By Alan Carasso
'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution), who led into the final furlong of last month's GI Belmont Stakes before his inexperience cost him the final leg of the Triple Crown, rates the marquee in Saturday's GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in early November.
A $600,000 Keeneland September purchase campaigned by the formidable team of Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola's St Elias Stable, the Maryland-bred won his seven-furlong Gulfstream debut by a towering 13 3/4 lengths, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure that was just seven points less than champion Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby in the closing event on Mar. 30. A 7 1/2-length allowance winner on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, he was backed at 5-1 in the Belmont and sat handy to the pace from his high draw, pouncing to lead at the eighth pole before drifting out and allowing Dornoch (Good Magic) to sneak home late.
“On one side I was elated with his effort in the Belmont and on the other I was a little disappointed he didn't win,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “At the eighth pole he had a big chance. One of our concerns going into the Belmont was he was running against horses with a lot more experience. We hoped that his lack of experience wouldn't compromise his chances. I think that little bit of greenness he showed in the mid-stretch when he veered out may have cost him the win. I couldn't be disappointed in his effort, but I was disappointed we couldn't get the job done.”
Both Dornoch and Fierceness were entered Wednesday, but as of this writing, neither is a confirmed runner on Saturday. Dornoch, the full-brother to 2023 GI Kentucky Derby hero Mage, drew the dreaded inside stall on the first Saturday in May and his race was more or less over at the start, though he did manage to split the field in 10th. No better than a 17-1 chance at Saratoga last time, he was ridden positively by Luis Saez and willed himself to the wire. But trainer Danny Gargan was non-committal about the Haskell after landing gate one yet again.
“We're not really happy with the one-hole, so we're going to have to make a decision if we're definitely going to run from it,” he said. “If you're in the one hole, obviously, you have to show speed. We don't have to be on the lead. We don't want to get stuck inside and checked.”
Pletcher, whose most recent of three Haskells came courtesy of Verrazano (More Than Ready) in 2013, also saddles Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) for Spendthrift Farm. Having failed to win his way into the Derby when a low-odds seventh in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes Apr. 6, he took in this track's June 15 Pegasus Stakes and thrashed next-out GIII Dwyer Stakes romper Domestic Product (Practical Joke) by nearly seven lengths.
More From the Shore
The Haskell is one of five graded events at Monmouth on Saturday and is supported by the $600,000 GII United Nations Stakes, which has drawn a dozen middle-distance turfers. The locally owned Webslinger (Constitution) has a reputation as one of the unluckiest horses in training, but he stretched out to the 11 furlongs for the first time in the June 15 Charleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs and was up late to score by a half-length. His come-from-behind style is juxtaposed to that of his stablemate Get Smokin (Get Stormy), a reliable sort at distances from eight to 10 furlongs, but who popped the race of his life to wire the field in the GII FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes last September. Forced to miss the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, he resumed with a better-than-it-looks fourth in Woodbine's GII Eclipse Stakes June 1. 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel) exits a third in the GI Manhattan Stakes June 8 and is the 4-1 morning-line choice in a field that also includes 2022 UN winner Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}). The expected large crowd is set to be treated to an appearance by champion Idiomatic (Curlin) in the GIII Molly Pitcher Stakes. Easy winner of the GI La Troienne Stakes on seasonal return May 3, she just missed to the classy Randomized (Nyquist) in the GI Odgen Phipps Stakes June 8 at Saratoga and should win this from Oceanport to Asbury Park.
Sophomore Fillies Centerstage at the Spa
Where it comes to the 3-year-old filly division, there is no brighter light than 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) and she'll be prohibitively favored to add Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks to her previous wins in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and GI Acorn Stakes.
“She's done great here and she goes out the first set. She's been happy,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “She does everything we ask her. She likes her work and she's an easy filly to be around.”
Thorpedo Anna | Sarah Andrew
Her march to a championship should continue here, but she faces two other elite-level winners among her four other rivals Saturday. 'Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) downed champion Just F Y I (Justify) in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes in April and most recently rounded out the Acorn exacta, bouncing back from a dull performance in the Kentucky Oaks. Her Todd Pletcher stablemate Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) took out last year's GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes and exits a 4 1/2-length thrashing of recent GII Delaware Handicap winner Honor D Lady (Honor Code) in Monmouth's Lady's Secret Stakes June 8.
Klaravich Stables's Oversubscribed (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) is the 5-2 pick to give trainer Chad Brown a sixth consecutive victory in the GIII Lake George Stakes, as she took advantage of a fast pace to overwhelm her competition in the June 22 Wild Applause Stakes at Aqueduct. John Stewart's Resolute Racing is represented by an uncoupled entry in the form of 'Rising Star' Sweet Rebecca (American Pharoah)–who lost all chance when taking an awkward step as the heavy favorite in the GII Wonder Again Stakes downstate May 27–and Fasig-Tipton Digital acquisition Pounce (Lookin At Lucky), who scooped the GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes days after her purchase in early March. 'Rising Star' Manama Gold (Star Guitar), this year's G3 UAE Oaks victress, switches to the grass and has a license to do so, as she is a full-sister to the star turf sprinter Ova Charged.
San Clemente Highlights Opening Day at Del Mar
Horseplayers (and us turf writers alike!) are accustomed to burning the candle at both ends–especially during the summer months–and will have to wait until the 9 p.m. hour Saturday for the first graded event of the Del Mar meeting, the GII San Clemente Stakes. Also restricted to 3-year-old fillies, the 8 1/2-furlong contest has lured its typical mix of familiar faces and horses with prior form overseas. C R K Stable's Medoro (Honor Code) is drawn out wide as she looks to take her record to a perfect five-from-five, having earned her first graded success when just lasting in the GIII Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita Apr. 20. Antonio Fresu has a return call from Peter Eurton.
Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy) also brings an unblemished mark into the San Clemente, having won her maiden over six grassy furlongs in Arcadia last October before easily defeating Rascality (Into Mischief) in an allowance over that course and distance June 13. Invincible Molly (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) won two of her four English starts for trainer Ralph Beckett and added blinkers when scoring by a head over six furlongs at Santa Anita May 11.
Trevor Denman will be in the commentator's booth for his 40th season at the oceanside oval.
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