Super Saturday at Belmont Park on October 1 is shaping up to be a stellar day
of racing with a total of six graded stakes, five of them Grade 1 invitationals,
and all of them “Win and You’re In” races for the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill
Downs in November. ESPN Classic will carry live coverage from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
(EDT).
Top three-year-old STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini), winner of the Jim Dandy S. (G2)
and Travers S. (G1), will face his elders for the first time in the $750,000
Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). Also expected for the 1 1/4-mile race are 2010
Belmont S. (G1) winner DROSSELMEYER (Distorted Humor); Woodward S. (G1) and
Whitney H. (G1) runner-up FLAT OUT (Flatter), a 6 1/2-length winner of the
Suburban H. (G2) at Belmont on July 2; 2010 Florida Derby (G1) winner ICE BOX
(Pulpit), most recently sixth in the Woodward, and A. U. MINER (Mineshaft),
disqualified from his repeat win in the Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing last time
out.
A generational battle is shaping up in the Kelso H. (G2), with Forego S. (G1)
winner JACKSON BEND (Hear No Evil) set to be challenged in the one-mile race by
three-year-old UNCLE MO (Indiana Charlie) the 2010 juvenile champion who is on
the comeback trail. Also targeting the Kelso are Forego runner-up JERSEY TOWN (Speightstown),
winner of the 2010 Cigar Mile H. (G1); RODMAN (Malibu Moon), who cuts back to a
mile after disappointing outings in the Suburban and Whitney; and SANGAREE
(Awesome Again), second to Rule (Roman Ruler) in the Birdstone S. at Saratoga
last time out. BOLD WARRIOR (Bernardini), FLAT BOLD (Flatter), and GOLDIGGER’S
BOY (Jump Start) are questionable.
The $350,000 Vosburgh S. (G1) will feature a deep, competitive field, as
APRIORITY (Grand Slam), BIG DRAMA (Big Drama), CAIXA ELETRONICA (Arromanches),
CALIBRACHOA (Southern Image), EUROEARS (Langfuhr), FORCE FREEZE (Forest Camp),
HAMAZING DESTINY (Salt Lake), JUSTIN PHILLIP (First Samurai), and SUNRISE SMARTY
(Smarty Jones) are all expected to take on TRAPPE SHOT (Tapit) in the
six-furlong race. The Vosburgh will be the third start of 2011 for reigning
champion sprinter Big Drama, who won the Whippleton H. on September 3 at Calder,
while Euroears will come east for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert off a win in
the Bing Crosby S. (G1) on July 31 at Del Mar.
HAVRE DE GRACE (Saint Liam), who on September 3 became just the second filly
ever to win the Woodward S. over males at Saratoga, is set to continue her bid
for Horse of the Year honors in the $350,000 Beldame S. (G1). The four-year-old,
who has a record of 4-1-0 in five starts this year, will be making her first
appearance at Belmont in the 1 1/8-mile race, which is likely to also attract
Alabama S. (G1) winner ROYAL DELTA (A.P. Indy); LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon), most
recently third behind Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision) and Havre de Grace in the
Delaware H. (G2); and SUPER ESPRESSO (Medaglia d’Oro), fifth in the Personal
Ensign S. (G1) last time out. MARISTAR (Giant’s Causeway) and SATANS QUICK CHICK
(Sky Mesa) are questionable.
In addition to WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]), GRASSY (El Prado [Ire]),
MISSION APPROVED (With Approval), and CAPE BLANCO (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), the
$500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at 1 1/2 miles on the turf is
expected to attract TEAKS NORTH (Northern Afleet), who captured the United
Nations S. (G1) prior to finishing fourth in the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1),
and DEAN’S KITTEN (Kitten’s Joy), third in the Arlington Million (G1).
STACELITA (Fr) (Monsun), heroine of the Beverly D. S. (G1) in August, will
attempt to earn another top-level victory in the $500,000 Flower Bowl
Invitational (G1), a 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares. A four-time
Group 1 winner in France, she was also third versus males in the United Nations.
One of her expected challengers is DELUXE (Storm Cat), who looks to become the
seventh Grade 1 winner out of her dam, Hasili (Ire). Also probable for the race
are ARUNA (Mr. Greeley), DISTORTED LEGACY (Distorted Humor), and EMERALD BEECH
(Maria’s Mon).
In a related development, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) has launched
a special website highlighting 10 star horses expected to compete on Super
Saturday. The site, located online at
www.nyra.com/supersaturday,
provides detailed information, including photos, race replays, quotes, and past
performances on Super Saturday contenders Big Drama, Cape Blanco, Havre de
Grace, Jackson Bend, Royal Delta, Stacelita, Stay Thirsty, Trappe Shot, Uncle Mo
and Winchester.
Belmont Park features four graded stakes races for juveniles, two dirt
sprints and two turf events, on October 2.
Sapling S. (G3) winner SHE DIGS ME (Henny Hughes) headlines the probables for
the $150,000 Nashua S. (G2) at six furlongs. His main competition could be
stablemate SEEKER (Hard Spun), who broke his maiden on closing day of the
Saratoga meeting. Fellow maiden winners ANGEL’S TUNE (High Cotton), JAGATI (Yes
It’s True), and VEXOR (Wildcat Heir) are also expected to contest the Nashua,
while FORWARD MARCH (Distorted Humor), HANNIBAL LECTER (Harlan’s Holiday), and
TRINNIBERG (Teuflesburg) are all listed as possible.
The $100,000 Tempted S. (G3) for fillies going six furlongs is expected to
draw a compact field highlighted by Schuylerville S. (G3) winner GEORGIE’S
ANGEL. Listed as probable to take her on is the stakes-placed SELECT CAT (Tale
of the Cat), along with maiden winners EXCLUSIVELY MARIA (Exclusive Quality) and
SINGLET (Real Quiet).
STATE OF PLAY (War Front), winner of Saratoga’s With Anticipation S. (G2),
leads the list of probables for the $100,000 Pilgrim S. (G3) to be run at 1 1/16
mile on the turf. Expected to take him on are maiden winners CAPTAIN WEBB
(English Channel), FANTASTIC SONG (Lemon Drop Kid), FOX RULES (Roman Ruler),
RICHMOND COUNTY (First Samurai), and maiden KNOCK ROCK (Corinthian). Fellow
maiden TWO MONTHS RENT (Purim) is listed as possible for the race.
The $100,000 Miss Grillo S. (G3) for fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf
is expected to draw stakes winners ALAURA MICHELE (Arch) and HARBOR MIST
(Rockport Harbor), along with the stakes-placed BOURBONSTREETGIRL (Langfuhr).
Maiden winners CRAZY PARTY (A.P. Indy), SOMALI LEMONADE (Lemon Drop Kid), and
SWEET CAT (Kitten’s Joy) are also listed as probable, with stakes-winner SLIP
ALONG BAND (Bowman’s Band) a possible entrant.