In Italian, the winner of the 2022 Grade I Diana at Saratoga, leads a strong four-horse squad from trainer Chad Brown for this Saturday’s renewal of the race. With only five entries, it’s surprising to see Brown dominate the field. However, Saratoga’s opening weekend is always highly anticipated, and this year is no different. In addition to Saratoga, there are also stakes events happening at Delaware Park, Monmouth, Woodbine, and the summer meet at Del Mar is set to begin next weekend. The 2-year-olds are also starting to make their mark, with the Sanford and Schuylerville races taking place at Saratoga. Speaking of surprises, the Schuylerville race had its fair share of unexpected outcomes (check out the Juvenile Fillies section for more details). Internationally, the July meeting at Newmarket in England has produced some impressive early results, and there’s an undefeated 3-year-old causing a stir on the Japanese dirt. Saratoga’s summer meet is up and running, and jockey Jose Ortiz, who won the first race of the season, summed up the atmosphere by saying, “It’s still early, but it is good to get the ball rolling and try to pile on some wins.” So, in the spirit of getting things off to a good start, let’s dive into the action.
First up is the $500,000 Grade I Diana Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Saturday, which is one of the meeting’s premier turf events. Last year’s winner, In Italian, looks like a strong contender for a repeat victory, having already won her first two starts of 2023, both of which were Grade I races. The 5-year-old Dubawi mare is in excellent form. Brown’s other three entries in the race also come off recent victories: Marketsegmentation in the Grade I New York Stakes, Fluffy Socks in the Grade II Distaff Turf Mile, and Whitebeam in the Grade III Gallorette. The only horse not trained by Brown in the field is Fev Rover, trained by Mark Casse, who last won the Grade II Nassau at Woodbine in her seasonal debut.
Moving on to the $150,000 Christiana Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Delaware Park on Saturday, six horses have signed up for the race. The morning-line favorite, Miss Riddler, won her first two starts but finished fourth in the Grade III Regret at Churchill Downs in her most recent race. Hang the Moon has been consistently competitive but hasn’t had any major wins. Thirty Thou Kelvin and Sabalenka are in a similar position. The other horses in the field have less proven track records.
In the $150,000 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park on Saturday, seven 3-year-olds are set to compete. Turf Freedom Trail, Really Good, and Ocean City are the top contenders according to the morning line. None of the horses in the race have done anything extraordinary so far, although Really Good finished second in the Hawthorne Derby in his last start, and Ocean City has a two-race winning streak, including a Keeneland maiden race and a Delaware Park allowance affair.
Moving to the $175,000 Grade III Kelso Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, eight entries have been announced, with an additional one for “main track only” conditions. This race is an interesting mix of experienced and up-and-coming horses, with both speed horses and closers in the field. Annapolis, a 4-year-old War Front colt, seems to be a strong contender as a closer. He had a successful summer at Saratoga in 2022 and won his seasonal debut at Churchill Downs in May.
In the $150,000 Coronation Cup at Saratoga on Friday, Love Reigns is the morning-line favorite in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies. Trained by Wesley Ward, Love Reigns finished eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last year and won her only previous start of 2023, the Limestone Stakes at Keeneland. Love Appeals and My Sweet Affair are also highly regarded in the race. It’s worth noting that Love Appeals and My Sweet Affair are also entered in the races at Monmouth Park. If Love Appeals runs in the $100,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes on Saturday, she would be the morning-line favorite. The rest of the field is wide open, with My Sweet Affair also among the top contenders according to the oddsmaker.
In the $175,000 Grade III Quick Call Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga on Sunday, there are two horses trained by Wesley Ward in the field of ten. Eye Witness and No Nay Hudson, a New York-bred and an Irish-bred respectively, are the Ward-trained entries. Eye Witness has been performing at a higher level, while No Nay Hudson has recently won three straight races. Several horses from the William Walker Stakes and the Paradise Creek Stakes at Belmont Park are also entered in this race.
The $100,000 My Frenchman Stakes for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park on Sunday has a field of eight horses, with one main-track-only entry. While none of the horses have stood out so far, there is potential for an exciting race.
In the juvenile races, the $175,000 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday features a field of ten horses. Gold Sweep, who won the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park, is expected to attract a lot of attention. As for Sunday’s $125,000 Victoria Stakes at Woodbine, there are five entries, with four coming off maiden wins. Pipit finished second in his only previous start.
Lastly, the $125,000 My Dear Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday has a field of seven fillies. Stormcast and Dancing Duchess are the favorites according to the morning line. All of the horses in the race have something to prove.
In other racing news, the first stakes race of the Saratoga season, the $175,000 Grade III Schuylerville Stakes, saw an upset victory by first-time starter Becky’s Joker. Under jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Gary Contessa, the filly won by an impressive 3 1/4 lengths. Saratoga Secret and Closing Act finished second and third, respectively, while the favorite, Wine On Tap, came in fourth.
On the international front, Israr emerged as the winner of the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in England. The 4-year-old colt, owned by Shadwell and ridden by jockey Jim Crowley, defeated last year’s Derby winner, Adayar, by an impressive 4 1/2 lengths. Global Storm, who set the early pace for Adayar, finished third. In another race at Newmarket, Jasour, ridden by Crowley and trained by Clive Cox, won the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings. Castle Way won the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy for 3-year-olds, and Nostrum made a strong statement in his 3-year-old debut.
That’s all for now. The world of horse racing continues to captivate us, whether it’s at Saratoga or on the international stage. Stay tuned for more thrilling races and unexpected outcomes.
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