Stakes Weekend: Monmouth Park the focus with Pegasus, Salvator Mile

Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full entries can be found through the link for each race.

Leading a quiet weekend of stakes racing is Juddmonte’s Mandaloun, who is slated to make his first start since finishing second in Kentucky Derby, in Sunday's Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Saturday 

4:28 p.m. – $150,000 Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park on TVG

Last July, Ny Traffic gave future Horse of the Year Authentic all he could handle in the Haskell Stakes (G1), losing by a nose. Ny Traffic returns to Monmouth Park on Saturday to face nine rivals in the Salvator Mile. A 4-year-old gray/roan son of Cross Traffic, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., and ridden from post seven by Paco Lopez, Ny Traffic made an impressive 2021 debut at Belmont Park on May 2 with a 6 3/4-length victory in a seven-furlong allowance/optional claiming race.

Breaking from post 10 under Robby Albarado is the defending Salvator Mile champion Pirate’s Punch. Trained by Grant Forster, Pirate’s Punch came from off the pace to win last year’s race, held Sept. 20, by two lengths. A 5-year-old gelded son of Eclipse Award-winner Shanghai Bobby, Pirate’s Punch will be making his first start since trailing the field in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland in November.

10:11 p.m. $150,000 Grade 3 Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs

Led by 6-5 morning line favorite Juliet Foxtrot (GB), 11 fillies and mares have been entered for Saturday evening’s feature going 1 1/16 miles on turf. Owned by Juddmonte and trained by Brad Cox, Juliet Foxtrot has six wins, including an impressive wire-to-wire two-length victory in her 2021 debut on April 10 in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1) at Keeneland over a yielding course.

A 6-year-old bay daughter of Dansili (GB), who will be ridden from post two by Tyler Gaffalione, Juliet Foxtrot won last October’s Gallorette (G3) at Pimlico. WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Crystal Ball has won optional allowance claiming races at Santa Anita and at Churchill Downs this year. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon finished second in last year’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. James Graham rides from post nine.

Sunday

4:50 p.m. $150,00 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Juddmonte’s Mandaloun headlines the 1 1/16 miles feature at Monmouth Park. He faces four rivals. The Brad Cox-trained son of Into Mischief fought all the way in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, finishing second to Medina Spirit by a half-length at 26-1. Winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in February, Mandaloun will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 2.

Chiefswood Stables’ Canadian-bred Weyburn, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March, and returns to the races following a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3. Dylan Davis has the mount, breaking from post four. Also coming out of the Kentucky Derby is Mark Schwartz’s Brooklyn Strong. Trained by Daniel Velazquez and ridden from post two by Abner Adorno, Brooklyn Strong, who won last year’s Grade 3 Remsen at Aqueduct, finished 15th in the Derby.

8:30 p.m. $100,000 Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

California-bred gelding The Chosen Vron, winner of his last two races, leads five starters in the in the 1 1/16-miles feature at Santa Anita. Trained by part-owner Eric Kruljac, The Chosen Vron won Santa Anita’s Echo Eddie against state breds on April 3, and followed that score with a 3 1/2-length win as the odds-on favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera by 3 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita on May 15. Umberto Rispoli will ride, breaking from post 3.

Trainer Bob Baffert has entered two runners: Defunded, fourth in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill on May 1; and Classier, who will be making his 2021 debut after finishing eighth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Abel Cedillo rides Defunded from post four, and Flavien Prat has the mount on Classier breaking from post one.