Generally a race card with four graded stakes on the schedule would see those features back loaded on the latter half of the program. That’s not the case, however, with Saturday’s 11-race card at Aqueduct, as three of the four stakes are sprinkled throughout the card having gone with five or fewer entries.
European interest in the $750,000 Belmont Derby (G1), which attracted a handful of three-year-olds, is minimal compared to recent editions. Legend of Time will fly the Godolphin flag in the 1 3/16-mile Derby, though the Sea the Stars colt is well acquainted already with the U.S. having followed a fifth-place run in the American Turf (G2) with a narrow win in the Pennine Ridge (G2) over White Palomino, with Royal Majesty a little farther back in third.
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“It was a huge learning experience at Churchill. Obviously, hindsight is great, but the start on Kentucky Derby Day probably wasn’t ideal for him; very challenging,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “He took plenty of experience from it and then acquitted himself well there in the Pennine Ridge, which we know is a trial into this race.”
Trikari sprung a 47-1 upset of the American Turf, but was subsequently toppled himself when favored in the Penn Mile (G3), albeit by a neck.
“He took the worst of it in every aspect of it. He had the worst draw, the worst trip — he got taken on early,” trainer Graham Motion said. “All things considered, I thought he ran very well and felt bad for him getting beat.”
The Belmont Derby quintet is rounded out by Endlessly, a triple Grade 3 winner on turf and synthetic who was given his chance in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and basically ran to his dirt works while finishing around midpack.
“The Kentucky Derby was something the (owners) were bullish to give a try, so we did and the horse ran a respectable race. We’re looking to get back to his preferred surface now,” trainer Michael McCarthy said.
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Cinderella’s Dream, who suffered her first career loss in five outings in the 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in early May, will look to get back in the winning groove in the $500,000 Belmont Oaks (G1), which bucked the trend by attracting a field of nine three-year-old fillies to also go 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Cinderella’s Dream was beaten a little more than four lengths in the Guineas, the form of which was upheld in the recent Coronation (G1) at Royal Ascot.
Others invading from overseas include Secret Satire, who won a moderate renewal of the Musidora (G3) at York in mid-May prior to finishing far up the track two weeks later in the Epsom Oaks (G1).
French raider Fun With Flags captured her first three starts before settling for second in the Prix Cleopatre (G3), a traditional French Oaks (G1) trial at Saint-Cloud. She will encounter the fastest ground she has ever run over on Saturday.
Vying for favoritism in the Belmont Oaks will be She Feels Pretty, whose sole loss to date was a narrow one at the Breeders’ Cup last fall. That performance was book-ended by facile wins in the Natalma (G1) and the Hilltop S. at Pimlico, the latter her season debut on Preakness weekend.
Dynamic Pricing broke her maiden over the Aqueduct turf last November, and won for the second time in four starts when taking the Edgewood (G2) on Kentucky Derby weekend at an overlaid 8-1 for Chad Brown, who also sends out Segesta, victorious over Sy B in the Wonder Again (G2).
The Oaks field is rounded out by Pin Up Betty and multiple Grade 2 winner Buchu, most recently the top two in the Regret (G3) at Churchill.
The $200,000 John A. Nerud (G2), a seven-furlong dash for older horses, attracted a field of five, while Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product and Holy Bull (G3) victor Hades meet for a third time this season in the $200,000 Dwyer (G3) for three-year-olds over mile. Only two others will oppose.
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