Pennine Ridge 2024: Odds and analysis for Big A feature

The Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge will be run on Saturday as part of the Belmont at the Big A spring meeting at the distance of 1 1/8 miles on the turf. For 3-year-olds only, the Pennine Ridge drew a field of seven.

Since its inception in 2014, the Pennine Ridge was dominated by big-stable trainers on the NYRA circuit. Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown each have three victories. Pletcher won the first edition of the race along with 2021 and 2022. Brown was the winner last year and in 2016 and 2019.

Here is the analysis for the Pennine Ridge with morning-line odds from the Horse Racing Nation staff. It is scheduled as race 7 of 11 with post time set for 3:39 p.m. EDT.

1. White Palomino, 7-2. Kitten’s Joy – Chad Brown / Flavien Prat – 2: 1-0-1 - $63,575. White Palomino raced only twice, debuting in January on the turf at Gulfstream Park finishing third after a bit of trouble in the final furlong. He returned in April at Keeneland to break his maiden by two lengths in a field of 12 with what the race chart described as a “perfect trip.” Since then, he trained in the Belmont Park barn of Chad Brown. Use underneath.

2. Legend of Time, 5-2. Sea The Stars – Charlie Appleby / Joel Rosario – 6: 4-0-0 - $283,771. Legend of Time won his first career start, which was in England at Haydock Park where he took the lead near the finish as the 2-1 favorite. After trying a Group 3 race in his second start, he won three races in a row as a 3-year-old at Meydan in Dubai. Legend of Time was part of an American stable that trainer Charlie Appleby set up in the spring. He ran in the American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend and he pressed the pace and finished fifth in a field of 14. Win contender.

3. Risk Tolerance, 4-1. Kingman – Chad Brown / Manny Franco – 1: 1-0-0 - $44,00. Risk Tolerance was purchased in Europe at Tattersall for $309,041 as a yearling. He made his first start a winning one at Aqueduct last month when he rallied from a stalking position in a field of 12 at 3-1. Top choice.

4. Cable Ready, 20-1. Redesdale – Linda Dixon / Edwin Ruiz – 6: 2-2-0 - $91,822. Cable Ready is a New York-bred who raced at Finger Lakes four times as a 2-year-old. There he ran second twice and then broke his maiden in a stakes race. Cable Ready raced at twice at Aqueduct in 2024, running fifth in a New York Stallion Series Stakes. He tried the turf for the first time and won an allowance against state-breds by a nose. Toss.

5. Royal Majesty, 3-1. Frankel – Bill Mott / Junior Alvarado – 4: 2-0-0 - $90,199. Royal Majesty began racing in England at Newmarket in his only start in 2023 and was fifth. He moved to the barn of Bill Mott and trained in Florida for his first start in America. He won a maiden special weight on the grass at Gulfstream in January by a neck as the 3-1 favorite against a field of 11 with Lasix for the first time. He was fifth in the Colonel Liam Stakes and then was a winner of an allowance at Keeneland last month while back on the bleeding medication. Win contender.

6. St James the Great, 20-1. Catholic Boy – Keri Brion / Javier Castellano – 5: 1-1-0 - $47,070. St James the Great has raced only on the grass. He began his career last year at Colonial Downs and then broke his maiden in his fourth start, which was at Laurel Park in November. He was fifth in an allowance at the Maryland track in April in his only start as a 3-year-old. Toss.

7. Triple Espresso, 5-1. Omaha Beach – Todd Pletcher / Irad Ortiz Jr. – 6: 1-1-1 - $128,800. Triple Espresso began his turf career in a pair of stakes races in 2023 with a second at Colonial when he rallied from 12th to second in the stretch. He then moved to Aqueduct and ran fifth against a strong field in the Pilgrim (G2). He broke his maiden at Gulfstream in January in his fourth race, which was in a maiden with Lasix. The Todd Pletcher runner was fourth in the Colonel Liam and then was fourth in the Jeff Ruby (G3) after a bumpy trip behind three horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby. Win contender.

Summary: The Pennine Ridge features seven 3-year-olds who all are seeking their first American stakes victory on the grass. Royal Majesty and Legend of Time are two win contenders who began their careers in Europe and have made starts since in America. They will be challenged by Triple Espresso and Risk Tolerance, who have win possibilities and are trained by Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown.

Preference goes to Risk Tolerance, who is the new face in the field. He will make his second start in the Pennine Ridge. He debuted a month ago at 3-1 and was an impressive winner from a stalking position, earning the top speed figure in the field.