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Mark Casse saddles Bullet as the favorite in Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Catch a Glimpse at Woodbine. The War Front miss won the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park in her career debut, but eschewed the entitlement of a trip to Royal Ascot, returned north and won the local My Dear Stakes in her only other outing.
Sunday’s $150,000 Bolton Landing at Saratoga looks as much a learning experience for the betting public as for the eight fillies (plus three for “main track only”) set to go 5 1/2 furlongs.
Around the world, around the clock
France
Sunday’s Group 1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet for fillies and mares at Deauville only has five starters, probably because Mqse De Sevigne looks all but invincible.
Mqse De Sevigne, a 5-year-old Siyouni mare, has won all three previous starts this year and comes to the race with back-to-back victories in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan and Group 1 Prix Rothschild. She also won the Rothschild and Romanet last year.
Also Sunday by the English Channel, the Group 1 Prix Morny for 2-year-olds features Shareholder, undefeated after two starts including the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Rashabar, winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting.
England
Next week brings the high-class Ebor Meeting to York in the north of England.
There’s nothing but great racing in a fabulous setting, but highlights include Wednesday’s Group 1 Juddmonte International with City of Troy topping early wagering interest and Thursday’s Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks where Bluestocking, Emily Upjohn and You Got to Me all are still in the mix.
