First Look: Santa Anita leads weekend with 2 graded stakes

The Triple Crown is officially in the books, but racing doesn't take a breather. Six stakes from coast to coast this weekend prove there's plenty of quality action beyond racing's biggest spotlight.

Santa Anita closes its meet with a pair of graded stakes on the turf. Saturday's Grade 3 Daytona brings together Air Force Red and Motorious, two seasoned sprinters who know the Santa Anita turf course well. Sunday's San Juan Capistrano (G3) features Mrs. Astor looking to extend her current hot streak against Gold Phoenix, who seeks his first victory since August.

Horseplayers get six quality stakes this weekend to sink their teeth into, from Santa Anita's closing weekend to Monmouth Park's dual graded stakes card. Delaware Park adds to the mix with 3-year-old fillies taking center stage in the Delaware Oaks.

Saturday

Monomoy Girl Overnight, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds

Anna's Promise enters off a fifth-place effort in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) following a runner-up finish in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). The Carlos David-trained filly captured an allowance at Gulfstream Park in March and owns two wins from nine career starts. Immersive owns a perfect 4-for-4 record highlighted by three graded stakes victories during her 2-year-old campaign. She won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Alcibiades (G1) and Spinaway (G1). The Nyquist filly returns from a seven-month layoff since her Breeders' Cup triumph at Del Mar.

Delaware Oaks (G3), Delaware Park, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds

Kinzie Queen enters with solid recent form into this spot, highlighted by her third-place effort in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico in her last appearance. The daughter of McKinzie last visited the winners’ circle in April at Oaklawn in an allowance. Fondly looks to rebound from a disappointing 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs last time out. The daughter of Upstart previously captured the Virginia Oaks in March at Colonial Downs.

Salvator Mile (G3), Monmouth Park, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up

Quint's Brew displays strong recent form with back-to-back Grade 2 and Grade 3 placings at Aqueduct and Belmont Park, including a runner-up effort in the Carter (G2). The 4-year-old colt claimed the General George at Laurel in February and the Jennings in January. Awesome Ruta comes off back-to-back third-place finishes in allowance company at Monmouth and Oaklawn Park. The 4-year-old gelding scored in an allowance at Monmouth in July, but has struggled to recapture that winning form.

Eatontown (G3), Monmouth Park, 1 1/16 miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Catherine Wheel finished second in the Serena's Song at Monmouth on May 11 after tracking throughout. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief wound up third in the Heavenly Cause at Laurel in April. Damaso placed fourth in the Ms. Liberty at Monmouth last month after leading in the early stages. The 5-year-old mare won an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs in February, drawing off by 1 1/2 lengths as the heavy favorite.

Daytona (G3), Santa Anita, 6 1/2 furlongs, turf, 3-year-olds and up

Air Force Red posted a third-place finish in the Siren Lure at Santa Anita on May 10, his second consecutive placing in stakes company after winning the San Simeon (G3) in March. The Leonard Powell runner has displayed consistent form on the Santa Anita turf, hitting the board in four of his past six starts. That includes a third-place effort in the Thunder Road (G3) in February. Motorious took the Green Flash Handicap (G3) at Del Mar in August and placed second in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November. The 7-year-old gelding returns to competition after a brief freshening following his Joe Hernandez (G2) triumph in December.

Sunday

San Juan Capistrano (G3), Santa Anita, 1 3/4 miles, turf, 3-year-olds and up

Gold Phoenix took the Del Mar Handicap (G2) in August and the Charlie Whittingham (G2) last May. The 7-year-old has been in the money in three of his last four graded stakes appearances. He placed third in the San Luis Rey (G3) in March and fourth in the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs. Mrs. Astor displays red-hot form with three wins in her last four starts. The 5-year-old mare won consecutive graded stakes with the Red Carpet (G3) at Del Mar in November and the Robert Frankel (G3) in December. Most recently, she took the Santa Barbara at Santa Anita in May following a runner-up effort in the Santa Ana (G3).