July 5, 2024
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
Not About How You Start…
Poor showings in their respective pro debuts didn’t stop Alex Bregman (0-4, 2 K) and Freddie Freeman (0-3, K) from going on to have remarkable major league careers.
The same can be said about Trikari, a 3-year-old colt who has strung together five consecutive top-three finishes after landing in 12th in his first taste of action on Oct. 28, 2023.
Fresh off a strong month of May, which saw the Graham Motion trainee capture the American Turf (G2T) and finish a close third in the Penn Mile (G3T), Trikari (7-2) enters Saturday’s $750,000 Belmont Invitational (G1T) in mighty form.
Sitting at 6: 3-1-1 lifetime, the Umberto Rispoli mount will traverse Aqueduct’s turf course for the first time this weekend.
Any Time, Any Place
Making four starts at four different venues has yet to stop She Feels Pretty from stunning the competition.
The 3-year-old filly will push it to five when she takes to Aqueduct this Saturday for the $500,000 Belmont Oaks (G1T).
It’s been a banner beginning for She Feels Pretty, who’s nearly perfect 4: 3-0-1 line includes scores in the Natalma (G1) and Hilltop Stakes.’
The Cherie DeVaux trainee also competed in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). While the one-mile contest didn’t go exactly to plan for the 7-2 choice, she was able to grind out a narrow third.
She Feels Pretty enters at 2-1.
Hungry for Seconds
It took three attempts, but Heroic Move finally earned ‘Graded Stakes Winner’ status after eking out the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) by a neck on May 27.
Hungry for more, the 4-year-old colt can add ‘multiple’ in front of his title resume item with a win in Saturday’s $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3), at none other than Prairie Meadows.
Heroic Move waited eight months for his next shot at a graded trophy following back-to-back fruitless efforts in the 2023 Canadian (G3) and Oklahoma Derby’s (G3).
This time, however, the layoff was only 40 days.
The Tanner Tracy trainee faces stiff competition in top choices Red Route One (5-2) and Hit Show (3-1), but Heroic Move (5-1) is more than capable of a valiant effort.
Just a Blip
Coming off a career-low performance in the Kentucky Derby (G1), heralded runner Stronghold finds himself in uncharted territory heading into Saturday’s $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Before finishing seventh in The Run for the Roses, Stronghold had never placed below second in the six preceding starts.
Given the Phil D’Amato charge’s strong sample size of success, it’s reasonable to label the Derby disappointment as nothing more than a bad day at the office.
After all, we’re talking about a multiple graded stakes victor with a 3-3-0 line through seven starts (Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby).
Stronghold enters the eight-horse competition at 2-1.
Winner’s Circle: Do not Touch
Wet Paint has been stuck in a dry spell since crossing the finish line first in last July’s American Oaks (G1).
The 4-year-old filly can brush off the now four-race winless drought with a trip to the winner’s circle in Sunday’s $500,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park Casino & Racing.
A second in the Alabama (G1) on Aug. 19, 2023, was the closest the Flavien Prat mount has come to ending the unfortunate slide – albeit four lengths behind top-spot taker Randomized.
That was then followed with placements of eighth (Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff), sixth (Grade 1 Apple Blossom), and third (Grade 3 Shawnee).
Despite the recent lull, Wet Paint still owns a 13: 5-3-1 line with three graded titles and a lifetime earnings total above $1.25 million.