Weekend Watch: Abel Tasman leads Sunday action in Zenyatta

Each weekend, Horse Racing Nation previews the top races to tune into coast to coast and runs down the main contenders. Post times are all in Eastern Time. This edition focuses on Sunday’s races, with some carrying Breeders’ Cup implications.

Distaff leader stars at Santa Anita

The presence of a big mare in the Zenyatta (G1), a qualifying race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), was lacking with the retirement of Unique Bella until Bob Baffert made the announcement this week Distaff leader Abel Tasman would make her final prep at home. The star filly has done most of her running on the East Coast but she’ll remain in Southern California for her final Breeders’ Cup prep before returning to Churchill Downs, the site of her 2017 Kentucky Oaks (G1) victory.

La Force, who ran second to Unique Bella in both the Beholder Mile (G1) and the Clement L. Hirsch (G1), seemed like she would catch a break in the Zenyatta until Abel Tasman was entered. Baffert’s other entry Vale Dori will also try to step back up in the Zenyatta. The Grade 1 winner’s win streak ended last summer and the Zenyatta will be her fifth start of 2018. The Zenyatta will run as Race 5 with a post time of 5:42 p.m.

One race later, Fashion Business will try to score back-to-back stakes wins as the favorite in the John Henry Turf Championship (G2). The 4-year-old gelding won the Del Mar Handicap (G2) last out, his first stakes victory. Post time is 6:14 p.m.

Breeders’ Cup possibilities from Belmont 

The Miss Grillo (G2) is not a Breeders’ Cup qualifier, but it could produce horses that go on to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). It’s a path trainer Chad Brown took with Lady Eli in 2014 and New Money Honey in 2016, with the two fillies winning both races. As usual, Brown has multiple entries, including morning line favorite Newspaperofrecord, a 6 ¾-length debut winner over Saratoga’s turf.

Looking sharp in this race is the Christophe Clement-trained Miss Technicality, who is two-for-two after winning the Exacta Systems Juvenile Fillies at Kentucky Downs. Brown also has P. G. Johnson Stakes winner Dogtag entered. The Miss Grillo is scheduled as Race 9 at 5:50 p.m.

The Temperence Hill Invitational, Race 8, leads up to the Miss Grillo. War Story loves a good route race, and the 1 5/8-miles event gives him a chance to stretch out again over Belmont’s large track. War Story won at 1 ½ miles at Belmont last summer in the Brooklyn Invitational (G2) and he ran second last out in Parx’s Greenwood Cup (G3) at the same distance. He was also second to Hoppertunity in this year’s Brooklyn. Besting War Story in the Greenwood was You’re to Blame, who also runs back here. War Story ran in the past two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Classic when Loooch Racing Stables co-owned him with Imaginary Stables and Glenn Ellis. Post time is 5:18 p.m. 

Remington Park spotlights 3-year-olds

The Oklahoma Derby (G3) has lined up as the Steve Asmussen show, with the trainer entering four of 11 horses. Super Derby (G3) winner Limation leads the way as the morning line favorite, and stablemate Combatant, who is multiple graded stakes-placed in the Midwest, returns to dirt after trying turf during a wet Saratoga summer.

Other recent stakes winners include Sea Foam and Believe in Royalty. Sea Foam enters off back-to-back victories against New York-breds in the New York Derby and the Albany Stakes while Believe in Royalty finally earned his stakes win last out in the Ellis Park Derby. Also entered is maiden winner Wooderson, a half-brother to Rachel Alexandra.

The Remington Park Oaks (G3) is featured on the undercard and is headlined by Asmussen trainee She’s a Julie. The 3-year-old filly was last seen running second in the Alabama (G1) and won the Iowa Oaks (G3) before that. If she keeps her form here, she looks tough to beat.

Also on Remington’s Sunday card is the Kip Deville for 2-year-olds; the Flashy Lady for fillies and mares sprinting; the E. L. Gaylord Memorial for 2-year-old fillies; the Red Earth for turf sprinters; the David M. Vance for horses 3 and up sprinting; the Governor’s Cup at 1 1/8 miles, featuring graded stakes winners Hence and Shotgun Kowboy; the Bob Barry Memorial for female turf sprinters; and the Ricks Memorial for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Remington Park’s Sunday stakes are listed as races 3-12. Eastern post time are below:

5:06 - Kip Deville 

5:36 - Flashy Lady

6:04 - E. L. Gaylord Memorial

6:36 - Red Earth

7:06 - David M. Vance Sprint

7:36 - Governor’s Cup

8:06 - Bob Barry Memorial 

8:36 - Remington Park Oaks

9:06 - Oklahoma Derby

9:36 - Ricks Memorial