What to watch for: Zulu Alpha rides momentum into Red Smith

The racing scene is still relatively quiet more than a week after the Breeders’ Cup, but a trio of graded stakes scheduled for Saturday will rev things back up across the country. Here’s what we’ll be watching for this weekend:

Young trainer takes on top conditioner in Red Smith

Zulu Alpha earned his the first stakes win and first graded score for his trainer, John Ortiz, last out in the Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland. Ortiz looks to keep the momentum going in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct. Zulu Alpha, formerly trained by Neil Howard, was claimed for $80,000 in allowance optional claiming race prior to the Sycamore. He has won three of his last four starts, finishing second by a neck three starts back.

Chad Brown has another up and coming turf horse that is expected in the Red Smith. Focus Group, owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, has hit his best stride this year at 4. He picked up two allowance wins before rallying from last to win the John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga. He then faced a tougher field in the Canadian International (G1) and finished third behind two overseas competitors, beating other Grade 1 North American winners.

Grade 1 winner Bigger Picture, second in the Sycamore, is looking for his first win since January. Other probables, according to the New York Racing Association, include Big Bend, Call Provision, Doctor Mounty, Patterson Cross and Postulation. Notably, Arklow came out of the Sycamore to finish fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Cox looks for rebound and step up in River City

Trainer Brad Cox is expected to enter two in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 River City Handicap. The Churchill Downs turf event has attracted Mr. Misunderstood, who is looking to rebound from his last two starts, and the improving Big Changes, who takes a step up in class.

Cox kicked off the Churchill Downs fall meet in a big way, winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with Monomoy Girl. One race later on the card, he saddled Arklow.

Mr. Misunderstood ended 2017 with five consecutive stakes wins, including his first graded score in Churchill's Commonwealth Turf (G3). He seemed like he might hit that stride again this summer, winning the Wise Dan (G2) and Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile back-to-back. He then ran back third in the Tourist Mile before finishing sixth in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1). 

Big Changes, on the other hand, hopes to extend his win streak to six. Three of his last five wins came in stakes company, but the River City will be his first try at the graded level. He won an allowance optional claiming race at Indiana Grand, the John Henry Stakes at Evangeline, the West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup, and the Unbridled Stakes back at Louisiana Downs. He picked up another allowance victory during Keeneland’s fall meet.

Also expected to run is Team Colors, who lost his rider at Saratoga in the race Joe Sharp claimed him in before winning an allowance at Keeneland, and Flatlined, who has placed in only one of five starts this season.

Baffert has top juvenile in Bob Hope

The Grade 3, $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes is highlighted by expected entrant Mucho Gusto, a Bob Baffert-trained 2-year-old from the first crop of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man.

Mucho Gusto, a $625,000 2-year-old purchase, won on debut at Los Alamitos. He led every step of the way while completing six furlongs in 1:10.14. The Bob Hope will be only his second start and will stretch him out to seven furlongs. 

Sparky Ville, winner of the Sunny Slope Stakes last out, takes another step up in company in the Bob Hope. He was a distant second to Instagrand in the Best Pal (G2) before running sixth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1).

Other probables include Extra Hope, Owning, Savagery, Sigalert and Spin Lightning. The Bob Hope runs Saturday at Del Mar.