Starting with an extended Fourth of July holiday weekend of racing, which includes two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" preps: the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park, both on July 2, the start of summer officially begins on Tuesday, June 21.
But the two great race meets that are approaching in mid-July are widely known to the fans, and they will serve as the summer's fulcrum, providing top-tier thrills and Thoroughbred racing through Labor Day. And the chance to return to one of our genuine national pastimes—appreciating the magnificence of Thoroughbred racing in person, among friends and family—is most welcome following a couple of summers during which supporters were barred from attending live racing or had attendance at many tracks capped.
Here are a few of team ABR's favorite racetracks, racing days, and routines that contribute to this season's success.
On the East Coast, Saratoga is the summer's high point. Tracks at Saratoga, also known as the Spa or the Spa informally, have been a mainstay of the sports community for close to 160 years and are the oldest sports venues in the country. In the Adirondack Mountains, it is located. A summer afternoon at Saratoga Race Course is unlike any other. Among the notable horses raced at the Spa are Man o' War, Secretariat, and American Pharoah. If we're talking about what makes summer racing exceptional, Saratoga, which opens on July 14 and reaches its peak in August, is the place to go.
The Runhappy Travers Stakes, which will take place on August 27, must rank highly on the list.
Saratoga will offer a Breakfast and Breeding Farm tour package, which includes entry to that day's races as well as a breakfast buffet and a round-trip trolley ride to Old Tavern Farm, where a walking tour will be placed. by Penelope Miller
Before working for America's Best Racing, I had never been to Monmouth, but as soon as I walked off the train and through the track's gates, I knew I had discovered a new love. Monmouth Park is about having fun, from the press box to the backyard picnic area. After you arrive and take in the celebratory atmosphere, only one thing crosses your mind: "OK. It feels like summer right now. The TVG.com Haskell Stakes, which will have its 55th running on July 23, is the major event on Monmouth's summer schedule. If you have never visited the Shore's Greatest Stretch, you should make travel arrangements immediately. How can you resist a tune, after all? The Haskell is pure joy. that plays "Born to Run," the state song of New Jersey, as the Haskell horses enter the post parade? — Penelope Miller
Nothing compares to racing where the grass meets the sea. No matter which track is your "favorite," entering Del Mar and taking in the beauty of Southern California for yourself is unquestionably one of the summer's high points. The ocean is visible from the grandstand as tall palm trees sway in the beach breeze. I am enjoying a Del Margarita while basking in the sun and watching some of the best racehorses in the nation charge down the stretch during the summer meeting this year, which has the largest purse structure in track history. Now that I can envision it, I eagerly anticipate July 22 opening day. Christie Moore
Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" races for the Longines Classic are being held this summer, and the winners of each race will automatically be entered into the $6 million Classic on November 5 at Keeneland.
When Churchill Downs stages the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes on Saturday, July 2, the older male division heats up (as mentioned above). Mandaloun, the Kentucky Derby winner from the previous year, will lead the one 1/8-mile race. He was presented by TVG.com Haskell Stakes, champion, and Woodford Reserve. Since placing ninth in the Saudi Cup in late February, he has been making his first start.
Four Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" events are being held this summer for the Longines Classic, with the winner of each race getting an automatic entry into the $6 million Classic on November 5 at Keeneland.
On Saturday, July 2, Churchill Downs will host the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes, which will heat the older male division (as mentioned above). Mandaloun, last year's Kentucky Derby winner, will be the featured runner in the one 1/8-mile race. Haskell Stakes is the champion and is presented by Woodford Reserve. Having placed tenth in the Saudi Cup in late February, this is his first race since then.
Two "Win and You're In" races for the Classic will occur at Saratoga. On August 6, the illustrious Whitney Stakes will take place, and on September 3, the Jockey Club Gold Cup will be held.
Flightline cemented his status as the top dog in his category a few weeks ago by dominating the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. He improved his career record to 4-for-4 by winning six lengths in yet another outstanding effort. The gifted 4-year-old horse will probably make his next appearance at Del Mar, possibly in the TVG Pacific Classic on September 3. The winner of the contest is also guaranteed a spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. by John Piascik
I have always found turf racing far more enjoyable than dirt racing. I've had some success betting on grass races over the years, and during the summer, when bad weather is less common on the East Coast than the rest of the year, we see some of the best turf racing the calendar has to offer. Yes, Saratoga has excellent turf races, which I adore, and Del Mar has superior grass races. However, on August 13, Churchill Downs will host four turf stakes races previously held at Arlington Park. You can still visit a lot of other tracks to appreciate it, though.
The United Nations Stakes, which takes place on July 23 as part of the Haskell Invitational undercard, is one of several magnificent grass events at Monmouth Park. Additionally, Colonial Downs' return to turf racing in the summer of 2019 has me enthused. Better than ever, it's back. Daniel Tordjman
The Triple Crown series occasionally fixes the final standings for the top 3-year-olds in racing, regardless of what occurs afterward. Think back, for instance, to seven summers ago. Even though American Pharoah lost unexpectedly at Saratoga in August, his crowning as Horse of the Year and division winner had already been decided. The Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland was only a Grand Slam affirmation of what everyone already knew. And that déjà vu sense from 2015 returned in 2018. Justify finished his brief but remarkable career by winning the Triple Crown and earning a place in history next to Pharoah. Despite making his final career race in the Belmont Stakes, he won the seasonal awards for Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male.
However, consider 2016 and 2017. By the beginning of the summer in each of those years, racing fans had just seen three different Triple Crown winners. They were dealing with total uncertainty until Arrogate and West Coast came along (we'll set aside 2020 as a COVID-19 aberration that no one wants to repeat). Similar to 2016 and 2017, this year's group is quite open. It's inevitable when an 80.80-1 long shot shocks the Kentucky Derby, Presented by Woodford Reserve. But clarity will come in the upcoming months. Will Rich Strike succeed?
Was Mo Donegal's performance in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets a sign of much stronger races to come, or whether he indeed was a one-race wonder. Additionally, don't overlook Derby and Preakness runner-up Epicenter, Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting, and the incredibly gifted Jack Christopher. He looks poised to extend his distance to two turns after destroying his rivals in the Pat Day Mile Presented by LG & E and KU and the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun. The radar is looking for promising 3-year-olds who might mature at the proper time to make a splash in the Haskell, Travers, and other significant races as summer get underway to heighten the excitement. — Patrick Reed
It's fair to say that Saratoga dominates the summertime scene on the East Coast and Del Mar on the West Coast. The Ohio River's northern banks just south of Evansville, Indiana, is home to one of the many smaller tracks with their own distinct summer circuit flavor in flyover country. Ellis Park, a staple on the Kentucky racing calendar and popularly referred to as "the Pea Patch" because of its soybean infield, commemorates its 100th birthday this summer. A range of refreshing beverages is always available at Ellis, which opens on July 8. It offers a family-friendly environment with limited air-conditioned spaces. Additionally, there has been a discernible improvement in the product's quality.
Ellis has seen more than its fair share of great horses make an appearance during the past ten years, including some established stars and even more stars in the making. The Gardenia Stakes, currently named after the well-known race mare, was won by two-time champion female sprinter Groupie Doll at Ellis in 2011. Before winning the Grade 1 King's Bishop at the Spa in 2015, Runhappy, the world's best sprinter, romped in an Ellis allowance that summer. Recent examples include the 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and the 2017 Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee, who made his debut by winning two races, including stakes, at Ellis the summer before attempting the classic. Ellis won the prize by a 13-12-length margin. And the current Horse of the Year, Knicks Go, launched it all four summers ago when he triumphed in his professional debut at the Pea Patch on July 4, 2018. — Patrick Reed
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