Relatively quiet weekend in the sport of Horse Racing this weekend, as there are only three big races, highlighted by the Diana Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The nine-furlong contest will be led by star female turf filly She Feels Pretty.
1) Barbadian Runner rallied to finish second vs much better in his last and won by a wide margin in his prior race.
2) Slam Notion broke poorly and was overmatched in his last race. He could be a menace at this level and with a clean break.
3) Reggie Runs Rogue ran the best race of his life (highest Brisnet Figure) in his last with Lasix added.
1) Far Bridge missed by a neck in his last, which would have made him a three-time Grade: 1 stakes winner. This marathon specialist is hard to go against here.
2) Webslinger was absolutely flying late in his 2025 debut on the synthetics last time out. That race should set him up for a good performance here as well.
3) Tucson, at 15-1 on the morning line, looks intriguing. This $1.3 million son of Constitution is not nearly as bad as his last race suggests.
Also consider: Harrow, who is quietly in very good racing form right now……Corruption is four for eight and was inches behind Far Bridge three starts back, but has not run well on this track thus far.
1) She Feels Pretty has won seven of 10 in her career, including three Grade:1s. It’s hard to go against what is most likely the older female turf division leader.
2) The well-traveled Be Your Best has won four of her last five and had a legitimate excuse (soft turf course) in the defeat sandwiched in there.
3) Excellent Truth has finished a close second twice in tow Grade: 1 races since coming over from France.
Also consider: Dynamic Pricing, who is in top form right now, having won her last two, one at the Grade: 1 level…..Lady Claypoole rallied to finish second to Be Your Best last time after having won three straight vs lesser.
**** Trainer John Shirreffs hasn’t lost faith in Baeza, saying the son of McKinzie. will head back to Saratoga for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 26.
“It seems like all roads lead to Saratoga,” Shirreffs said. “I think he is as good as any 3-year-old in the country. I just want him to prove it.”
Baeza worked 6F in 1:11.2 last Friday.
**** Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes winner Sweet Azteca is likely to have only one race before an intended start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1
Trainer Richard Baltas said that Sweet Azteca may start in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies and mares at Saratoga on Aug. 23. The winner of the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
“We could do that,” he said. “It’s something to look at, for sure. Obviously, she has to ship. I think she needs to run one more time.”
**** Grade 3 Indiana Derby winner Tip Top Thomas will not run next in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 23.
Trainer Pletcher said he wouldn’t be opposed to trying nine furlongs with Tip Top Thomas, and the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Park on Sept. 20 could be a long-range goal.
**** Trainer Brad Cox plans to run both of his Grade 1-winning 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga this summer, but not against each other.
Immersive, the 2-year-old filly champion of 2024 who suffered her first career defeat in the Monomoy Girl Stakes last month at Churchill Downs, is targeting the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19.
Good Cheer, winner of her first seven starts, including the Kentucky Oaks, before finishing fifth of six in the Grade 1 Acorn here on June 6, will train up to the Grade 1 Alabama on Aug. 16.
On Saturday, both fillies put in workouts, albeit at different tracks, in preparation for their upcoming engagements.
Good Cheer went a half-mile in :49.2 seconds over the Saratoga main track, while Immersive worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Churchill Downs.
**** Last Saturday, Trainer Mark Casse sent out two of his Grade 1 winners for workouts for upcoming stakes engagements at the meet.
Acorn Stakes winner La Cara worked a half-mile in :46 seconds over Saratoga’s main track. It was the fastest of 85 works at the half-mile distance Saturday morning. La Cara is pointing to the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19.
Immediately after La Cara worked, Casse’s 3-year-old colt Sandman, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner who is pointing to the July 26 Jim Dandy Stakes, went five furlongs in 59.1 seconds. He then galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.4 and seven-eighths in 1:27. Sandman worked in blinkers, equipment he will wear for the first time in the Jim Dandy.
* Friday’s Harvey Pack winner, Bring Theband Home, whose final time of :59.90 seconds was .10 second off the course record set by Cogburn last year in the Jaipur, resulted in a 109 Beyer Speed Figure.
Casse said Bring Theband Home will likely be pointed to the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint Aug. 3.
***** Following a slow workout last week that may have been more a by-product of track condition, three-year-old male division leader Sovereignty worked a half-mile in :48.3 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.
The Godolphin homebred is expected to start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 26.
Sovereignty has time for two more workouts. Provided they go well, he is expected to run in the Jim Dandy as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes here on Aug. 23.
“If we’re able to do a little breeze every week, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be ready,” trainer Bill Mott said.
Others confirmed to be heading to the Jim Dandy are Sandman, Baeza, and Hill Road, the Peter Pan Stakes winner.
**** Champion Fierceness, runner-up in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, returned to the work tab Friday morning, covering a half-mile in 48.3 seconds over Saratoga’s main track.
Fierceness went the first quarter in 24.4 and his second in 23.3 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.2.
Fiercenees is aiming for the Whitney Stakes on Aug 2
“He was moving well, looked good. I had him reel him in on the gallop-out after the five-eighths,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I felt pretty good where he was and feel even better after the work.”
* Pletcher could also start Mindframe in the Whitney, but that decision won’t come until at least Mindframe returns to the work tab following his victory in the June 28 Stephen Foster Stakes.
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