Anne Marie Duff
BELMONT - SATURDAY
7:33 Kelso Handicap (Grade 2) (3yo+) (Dirt) 1m
Breeders’ Cup candidate Honor Code takes an easier option on his prep run for the Classic by racing a mile. His come-from-behind style could be compromised by a slow pace. Red Vine, third to Beholder in the Pacific Classic, is the next best on the morning line for Christophe Clement. The Godolphin Mile winner at Meydan, Tamarkuz represents Kiaran McLoughlin.
SELECTION: Red Vine
Next Best: Honor Code
8:08 Flower Bowl Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) (Turf) 1m2f
Two of the main protagonists in the controversial finish to the Beverly D at Arlington head the line up. Watsdachances got that race after Secret Gesture was disqualified for interference to Stephanie’s Kitten. Stephanie’s Kitten will be involved again but usually finds one too good. Her trainer Chad Brown also runs Regardez, Rosalind and Danza Cavallo. Rosalind has a graded win at the track this year. David Wachman sends Curvy to be ridden by Wayne Lordan. The three-year-old daughter of Galileo bids for an elusive triumph at the top level after running creditably in both the Darley Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks on her last starts.
She has had a tremendous season, winning her first four races including the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh and the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ed Walker runs Mutatis Mutandis who often threw away her chance at the start. On her early season form she could run well at a big price.
SELECTION: Curvy
Next Best: Watsdachances
8:43 Frizette Stakes (Grade 1) (2yo Fillies) (Dirt) 1m
Width, trained by Christophe Clement, is favourite for the juvenile fillies mile contest ahead of fellow Saratoga winner Nickname, trained by Steve Asmussen and who also won her maiden easily at Saratoga. Jeremy Noseda sends over Nemoralia, a winner at Kempton and Doncaster.
SELECTION: Nickname
9:18 Champagne Stakes (Grade 1) (2yo) (Dirt) 1m
Barclay Tagg’s Tale Of S´Avall is favourite in a competitive contest. On his fifth start Doug O’Neill’s Ralis won the big two-year-old Grade 1, the Hopeful at Saratoga. Magna Lite was disqualified after winning the Grade 2 Sandford at Saratoga.
SELECTION: Ralis
10:28 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo+) (Dirt) 1m2f
Last year’s winner Tonalist heads a field of six in a rather weak renewal of the Grade 1. The next three in the betting all finished behind Liam’s Map in the Woodward with Todd Pletcher’s Coach Inge second ahead of Wicked Strong and Effinex. Earlier in the season Effinex, trained by Jimmy Jerkins, had beaten Tonalist in the Grade 2 Suburban. Wicked Strong, a dual Grade 1 winner in 2014, has been a bit disappointing this year. Tonalist has twice been beaten by Honor Code this season but should go close here.
SELECTION: Coach Inge
Next Best: Tonalist
KEENELAND - SATURDAY
9:35 First Lady Stakes (Grade 1) Fillies and Mares 3yo+ 1m
Tepin has emerged as one of the top filly milers this year. She has compiled five wins in 2015 with stakes victories coming in a Grade 2 at Churchill Downs and the Longines Just a Game (Grade 1) at Belmont. She was also second in a photo in the Diana (Grade 1). My Miss Sophia could also be involved with some good form including a Grade 1 placing in 2014.
The European-based runners are the Tom Dascombe-trained Crowley’s Law and the Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-olds Easter and Outstanding. Crowley’s Law finished third in the Nobel Damsel (Grade 3) at Belmont last time out two weeks ago. Outstanding, the mount of Colm O’Donoghue, finished third behind Lady Eli in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (Grade 1) in July. Easter also is group stakes-placed and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Outstanding two weeks ago when they met at Gowran Park. This will be her 10th run of the year and Seamus Heffernan has the mount on the listed winner.
SELECTION: Tepin
Next Best: Outstanding
10:10 Claiborne Breeders´ Futurity (Grade 1) (2yo) (Dirt) 1m110y
Exaggerator, winner of a Saratoga Grade 2 in his most recent start, headlines a field of 12. Trained by Keith Desormeaux, Exaggerator won his last two races at Del Mar and Saratoga. The other graded stakes winner in the field is Uncle Vinny. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Uncle Vinny was awarded the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga and was third in the Grade 1 Hopeful. Pletcher has won the race in the last two years. Charlie Appleby runs Godolphin’s Hawkbill, a son of Kitten’s Joy who won his last three races on the all-weather.
SELECTION: Uncle Vinny
Next Best: Hawkbill
10:45 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo+) (Turf) 1m
Three European challengers line up in a strong field for the $1m Shadwell Mile headed by the Royal Ascot winners Dutch Connection (Jim Crowley) and War Envoy (Seamie Heffernan) along with Kevin Ryan’s much travelled Leopardstown handicap winner Kelinni (Fergal Lynch). Dutch Connection won the Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs at Ascot and finished second to Territories in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat before taking the same position behind Toormore in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
War Envoy won the Britannia at Royal Ascot before disappointing on Irish Derby day at the Curragh when only fourth in a listed contest. He has been absent since. Kelinni twice ran well in the Melbourne Cup and was a comfortable winner of the seven furlong handicap that rounded off Irish Champions Day at Leopardstown.
The Pizza Man, unbeaten this year and winner of the Arlington Million over 10 furlongs in his most recent start, tops the home contenders. Three other Grade 1 turf winners in the field are Jack Milton, Juddmonte Farms’ Seek Again and the Ramsey’s Bobby’s Kitten. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Jack Milton won the Maker’s 46 Mile (Grade 1) here in April. The Bill Mott-trained Seek Again won the 2013 Hollywood Derby (Grade 1) and finished sixth behind Wise Dan in last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile. He has two Grade 1 third place finishes his season. Bobby’s Kitten won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Brian Lynch’s Grand Arch, second here last year, won the Grade 2 Fourstardave last time with Seek Again and Jack Milton behind him.
SELECTION: Dutch Connection
Next Best: Grand Arch
Earlier on the card the Breeders’ Cup Filly Sprint winner Judy
The Beauty heads the field for the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes over six furlongs, a race she won in 2013. She is taken on by last year’s winner Leigh Court.
Undrafted, winner of the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot in June, headlines a full field of 14 for the Woodford Stakes over five and a half furlongs on the turf.
KEENELAND - SUNDAY
10:45 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo+ Fillies & Mares) (Dirt) 1m1f
The last two winners of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, Untapable and Lovely Maria head a field of nine fillies. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Untapable was the champion three-year-old filly of 2014, the daughter of Tapit winning four Grade 1 races with her triumph in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff clinching divisional honours. Her only victory in five starts this year came in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom. Last time out she was third in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga in August. Lovely Maria won the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland and Kentucky Oaks. Trained by Larry Jones, she was only sixth in the Alabama (Grade 1) at Saratoga last month. Frivolous was a Churchill Downs winner by eight lengths last time.