The upcoming stakes offer tons of options this weekend and we will try to get a head start by looking at events around the country and in Canada. The Grade 2 San Carlos at Santa Anita, the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine and the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park are the stakes we’ll examine.
Kobe’s Back and Ransom the Moon seems to be on course for a match in the upcoming stakes named the San Carlos. Ransom the Moon could be categorized as the now horse. This Phil D’Amato student has spent most of his career racing on the synthetic at Woodbine but he has taken to the Santa Anita surface like the proverbial duck to water. The racer dabbled in optional claimers at Woodbine as was freshened from December to April. He won that California opener going away and proved it was no fluke by winning the Grade 2 Kona Gold in May. D’Amato is not a national household name but he has been around for decades and was the assistant to the late great Mike Mitchell.
Los Angeles Lakers fans have a vehicle in Kobe’s Back. The son of Flatter is trained by Pete Eurton and is already a millionaire. The veteran was just beaten by Ransom the Moon and he will need help up front. He was a neck away from winning the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last year and is the defending San Carlos champion. His backers have to hope a speed duel occurs and the leaders melt like a snowman in Phoenix.
Kobe’s Back recently worked under his regular rider Gary Stevens. His trainer was happy with the spin, Eurton: “He worked a beautiful five-eighths today in a minute and two fifths, He was just kind of galloping along. It was probably one of his better moves since his comeback. He’s a handful at the barn but you trust him pretty much because he’s not a mean horse. He has idiosyncrasies that are all good. There’s nothing vicious and you don’t have to be careful around him, although he’ll nip and play like some horses, but he’s very relaxed in his stall. He doesn’t like to get back into the barn once he gets outside. He’s funny about that.”
The Queen’s Plate is the oldest continuously run race in North America. It is run at a mile and quarter on the synthetic Tapeta surface and some legends have won this event. Stars like Kennedy Road, L’Enjoleur, Northern Dancer and Dance Smartly have won the Queen’s Plate. Last year Sir Dudley Digges was coming off a disappointing third before winning the Queen’s Plate at 15-1.
Mark Casse has a pair of runners set for the upcoming stakes in Canada. King and His Court and State of Honor will be his representatives.
King and His Court won the 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity and 1 1/16-mile Display Stakes, and was named Canada’s champion 2-year-old male.
The racer won the 1 1/16-mile Wando Stakes before he was beaten just a half-length in the Plate Trial on June 11 when he skimmed the rail and was getting to the winner at the end. His stablemate State of Honor finished a neck behind in the Plate Trial. After running second to Always Dreaming in the Florida Derby, Casse decided to try the Kentucky Derby. In that stakes State of Honor was only a brief factor but was flattered when Always Dreaming won the Run for the Roses.
Others looking for glory in the upcoming stakes that is Canada’s pride and joy are Malibu Secret, Channel Maker, Holy Helena, Inflexibility and Guy Caballero.
Malibu Secret is a lightly-raced son of Malibu Moon but he has potential. He overcame a slow start to graduate and was troubled last time when running third in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes. Channel Maker was second in the Marine, over five lengths in front of Malibu Secret and he has much more speed than he just flashed.
Inflexibility is cut out to be a nice horse as a $340,000 purchase and just may be a good thing in this upcoming stakes. Trained by Chad Brown, this runner has a nice turn of late speed and she got a feel of the Tapeta surface last time when a troubled third. She was beaten in that race, the $501,000 Woodbine Oaks, by Holy Helena. That filly could not overcome a poor start in her debut but was professional graduating in her Belmont Park finale and came from fifth of twelve to win the Woodbine Oaks with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Guy Caballero is out to prove his win in the Plate Trial was no fluke. The gelding was given a sprint prep before the Plate Trial and he came from dead last to earn an 84 Beyer. He has worked sharply since but will have to get a clear run to have a legit chance.
The United Nations Stakes is a Grade 1 turf race run at Monmouth Park. The first edition of the race was held at Atlantic City Race Course in the early 1950s. When Atlantic City drastically cut its race dates in 1998, the race moved to Monmouth Park. The demise of the Atlantic City track is a shame. It was a place where I became entrenched into the sport of horseracing. I met the line maker Sam ‘The Genius’ Lewin there when I was a teenager and he taught me things that stay with me to this day.
The United Nations will be run at a mile and three eights and horses will have to have their running shoes on to beat Beach Patrol. The runner is aptly named considering the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Beach Patrol has the class to prevail. This runner started his career in the Bayou at Fair Grounds. He shipped to Santa Anita and promptly graduated at a mile on grass and he showed that he can travel well when running second beaten only a head in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill last year. His biggest win to date was his victory in the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park. He has been a bit unlucky losing all three starts this year but he has also been consistent as he earned 102 Beyers in all three events. His versatility is his best asset as he can be placed anywhere and perform.
Put on the shades, get out the Coppertone and start looking for Beach Patrol this weekend.
