June 10 (UPI) — Saturday’s Belmont Stakes settled nothing in terms of this year’s 3-year-old championship, but it sure did tee up some interesting summertime battles leading up to the usual climax against older foes in November’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.
For anyone who hadn’t heard, Dornoch won the Belmont, joining Preakness winner Seize the Grey and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in splitting the Triple Crown three ways.
So we’ll battle on, with several others still very much in the mix and a few new ones knocking on the door.
Meanwhile, the New York Racing Association put on a real show around the “Belmont at Saratoga” — the temporary venue while Belmont Park itself is being rebuilt. A few highlights from the massive de facto festival, with details to follow:
National Treasure made a statement in the Met Mile; Cogburn blazed to a course-record time in the Jaipur Stakes; Book’em Dano booked himself some nice future starts with a victory in the Woody Stephens; and Thorpedo Anna showed her Kentucky Oaks win was no fluke.
Also, Randomized and Idiomatic reprised their Breeders’ Cup Distaff finish, but in the reverse order, and Godolphin dominated the Manhattan on the turf.
The Belmont
Dornoch finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby with a nightmare trip from the inside gate but trainer Danny Gargan and jockey Luis Saez never lost faith.
The colt, a full brother to 2023 Derby winner Mage, repaid that faith in the Belmont. After taking the lead, he was headed at the top of the stretch by rookie stakes contender Mindframe, whose wandering trip down the lane might have cost him the win, but proved his ability.
He finished second, 1/2 length back, and Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone was third. Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey didn’t figure after Seize the Grey faded from the lead.
Gargan said Dornoch returned in good order, adding the $1 million Grade I Haskell July 20 at Monmouth or the $500,000 Grade II Jim Dandy a week later at the Spa would be the options “if he runs before the Travers.” That’s the $1.5 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 25 at Saratoga, also known as the “Midsummer Derby.”
Todd Pletcher said he’s going to think about plans for Mindframe and his other Belmont runners — Antiquarian, who finished fifth, and Protective, who got home seventh.
“It will take some time to sort that out,” Pletcher said.
Gargan will have another one to schedule after Society Man ran from the back of an eight-horse field to win Sunday’s $400,000 Grade III Matt Winn Stakes for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs by 2 1/2 lengths.
Bob Baffert will have another oar in the water, too, in the form of Parenting, a Justify colt who scampered off to a 7 1/2-length victory as odds-on favorite in Sunday’s $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
In the other divisions:
Classic
Crupi, making his first start since finishing 10th in the Dubai World Cup in March, rallied from last to win Saturday’s $350,000 Grade II Suburban at Saratoga by 1/2 length over Bendoog, sixth in last year’s World Cup.
Oaks
Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna backed up that effort with a dominant victory in Friday’s $500,000 Grade I Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.
With Brian Hernandez Jr. up, the Fast Anna filly kicked away to win by 5 1/2 lengths over Leslie’s Rose. Trainer Kenny McPeek said Thropedo Anna is “going to run in the Coaching Club [American Oaks] and the Alabama.”
Also: At Santa Anita, Sugar Fish won Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Summertime Oaks, and at Churchill Downs, Emery rallied to take Sunday’s $175,000 Leslie’s Lady Stakes.
Distaff
On Saturday at the Spa, the $500,000 Grade I Ogden Phipps devolved to a head-bobbing battle between pacesetting Randomized and the favorite, Idiomatic, with the former getting her nose on the wire first.
With Joel Rosario up, the 4-year-old Nyquist filly earned a “Win and You’re In” entry back Breeders’ Cup Distaff where she was second to Idiomatic last year.
Dirt Mile
National Treasure, making his first appearance since finishing fourth in the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup in February, battled for the lead in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Metropolitan Mile, and then shot away from the field at the top of the stretch and won by 6 1/4 lengths.
Reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic champ White Abarrio finished fifth, beaten by 10 1/4 lengths.
National Treasure, a 4-year-old Quality Road colt, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:35.12 with Flavien Prat up for trainer Baffert. The race was a “Win and You’re In” for a the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.
Sprint
Book’em Danno moved up quickly around the turn to catch the early leaders in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Woody Stephens at Saratoga after drafting back of a suicidal pace.
After seizing the lead, he had to hold off a late run by Prince of Monaco to cement the win. Trainer Derek Ryan indicated he could return for the 7-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Aug. 24.
Older sprinters tackled 6 1/2 furlongs in Saturday’s $350,000 Grade III True North Stakes at the Spa, with Baby Yoda turning in a very grown-up performance in a 6-length victory. With Eric Cancel up for trainer Bill Mott, Baby Yoda finished in 1:14.62.
Turf
If was Godolphin 1-2 at the finish in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Saratoga. Measured Time, with William Buick up, raced just off the early lead in the 1 3/16-mile event on firm turf, easily jumped in front in the stretch and held off stablemate Nations Pride and jockey Frankie Dettori by 2 lengths.
Filly & Mare Turf
Didia tracked the pace in Friday’s $750,000 Grade I New York Stakes at Saratoga, launched a bid inside the quarter pole and edged away through the final furlong en route to a 1 1/2-length victory.
The favorite, Godolphin’s English Rose, faded through the stretch and beat only one rival.
Turf Sprint
Cogburn dominated a solid field in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Jaipur Stakes on the Saratora outer turf course, winning by 3 1/2 lengths in course-record time of 59.80.
Arzak and Irish invader Star of Mystery rallied to finish second and third in the 5 1/2-furlongs race over firm going.
Cogburn, a 5-year-old Not This Time entire, bagged a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with the Jaipur victory.
Also, Future Is Now won Friday’s $200,000 Grade II Intercontinental Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga by a head over the favorite, Roses for Debra, and Nothing Better captured Saturday’s $225 Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Turf Mile
Chad Brown saddled five of the seven starters in Friday’s $500,000 Grade I Just a Game Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga and saw them finish first, second and fifth through last as Chili Flag rallied from last to defeat stablemate Whitebeam by 1/2 length.
Ice Chocolat, sent off at 24-1, showed the way in Saturday’s $350,000 Grade III Poker Stakes at Saratoga and held on to score by 1 length from Mysterious Night.
Woodbine
It’s not too early to be thinking Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate. My Boy Prince, a Cairo Prince colt, dominated Sunday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Queenston Stakes for Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds. And Olivia Rose won Saturday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Fury Stakes for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine. Both are trained by Mark Casse.
Around the world, around the clock:
England
Coolmore Sunday announced assignments for the immediate future for a few of its stars, postponing a threatened invasion of the U.S. 3-year-old wars. Los Angeles will be in the Irish Derby on June 30,
Derby winner City of Troy goes to the Eclipse Stakes on July 6 at Sandown. And Auguste Rodin will try the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
That leaves Kentucky Derby runner-up and Belmont Stakes third Sierra Leone to carry the banner in the Grade I Travers at Saratoga.
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