Weekend Watch: Penn Mile puts turf sophomores in spotlight
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Photo:
Lauren King
Each weekend, Horse Racing Nation previews the top races to tune into coast to coast and runs down the main contenders. All times are Eastern.
Belmont, Race 8: 5:18 p.m.
Outstanding turf trainer Chad Brown will send out two of the favorites in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes. Maiden winner Value Proposition is slightly favored on the morning line after a romping debut here in April. Stablemate Demarchelier
Arlington, Race 8: 6:15 p.m.
Local runner Daddy’s Boo will likely go favored in the Grade 3 Arlington Matron Stakes at 1 1/8 miles with the defection of cross-entered La Force
Penn National, Race 9: 6:40 p.m.
Pure Sensation and Completed Pass will square off against each other and a small field of just three more in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, a five-furlong sprint on the turf. Pure Sensation just got back to work in April with a workman like victory in an optional claimer at Gulfstream. Meanwhile Completed Pass already has three wins and a place this year. They drew posts one and two respectively and will likely knock heads from the break.
Santa Anita, Race 7: 7:03 p.m.
Senorita (G3) winner Maxim Rate is the heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at nine furlongs. She’s a two time winner going a mile but fell to fellow entrant Hostess by a nose at this distance in the Providencia (G3). Consistent Lady Prancelot, who was second in the Senorita and third in the Providencia, is the second choice and will break from the rail. Hostess, stablemate to Maxim Rate, will break from the far outside post and is the third choice on the morning line. Five others complete the field.
Penn National, Race 10: 7:15 p.m.
Brown-trained Regal Glory tops the Penn Oaks off two consecutive runner-up finishes in graded company. The Animal Kingdom filly has never been out of the exacta in four career starts. Ionic and Alasaayil look to be the biggest threats to Regal Glory, but none of these three have finished better than second at the mile distance.
Santa Anita, Race 8: 7:33 p.m.
Paradise Woods is the odds-on favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes off a stellar win in the Santa Margarita (G2), which marked her first victory since 2017 and came by more than 10 lengths. La Force is back to try Paradise Woods again, and Tapped will return to the dirt after racing on the lawn in her last five starts. New trainer John Shirreffs says Paradise Woods is "training equally as well for this race as she did for her last."
Penn National, Race 11: 7:50 p.m.
A Thread of Blue tops a competitive rendition of the Grade 2 Penn Mile. The son of Hard Spun won both the Dania Beach and the Palm Beach (G3) down at Gulfstream before falling just short in the American Turf (G2). Last year’s Pilgrim (G3) winner Forty Under is the morning line second choice with Empire of War the 9-2 third choice. Real News, who has never been worse than second in his career, and Kitten’s Joy winner Casa Creed also have a fighting chance here.
As with the Pennine Ridge, top runners exiting the Penn Mile can look forward to the New York Racing Association's Turf Trinity for 3-year-olds on grass. The new series begins July 6 with the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1).
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