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Summer Stakes to Feature Cream of Horse Racing Crop
By GREG MELIKOV
The long hot summer should be especially hot when it comes to stakes races. That’s because there is a plethora of stakes at tracks across the country worth big bucks.
For instance, Belmont Park offers the $400,000 Grade 1 Suburban for 3-year-olds and up on June 30. Invasor, 2006 Horse of the Year, hopes to become only the second thoroughbred in 121 runnings to post back-to-back victories. Crusader did in ’26 and ’27.
Likely contenders in the 1 ¼-mile Grade 1 contest are Corinthian, winner of Belmont’s $600,000 Met Mile, and Harlington, victorious in a Belmont allowance race after more than a yearlong layoff because of an ankle injury.
On the same afternoon across the country, the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles will pit two-time defending champion Lava Man against Lone Star Handicap winner against Bob and John. Other contenders include Mervyn LeRoy Handicap victor Molengao and possibly El Roblar, victorious in the Ack Ack Handicap.
On July 4, the $150,000 Dwyer will attract several top 3-year-olds including Nobiz Like Showbiz, winner of Aqueduct’s Wood Memorial who ran 10th in the Kentucky Derby, and Sightseeing, runner-up in the Wood who triumphed in the Peter Pan.
On July 7, Calder Race Course hosts the eighth Summit of Speed with purses totaling $2 million.
The eight stakes include a pair of $500,000 contests: the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap at six furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up and the Smile Sprint Handicap at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up. Several other Grade 1 stakes for older horses include:
The $750,000 Whitney at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on July 28, the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/8 miles on June 30, the $750,000 United Nations Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth on July 7, the Arlington Million at 1 ¼ miles on the turf Aug. 11 and the $1 million Pacific Classic at 1 ¼ miles at Del Mar on Aug. 19.
The racing spotlight will shine brightly on 3-year-olds during the summer. Saratoga’s $500,000 Jim Dandy at 1 1/8 miles on July 29 has attracted C P West, Nobiz Like Showbiz and Street Sense depending on whether the Kentucky Derby winner passes on the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on Aug. 5.
The Haskell is already the choice of three horses because the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic will be staged at Monmouth on Oct. 27: Preakness victor Curlin, Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun and Lone Star Derby winner Slew’s Tizzy.
“It’s all about winning the Classic,†said Curlin’s trainer. Steve Asmussen. “By running in the Haskell, we can find out how he’ll handle that track and see what adjustments we need to make.â€
The $1 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 25 at Saratoga most likely will pit Belmont winner Rags to Riches against the boys again. She is headed to Belmont’s $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 ¼ miles on July 21, trainer Todd Pletcher said, then run in North America’s oldest major race on Aug. 25.
Others already committed to the Travers that was first staged in 1864 are Street Sense, Nobiz Like Showbiz and Teuflesberg, victorious in the Woody Stephens Breeders’ Cup on Belmont Day.
Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park.
Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park.
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