Horses to Watch: Keep an eye on these turf stars
In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.
Recent Watch List Winners
Runner-up in the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot in June, Twilight Gleaming continued her European tour in France’s Prix de la Vallee d’Auge at Deauville last Saturday. The Wesley Ward-trained filly had no trouble handling very soft ground, carving out the pace before digging deep to win the five-furlong turf sprint by a head.
Plans call for Twilight Gleaming to target the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar this fall, which seems like a perfect spot for the speedy daughter of National Defense. I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe Twilight Gleaming is capable of winning at the Breeders’ Cup.
Worth Another Try
Hockey Dad
Doug O’Neill trainee was hardly disgraced in a one-mile allowance optional claimer on Thursday at Del Mar. After dueling for the lead through splits of 23.11, 47.49, 1:11.88, and 1:23.66, Hockey Dad succumbed in the final strides to finish second by a head against the pace-tracking Crew Dragon.
Hockey Dad never got a breather after breaking from the rail and was also carrying three pounds more than the winner, so any way you slice it, Hockey Dad ran a big race. I suspect the Reddam Racing homebred can win a stakes before the year is out.
Upcoming Entries
Domestic Spending
Although there are some talented European shippers among the entries for Saturday’s ninth race at Arlington Park, the Mister D. Stakes (G1, post time 7:13 p.m. EDT), I’ll be surprised if anyone manages to beat Domestic Spending in the race to the finish line.
A three-time Grade 1 winner conditioned by acclaimed turf trainer Chad Brown, Domestic Spending has been sensational this season, unleashing powerful rallies to win the Turf Classic (G1) and Manhattan (G1). The latter effort was particularly impressive, as Domestic Spending came roaring from far behind to beat next-out United Nations (G1) winner Tribhuvan by 2 3/4 lengths.
Domestic Spending is proven over the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Mister D., and Brown has won this race four times since 2013, including the last three editions in a row. Domestic Spending has only tasted defeat once from seven starts and will surely be difficult to deny on Saturday.
Set Piece
Slowly but surely, Set Piece has developed into a classy stakes star for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox. The five-year-old son of Dansili has won five of his seven starts since December, including a quartet of stakes, and he brings a three-race win streak into Saturday’s 10th race at Saratoga, the Fourstardave Handicap (G1, post time 6:13 p.m. ET).
Set Piece’s latest triumph—a half-length score in the Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill Downs—was as impressive on the clock as it was visually. After falling nearly a dozen lengths off the early pace, Set Piece exploded through a fourth quarter mile in 22.16 and a final sixteenth in 05.63 to prevail under a hand ride.
Texas Red Hot
Although Texas Red Hot isn’t a lock to win Sunday’s fourth race at Ellis Park, the Ellis Park Juvenile (post time 3:14 p.m. ET), I think it would be a mistake to count him out of the mix.
After all, Texas Red Hot showed a nice stretch kick to break his maiden over the same track and seven-furlong distance as the Ellis Park Juvenile, producing a 95 Brisnet Late Pace rating to get up and win by a head. Trainer Randy Morse has spoken highly of Texas Red Hot, who appears to have a lot of upside for improvement. The son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red strikes me as the type who will get better with experience and maturity.
Which horses do you have your eyes on this week?