By Dennis Miller
It is a busy Saturday as there are 15 graded stakes races spread out throughout the country.
There are six on the card at Belmont, five at Keeneland, and four at Santa Anita.
There are six Grade I races on Saturday, so let’s take a look at those and the horses I find interesting in each race.
Belmont Park
Grade I Champagne
(8th race, 12:53 p.m. PDT)
This is one mile on the main track for 2-year-olds.
Gaudreau (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat) has an August 8 race at Saratoga against straight maidens going six furlongs. He broke fourth, took over second early, took the lead at the top of the lane and held the half-length lead for the win. He got an 89 Beyer that day, the second best in the field. Has worked well since the race and now is taking on the route for a barn that hits at 27 percent for the move.
Club Reign (Whitworth Beckman, Edgar Zayas) won his debut on August 29 at Saratoga, facing straight maidens at six furlongs. He basically wired the field, winning by six lengths but only getting a 73 Beyer. Has put together a couple solid works for this one.
U.S.S. Valor (Claude McGaughey III, Manny Franco) was third in his debut on August 8 at Saratoga following a poor start. Came back September 5 against straight maidens and popped, wiring the field and winning by over 13 lengths, getting a whopping 105 Beyer for the race. This a Team Valor horse and he geared down in the last race.
Grade I Frizette
(9th race, 1:31 p.m.)
Time for the 2-year-old fillies to take to the track, also going one mile on the main track.
Revenge of the Sis (George Weaver, Edgar Zayas) has had one start, on August 29 where she broke poorly, recovered and got up to finish third. She’s a $500,000 purchase price and if she gets out good and I expect a much better performance. The lone start came in the Sorority at Monmouth Park.
Libby Lloyd (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat) went against straight maidens on August 15 at Saratoga in only start, wired the field, and went on to win by 10-lengths at six furlongs, getting a 78 Beyer, tied for the best in the field. Her last work was very sharp and should handle the added distance.
Velora (Linda Rice, Manny Franco) has two starts and two wins with both coming at Saratoga. The debut came on August 1 where she came from mid-pack to win by over four lengths at six furlongs. The second race and win were in a New York state bred stake, pushing the pace early, then taking over in the lane and winning by over two lengths.
Keeneland
Grade I First Lady
(8th race, 1:44 p.m.)
This is fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the turf.
There are 11 horses entering this race.
Lush Lips (Brendan Walsh, Tyler Gaffalione) has two starts this year with a win and a second. The first came February 28 in the Grade III Honey Fox at Gulfstream where she came from mid-pack to cross the almost a length in front. She was off after that start until August 23 where she ran second in the Ellis Park Turf, getting caught late and finishing second. She is content to sit just off the pace and run late as in only three of her 13 career starts she had the lead early.
Expensive Queen (Brendan Walsh, Luis Saez) has won all three starts this year and each has increased in difficulty. On Jan. 18 it was an optional claimer at Gulfstream and it was a two-length win. That was followed with another two-length win in the Stallion Memorial at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 14. Finally came the Grade I Jenny Willy on April 11 at Keeneland where she came though a stretch duel to win by less than a length, earning a 96 Beyer mark. She’s been off since then but had two good works recently for the return.
Segesta (Chad Brown, Irad Ortiz) has four races this year and all with 90 Beyer marks but she has only won one race. She’s added a second and a third. The lone win came April 11 when she dead heated with Expensive Queen is the Grade I Jenny Willy. She followed with a third in the Grade I Just a Game on June 6 at Saratoga, then a second in the Grade I Diana July 18 at Saratoga. She was fifth in a Grade II run at Saratoga on August 22. The works have been average for the return.
Classic Q (Mark Casse, John Velazquez) has five starts this year with a pair of wins to go with a second and a third. Her most recent start was a third in the Grade II Ladies Turf on September 5 at Kentucky Downs. Before then she won the Grade II Distaff Mile on May 2 at Churchill, followed by a win in the Grade I Just a Game, wiring the field for the one-length win.
Bless the Broken (Brad Cox, Brian Hernadez Jr.) is coming off a win in the G II Ladies Turf at 9/1. Before then he was fourth in the Grade II Shuvee on July 24 at Kentucky Downs and second, beaten 12 lengths in the Grade I Ogden Phipps on June 5 at Saratoga. Her last five starts have been Grade I or Grade II races and she has not been worse than fourth in any of them.
Grade I Breeders’ Futurity
(9th race, 2:16 p.m.)
There are six horses entered here for 2-year-olds going 1-1/16-milesn on the main track.
Q B Rocket (Brad Cox, Junior Alvarado) is a $2 million purchase and a Gun Runner colt. He’s had one start, wiring a straight maiden race, on August 15 at Saratoga and getting an 80 Beyer in the process.
Phone Booth (Doug O’Neill, Umberto Rispoli) flies out from California after making all three starts at Del Mar. His last start was a second in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 6 and that was coming off a second in Grade III Best Pal on August 8. Looks like he prefers to stalk the pace and run late. The key will obviously be how he handles the ship back east.
American History (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez) is a $1 million purchase that had a smashing debut on August 22. He broke slowly and then rallied to win by over seven lengths at Saratoga. Had some strong works for this one.
Grade I Turf Mile
(10th race, 2:48 p.m.)
There are nine horses, all 3-year-old and up going the one mile on the turf course.
Brilliant Berti (Cherie DeVaux, Brian Hernandez Jr.) has only one win in six starts this year to go with one third, but he has run well in all starts, in some very good races. The lone win came two back in the $300,000 Green River Island at Ellis Park on August 2. He then started in the Grade III Mint Millions Invitational on September 7 at Kentucky Downs and ran third. He loves to come from off the pace.
Pass the Hat (William Mott, Junior Alvarado) has hit the board in five of six starts this year, with three wins. Three back he took the Grade III Poker at Saratoga on June 7. Next was third in the Grade III Kelso on July 5 at Saratoga. Finally, he was second on September 3 in the $200,000 Bernard Baruchi at Saratoga. He likes to be part of the pace factor.
Zulu Kingdom (Chad Brown, Jose Ortiz) has two wins and two thirds in his four starts this year. Two back he was the winner of the Grade III Kelso on July 5 at Saratoga, earning a 101 Beyer. His last start was in the Grade I Fourstardave on August 8 at Saratoga pushing the pace throughout, but he couldn’t gain any ground in the lane. He got a 100 Beyer for the race. Always wants to be part of the pace and you certainly can’t look past the connections.
Santa Anita
Grade I American Pharoah
(7th race, 4:04 p.m.
We have six 2-year-old going 1-1/16-miles on the main track and it looks like it’s all about Bob Baffert in this one.
Hughes (Bob Baffert, JJ Hernandez, 4/5) is an $875,000 purchase that is a perfect 3-for-3 in his starts. His straight maiden score came June 21 at Los Alamitos where he basically wired the field to win by six. Next came the Best Pal on August 8 at Del Mar, where he did wire the field and crossed the line over seven lengths in front at six furlongs. On September 7 in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity where he started second in the seven-furlong race, took the lead midway through and drew off to win by over four lengths. Baffert hits at 34 percent with 2-year-olds.
Imperial Honor (Bob Baffert, Joel Rosario, 9/5) has one start which came on September 7 against straight maidens and the $750,000 purchase wired the field and won by over five lengths. Of note Hernandez rode here for the debut and now goes with the stablemate for this one.