Not just the Belmont Stakes
Now that there doesn’t seem to be anything more to say about California Chrome and his Triple Crown quest — except to wish him a hearty “good luck” — it should be OK to mention that the Belmont Stakes isn’t the only major race being run at Belmont Park this weekend.
While California Chrome is unquestionably the star of the show, between 45 and 50 other graded-stakes winners could see action on Saturday. Of 20 probable Grade 1 winners, only two (California Chrome and Wicked Strong) will be running in the Belmont. The nine graded races and $7.95 million in total stakes purses qualify the card as the biggest single day in American racing history outside the Breeders’ Cup — at least from a numbers standpoint. The program includes six
Grade 1s: the Belmont Stakes, Manhattan Handicap, Just a Game Stakes, Met Mile, Acorn
Stakes and Ogden Phipps Handicap. The Brooklyn Handicap and Woody Stephens Stakes, both Grade 2s, and the Grade 3 Jaipur Stakes complete the graded lineup.
The Just a Game, which was elevated to Grade 1 in 2008, and the Manhattan have been part of the Belmont Stakes card since 2000. The Met Mile, of course, has traditionally been run on Memorial Day. For the past two years it has been joined by the Acorn and Ogden Phipps. This is the first year the six Grade 1s have been scheduled on the same day.
With all due respect to California Chrome and his Belmont rivals, the Ogden Phipps boasts Saturday’s most accomplished field. Two-time champion Beholder, Eclipse runnerup Princess of Sylmar and Close Hatches combined to win 10 Grade 1 races last year as 3-year-olds. All three fillies have come back running at four, and the prospect of an early showdown between the top three older females in training makes the Ogden Phipps one of the most anticipated races of the year.
This year’s Met Mile has come up relatively light on actual accomplishment, but the large field — which includes several horses who appear to be on the rise — should make it a terrific betting race. The headliners are the versatile Palace Malice, whose five graded victories include last year’s Belmont Stakes, and 2013 BC Dirt Mile winner Goldencents. Normandy Invasion, Shakin It Up, Central Banker, Romansh and Moreno are among the other expected starters.
Fan favorite Little Mike looked good in his 7-year- old debut 2½ weeks ago, and could go off as the favorite in Saturday’s Manhattan Handicap. The 10-furlong Belmont Day staple has drawn the usual cast of veteran turfers, with fellow Grade 1 winners Real Solution, Imagining and Seek Again among the probables. Boisterous, winner of last year’s Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont, is listed as possible.
Had Untapable been entered in the one-mile Acorn, she probably would have rated second billing behind California Chrome on Saturday’s Belmont program. However, the star 3-year-old filly, who has about run out of competition in her division, will skip the Acorn in favor of the 1 1/16-mile Mother Goose Stakes on June 28.
In Untapable’s absence, favoritism in the Acorn will likely go to Fashion Plate — a winner of the Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks (both Grade 1s), in her last two starts — or My Miss Sophia, a 7¼-length winner of the Gazelle Stakes in her most recent race. Other projected starters include Fiftyshadesofgold, Sweet Reason, Sweet Whiskey and Unbridled Forever.
Stephanie’s Kitten returns to defend her title in the one-mile Just a Game for older fillies and mares on turf. Also returning is Better Lucky, who finished a half-length behind Stephanie’s Kitten last year. Additional Grade 1 winners Discreet Marq and Hard Not to Like, plus other 2014 graded winners Somali Lemonade, Coffee Clique and Waterway Run, help fill out a large field in what should be one of Saturday’s most competitive races. Jeff Scott writes about horse racing Tuesday in The Saratogian. He may be reached at utahpine1@aol.com.