Division Rankings: Second teamers hoping for big back half

When I think of a second teamer in the sport of horse racing, I think of horses that have been on the big stage but haven't yet been able to break through. We think they have it in them, but for one reason or another it just hasn't happened.

Halfway through the season Midnight Bourbon would be a textbook case of a "second teamer". Midnight Bourbon has been on the big stage but just hasn't quite closed the deal yet. There are several horses I can choose from that sit in the bottom part of the top ten of each division below, but I settled on three horses who I believe have much upside, and a chance to make a run for a championship in the second half of the season.

Before I dive in to that, let's take a look at this week’s updated rankings:

Older dirt males

1. Silver State. Fully entrenched now in this top spot, his lead in this division will be tested in his next start where he will face the No. 2 Maxfield in the Whitney on August 7. The Met Mile (G1) winner has done far more than any other in this division so far in 2021, and is a winner of four stakes races already this year. He won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) prior to his win in the Met, and has won his last six races dating back to last fall.

2. Maxfield. Got the job done in the Stephen Foster (G2) defeating Warrior's Charge by a little over three lengths. His connections have picked their spots with this son of Street Sense, and he has rewarded them with three graded-stakes wins this season coming over weak fields. Now we are more than halfway through the season and Maxfield has yet to pocket a Grade 1 win. If he wants to contend for an Eclipse, the time to move is now. He will run next in the Whitney at Saratoga, where a win over Silver State would move him to the top.

3. Country Grammer. The Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) winner has been transferred from previous trainer Bob Baffert to his new trainer, Todd Pletcher. He had run two strong races with his rival, Royal Ship, in California but now he will get a chance to reach the top of his division with an expected next start in the Whitney at Saratoga. This guy and Royal Ship, the other California based runner, are sleepers in this division and could walk away with all the hardware by seasons end.

4. By My Standards. Back in the top half of this division, this guy is as honest as they come. Runner-up to Silver State in the Met Mile, he is still searching for his first Grade 1 triumph. Won the Oaklawn Mile in his only other start this season. Will point toward the Whitney as well, and he is a viable contender in a race he was runner-up in a year ago.

5. Mystic Guide. The beaten favorite in the Suburban (G2) last weekend, it really wasn’t that much of a surprise to this writer. Sloppy track or no sloppy track, it was disappointing race given the expectations. Part of being good, or even great in this game is adapting to difference race surfaces. Although he came away victorious in the Dubai World Cup previous to the Suburban, it was the weakest renewal in that race’s storied history. He previous claim to fame was a runner-up finish to Happy Saver in a historically light Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) last fall. In other words, this guy still has much to prove. Connections have stated they will skip the Whitney because Maxfield and Silver State are pointed to that spot, interesting. To be fair, his owners also own Maxfield. The Pacific Classic at Del Mar is on the table now given the Breeders’ Cup is held there this fall. Eclipse Awards aren’t won by avoiding the best the division has to offer.

Next 5: Knicks Go, Royal Ship, Max Player, Idol, Happy Saver.

Older dirt females

1. Letruska. Was dominant again in her win in the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs and has given herself a large lead in this division. A Grade 1 winner in both the U.S. and Mexico, she is 15-for-20 in her career. Although the Personal Ensign (G1) at the end of August at Saratoga is being mentioned as her next start, I believe her connections may not be able to resist another clash with Swiss Skydiver in the Shuvee (G3) on July 25.

2. Shedaresthedevil. Was no match for Letruska in the Phipps and was even passed near the wire for the runner-up spot after chasing Letruska throughout. Previously this gal was much the best in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, defeating a good field of older females. Will now head west to prepare for the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar with her next start scheduled to be the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) on Aug. 1 at Del Mar.

3. Monomoy Girl. Was gallant to the finish in the Apple Blossom (G1) but came up a nose short. Clearly still on top of her game, something I wondered about heading into this last race. She was sent to the sidelines with muscle strains and hamstring soreness. Could be back later this summer but might drop from this spot in the coming weeks.

4. Swiss Skydiver. Scratched from the Ogden Phipps because of a fever, she is now pointing for the Shuvee at Saratoga on July 25. Her last start resulted in a seven-length defeat in the Apple Blossom when finishing third. Before that, she was stellar in her Beholder Mile (G1) win at Santa Anita. Has not lost two races in a row in nearly 18 months.

5. As Time Goes By. Game winner of the Santa Maria (G2) last out, she previously routed the Santa Margarita (G2) field. Her only loss this year was a runner-up finish to Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder Mile. Will have home-court advantage come Breeders' Cup time. Will target the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 1 at Del Mar.

Next 5: Bonny South, Envoutante, Spice is Nice, Antoinette, Valiance.

3-year-old males

1. Essential Quality. His Belmont win was sensational, and it separates him from several others. Though the Belmont was Essential Quality's first Grade 1 win of the season, he has won two other graded stakes in 2021. There was no Triple Crown on the line in the Belmont, but it proved to be one of the more exciting and satisfying Belmonts we have seen in the last 20 years. Will point for the Travers (G1) at Saratoga, with a prep in the Jim Dandy (G2) first. Could have a huge second half of season.

2. Hot Rod Charlie. Will make his next start in the Haskell, and then the Pacific Classic against older. His Belmont runner-up finish was extraordinary. On the lead from the start, his 22.78 was the fastest opening quarter-mile ever recorded in the Belmont Stakes. His 46.49 opening half-mile was not only the second-fastest since Secretariat in 1973, but the second-fastest ever recorded in the Belmont Stakes. Showing heart in the stretch, he finally gave way in deep stretch, finishing a little over a length behind Essential Quality. The margin back to Rombauer in third place was more than 11 lengths. The show these top two put on will be remembered for a very long time. 

3. Medina Spirit. The Kentucky Derby winner did not run poorly in his Preakness loss, a third-place finish behind the winner, Rombauer. Beaten a little over five lengths, the quick middle fractions that he was forced to set by Midnight Bourbon ended up costing them both the race as Rombauer pounced on both of them in the stretch. Will miss the Haskell, and there is a good chance we may not see him again until the fall.

4. Rombauer. The Preakness winner had no excuses in the Belmont when finishing a far-back third. After edging Known Agenda for the show spot. Connections are have decided to skip the Haskell and point to a more difficult spot, the Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 31 to face Essential Quality.

5. Mandaloun. Got the job done in the recent Pegasus at Monmouth, but that type of effort will get him nowhere in next month's Haskell. Still has not been able to put two strong races together in a row. The Kentucky Derby runner-up will go next in the Haskell where I expect hi to be an underlay.

Next 5: Drain the Clock, Jackie's Warrior, Midnight Bourbon, Known Agenda, Life is Good.

3-year-old females

1. Malathaat. Her two Grade 1 wins gets her the nod here for the tops spot, as well as her close win over her rival. She sat out the Acorn (G1), which was won by Search Results. Should return for her first start since her Kentucky Oaks win in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) in late July before possibly the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in August.

2. Search Results. Impressive winner of the recent Acorn, which was her first Grade 1 win. Suffered her only loss, to Malathaat, in the Kentucky Oaks in her prior start, but she was game in defeat. She is another win away from moving to the top. Interestingly, her connections will cut her back to the seven-furlong Test Stakes (G1) on Aug. 7 at Saratoga for her next start

3. Crazy Beautiful. The big mover of the week, she ran another impressive race in last weekend's Delaware Oaks where she simply outclassed the field by over 7 lengths. She was also flattered by Soothsay's Indiana Oaks win as this gal defeated Soothsay in the Summertime Oaks two starts back. Now she is a winner of three graded stakes this year, the most in her division. She may have turned the corner, and it could be time to take another crack at the top two in this division. Remember, she finished over 10 lengths back of Malathaat and Search Results in the Kentucky Oaks. 

4. Soothsay. It takes a lot for me to really be floored a performance, but that is the best way I can describe what I felt when watching Soothsay come away victorious after rebounding from a nightmarish start in the Indiana Oaks. Showing tremendous fight and determination in the stretch, Soothsay looked like a different horse than the one we saw last out in her loss to Crazy Beautiful in the Summertime Oaks. The Indiana race was her first race outside of Santa Anita too, any way you slice it, she is now a player in this division with the Breeders' Cup in her backyard too.

5. Clairiere. No excuses in the Mother Goose (G2) where she finished third, and there were no excuses in her previous start, the Kentucky Oaks, as she came with her run and missed the show spot by a nose. I think it is safe to say that she and Travel Column, the two fillies who starred at Fair Grounds earlier this year, were not ready to contend with the best of this division as some would have led you to believe.

Next 5: Will's Secret, Obligatory, Zaajel, Army Wife, Always Carina.

Turf males

1. Domestic Spending. Did not make his first start of 2021 until the start of May but has won two Grade 1 events in both of his starts. His facile Manhattan Stakes (G1) win at Belmont was superb, defeating several others ranked below. Domestic Spending’s season will follow the same path as Bricks and Mortar from two seasons ago, trainer Chad Brown said, with the race that used to be called the Arlington Million, the Mister D. Stakes (G1) on Aug. 14 at Arlington, likely to be the gelding’s next spot.

2. Colonel Liam. Running since December, this guy also has two Grade 1 wins on his resume, but he sports a Grade 2 win in 2021 too. True, he did go down to defeat in the Manhattan, but it was his first loss of 2021. He has been running since January and has won three stakes. Will make his return to the races in the Bowling Green 

3. Smooth Like Strait. After several close calls in Grade 1 races, he finally came through with his first win at the top level last time out in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita, where he went wire to wire. Previous to this win, he set the pace in the Turf Classic (G1) and was edged by a neck nearing the wire to finish third. Looks like a serious Breeders' Cup Mile contender down the road. Will target the Eddie Read (G2) on July 24 at Del Mar.

4. Gufo. Big things were expected from the Belmont Derby winner a year ago, but he didn't score his first win of the season until just a few days ago. Finishing third to Domestic Spending in the Manhattan, he received a confidence booster in the listed Grand Couturier Stakes on Monday, defeating five others. Will be back against the big boys at Saratoga.

5. Raging Bull. No excuses in his runner-up loss to Oleksandra, a 7-year-old mare making her career finale because she is in foal. Certainly was impressive in his first start this season, a win in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1), and remains in the top five for now.

Next 5: Channel Maker, Hit the Road, Somelikeithotbrown, Say the Word, Tribhuven.

Turf females

1. Mean Mary. Was really flattered with the win by Thundering Nights in an Ireland Group 1 race. Remember, Thundering Nights was runner-up to Mean Mary last out in the New York Stakes (G2). Previous to that winning race, Mean Mary was best in the Gallorette Stakes (G3) at Pimlico. The preseason favorite in this division, she will run next in the United Nations (G1) on July 17 or the Beverly D (G1) on Aug. 14.

2. Thundering Nights. Broke through in a big way in the Pretty Polly Stakes, an Irish Group 1. She is ranked here because previous to that she was a strong runner-up to No. 1 Mean Mary in the New York. Will be a serious contender in any races she chooses here in this country.

3. Juliet Foxtrot. Was upset last out in the Mint Julep (G3) at Churchill Downs, losing by a half-length when runner-up to Mintd. Her previous start resulted in a Grade 1 win in the Jenny Wiley, and prior to that she had placed in four Grade 1 events. Her overall 2021 resume keeps her in this spot for now. Plans for her next start are undecided.

4. Harvey's Lil Goil. Checked in fifth in the New York, but the soft turf might have had something to do with her surprisingly poor showing. Gets a mulligan and stays here for now. Previously, she won her only other start this season, the Beaugay (G3) at Belmont.

5. Blowout. After four straight runner-up finishes, she finally entered the winners circle with her strong win in the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs. The Turf Mile was her first start of 2021; she ended 2020 with a runner-up effort in the Matriarch (G1) at Santa Anita. Was scratched from the recent Just a Game (G1) at Belmont Park.

Next 5: Charmaine's Mia, Viadera, Mucho Unusual, Magic Attitude, Lemista.

Male sprinters

1. C Z Rocket. Has won both his sprint starts this year, defeating last year's Eclipse winner, Whitmore, in the process. Simply put, he has beaten better competition than his next closest rival, Mischevious Alex, has. His connections tried to stretch him out to a mile in the Steve Sexton (G3) at Lone Star last time out, but he finished second. Will head back to California for his next start, the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar.

2. Mischevious Alex. Tried to stretch out to a mile in the Met Mile, but he flattened in the stretch to finish fourth. Won his first Grade 1 race a few months ago in the Carter (G1) at Aqueduct in impressive fashion, and previously he scored in the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3), also impressively.

3. Firenze Fire. Ran another good race in last weeks John A. Nerud (G2) at Belmont, losing a close one to Mind Control. This guy is tough as nails, previously he won the True North (G2) at Belmont for the second year in a row. Not going to penalize him too much for his loss, so he remains in this spot, mainly because I believe he is better than the others below right now. Firenze Fire reminds me a lot of Whitmore from a year ago. A horse I never thought could win an Eclipse, but who was near the top of his division. Perhaps Firenze Fire will be this year's Whitmore.

4. Flagstaff. Tough old veteran fired again in the True North but was only second best. He is at the top of his game now as he scored his first Grade 1 win two starts ago in the Churchill Downs Stakes. 

5. Whitmore. Another tough loss for this guy as he briefly had the lead late in the Churchill Downs Stakes but was edged at the wire, where he finished a close third in a blanket finish with four others. Previously he was twice runner-up to C Z Rocket at Oaklawn. As honest as they come, he still is at the top of his game.

Next 5: Mind Control, Cezanne, Brickyard Ride, Drain the Clock, Special Reserve.

Female sprinters

1. Gamine. Was dominant against an overmatched field in the Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos on Monday. Now 3-for-3 on the season, she should stick to sprinting, but trainer Bob Baffert mentioned he may try and stretch her out again. Bad idea. Stick to what she is great at, sprinting. Given her trainer's dilemma with not being able to run horses in New York and Kentucky, think outside the box and run against males in the Bing Crosby (G1) on July 31 at Del Mar.

3. Bell's the One. Finally showed her true talent in the Roxelana Stakes when defeating Sconsin for her first win in three starts this season. After a disappointing effort when she was off the board in the Derby City Distaff, a strong showing last weekend was needed, and she came firing.

3. Sconsin. Ran well in the Roxelana but Bell's the One was too good. Has run well now in three straight and is in the thick of things in a division that appears very top heavy.

3. Kimari. Still hasn't run since the first week of April. Has posted several works since, but this has been the story of her career. Brilliance when running, but she rarely runs, and this will cost her an Eclipse. In that April start she did not disappoint, edging away in the stretch for a 3/4-length win over Bell's the One in the Madison (G1) at Keeneland. She needs to run soon or will drop from this spot.

5. Estilo Talentoso. Disappointed as the favorite last weekend in the Princess Rooney (G2) at Gulfstream where she was beaten by Ce Ce after being too far back early. She stays here in this spot because she has done a lot already this season, six starts already - stakes placed in all of them - and has faced the best the division has had to offer several times.

Next 5: Ce Ce, Frank's Rockette, Merneith, Venetian Harbor, .

After winning his first start of the year in the Lecomte (G3) at the Fair Grounds, the future looked bright for this son of Tiznow. Taking the Louisiana route to the Kentucky Derby, Midnight Bourbon ran well in his next start starts, hitting the board in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2). He was your textbook "second teamer", always running his race but just not getting the win.

Off to the Kentucky Derby he again ran well to finish sixth. Four of the horses who finished ahead of his reside in the top five. Midnight Bourbon was the wise guy horse in the Preakness, but again he fell short, this time finishing second to Rombauer. Midnight Bourbon reminds me a bit of Gun Runner as a 3-year-old, always knocking at the door but not able to get over the hump. 

Next up for Midnight Bourbon is another crack at the first teamers in the Haskell, where Hot Rod Charlie will be the horse to beat. Midnight Bourbon knows Hot Rod Charlie well, at least from behind he does. He followed Hot Rod Charlie around the Fair Grounds oval in that Louisiana Derby enroute to a runner-up finish to his rival.

While Midnight Bourbon is my second teamer to watch from the 3-year-old male division, I chose the lightly raced Soothsay from the 3-year-old filly division. Granted, Soothsay moved up into the top five this last week as a result of her Indiana Oaks win, but she fits the profile. Prior to the Indiana Derby Soothsay was the unbeaten Santa Anita Oaks (G2) winner favored in the Summertime Oaks (G2) over Crazy Beautiful.

The Summertime Oaks would be Soothsay's first real test as she would be facing the accomplished and well travelled Crazy Beautiful. In just her fourth lifetime start, Soothway wasn't ready for a horse as seasoned as Crazy Beautiful just yet and finished runner-up in a somewhat disappointing effort.

In good hands with trainer Richard Mandella, Soothsay shipped from her Santa Anita home base, the only track she has run over, and ran in the Indiana Derby a few days ago. Soothsay did not disappoint. After overcoming a horrendous start, Soothsay ran the best race of her career when closing for a determined win.

Don't underestimate how impressive the shipping part of this equation was. I put great stock into this filly shipping across the country for the first time and winning this race in her fourth career start, defeating some good horses in the process.

In just one race Soothsay matured greatly, and showed me she that she is a player in this division. I would remiss if I didn't mention Crazy Beautiful, she too has improved greatly and has earned the right to try the top horses in this division again after her last two wins.

The third of my three to watch this second half of the season is Royal Ship from the older dirt male division.

Bred in Brazil and also trained by Richard Mandella, Royal Ship, like many South American imports before him, has taken a few starts to get his bearings in this country. A winner of the Californian (G2) over Country Grammar in April, he blew the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) win against that same rival when finishing a neck back in second.

I say he blew the race because that's what happened. Looking like a sure winner in mid-stretch, Royal Ship lost interest once he grabbed the lead and let Country Grammar come back on the inside. Royal Ship did gather himself and got back into the race and still almost won the head bob at the wire. Although Royal Ship lost the race, he certainly has my attention as he is my choice to come away with the hardware in this division when all is said and done.

Richard Mandella knows how to manage these south American imports, having great success in the past with stars such as Sandpit, Siphon, and Gentlemen. With the Breeders' Cup in his backyard, don't sleep on Royal Ship.