Week of June 27, 2011

By Dana Byerly, Hello Race Fans Co-founder

Much of last weekend’s action was centered on 3-year-old fillies with the Boiling Springs Stakes, Hollywood Oaks, Iowa Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes. On the whole it was a mixed bag for fillies from the Oaks trail with Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty falling pray to Zazu’s late kick and will to win in the Hollywood Oaks, Joyful Victory running a ho-hum second to new comer Buster’s Ready in the Mother Goose and Daisy Devine running a far-back fifth to an improving Little Miss Holly in the Iowa Oaks.

Summer Soiree, purch ased by Animal Kingdom’s owner Team Valor prior to the Oaks, came alive making her first start on the turf in the Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park, winning by a stunning eight and a half lengths. According to Team Valor’s Twitter feed, they had considered scratching her in the paddock due to the wet course but Summer Soiree didn’t have any problems with the soft footing.

The biggest story of the weekend was filly Inglorious winning the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. She made a brief appearance on the Kentucky Oaks trail running second to Kathmanblu in the Rachel Alexandra and fourth to Daisy Devine in the Fair Grounds Oaks. After that it was back to Canada for a win in the La Lorgnette Stakes and Woodbine Oaks. She dominated a packed field of 16 males and hopefully will go onto the next leg, the Prince of Wales Stakes on July 17. Mother Goose winner Buster’s Ready will likely make her next start in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 23 and Hollywood Oaks winner Zazu may try the turf over the summer is heading to the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on August 20!.

At Churchill Downs the 2-year-old stakes races got under way with the Debutante. Long shot Flashy Lassie closed like a house on fire to run down Five Star Momma. No word on what’s next for any of these juveniles. In addition to the Iowa Oaks, Prairie Meadows also hosted the Iowa Derby and Cornhusker Stakes. Zayat stables Prayer for Relief was a good looking upset winner in the Iowa Derby while Astrology, who ran third in the Preakness, was off the board. In the Cornhusker Headache made a huge run from the back of the pack to get his first win since last year’s Claiming Crown. 7-year-old Awesome Gem was a game second.

In addition to the Boiling Springs, there was also plenty of action on the turf. Giant Play sprung a mild upset over Hibaayeb the New York Stakes at Belmont Park and Mailbu Pier made the most of her dream trip in an oddly run rendition of the Beverly Hills Handicap. Cozi Rozie overcame a bad start and clipping heels out of the gate to get second. At Woodbine Signature Red won his second straight Highlander Stakes, Court of the Realm held off a game Fifty Proof to take the King Edward Stakes and 9-year-old Musketier took the Singspiel for the second time by taking on Grassy in the stretch after Rahy’s Attorney’s and Simmard spent the majority of the mile and a half race dueling.

There’s plenty of racing action coming up over the long holiday weekend including something for everyone. On the turf there’s the Shoemaker Mile, United Nations Handicap, Firecracker Handicap and Royal Heroine Stakes. There’s the Suburban Handicap for older makes, Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-old colts, Prioress for 3-year-old sprinting fillies and the Bashford Manor, Futurity and the Matron for juveniles. No doubt your local track will have something fun going on over the three day weekend!

We’ve already got a Ten Things for the United Nation Handicap and we’ll publish a new one for the Suburban Handicap. It’s a great time to get up to speed on turf and juvenile races, check out our Intro to Turf Pedigrees and First-Time Starters and Juvenile Pedigrees. As the summer progresses we’ll do some discussion posts about turf and juvenile angles (along with a few other angles!).

Keep with racing commentary and news at Raceday 360 Wire!

Last Week’s Races

2011 New York Stakes Replay
Rajiv Maragh employed the time honored technique of controlling a slow pace with Giant’s Play.

2011 Mother Goose Stakes Replay
Buster’s Ready stole the show, pulling away to win by over four lengths.

2011 Debutante Stakes Replay
17-1 Flashy Lassie came barreling down the stretch to catch Five Star Momma and pay $37.20 to win.

2011 Boiling Springs Stakes Replay
Summer Soiree gets her summer under way in a big way.

2011 Hollywood Oaks Replay
Zazu gives Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty the eye and runs her down in the stretch.

2011 King Edward Stakes Replay
Court of the Realm holds off Fifty Proof while favorite Society’s Chairman goes from last to third.

2011 Cornhusker Handicap Replay
Headache storms to the lead while 7-year-old Awesome Gem is awesome for second.

2011 Iowa Oaks Replay
Little Miss Holly makes it look easy.

2011 Iowa Derby Replay
Prayer for Relief stalks and pounces.

2011 Beverly Hills Handicap Replay
Malibu Pier capitalizes on an oddly won race.

2011 Highlander Stakes Replay
Signature Red gets his nose down on the wire to take the Highlander for the second year in a row.

2011 Singspiel Stakes Replay
Musketier and Grassy do a mini-battle after Rahy’s Attorney and Simmard spend the better part of the mile and a half dueling.

2011 Queen’s Plate Replay
Filly Inglorious emerges from the pack and pulls away.

Upcoming Graded Stakes Races

Check probable starters at Horse Racing Nation’s Stakes Tracker

See you at the track!

Stay in the loop, subscribe to the Weekly Roundup