While prep races for the Triple Crown are a thing of the past for the 2023 series, prep races are a year-round schedule in the sport.
The idea of preparing for 1st grade bets in a less challenging event occurs frequently and can be seen in a race like the 3rd June Pennine Ridge (G2T) bets for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park.
Saturday’s 1/8 mile test on the inner turf is the perfect springboard for the July 8 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) as the top three finishers in Pennine Ridge earn automatic spots in 1 A quarter mile next month is the opening match of the New York Racing Association’s Turf Triple for sophomores.
Since 2014, four 3-year-olds have left Pennine Ridge and won the Belmont Derby with two of them winning both bets.
This year promises to be no exception with a field of eight people hoping to win tickets to the upcoming $750,000 worth of bets.
Leading the way is a horse familiar to Breeders’ Cup fans. by Godolphin silver knot was last seen on these shores finishing second by nose in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) for coach Charlie Appleby.
Even though he’s the son of Lope de Vega bred by St Albans Bloodstock was clearly beaten in 11th place in the May 6 Two Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1) tournament in Newmarket in his lone start since the World Championships , is simply a member of Appleby’s stable that deserves respect in New York. While Appleby’s Warren Points ranked fifth with the most popular 3-5 in Man o’ War Stakes (G1T) May 13, the European-born coach has won with four of his last six starts in New York.
“His race in Guineas was not what we expected but he came through it very well. It is a great venue for the rest of the year. He may have been a bit tired after the break. The Guineas are always a tough race to start your 3-year-old career,” said assistant coach Chris Connett. “His Breeders’ Cup race was huge. You could say he was a bit unlucky in that race. It was just a shake of the head by two beautiful horses. There’s no shame in finishing second. there. He trained very well during the long winter and he has matured and matured.”
Unpaired entries from coaches Todd Pletcher, three-time Pennine Ridge winner, and Chad Brown topped the competition out of seven competitors.
Pletcher, looking for third consecutive Pennine Ridge win, sends KHK Racing’s Sharar and LSU Stables’ far bridge .
Far Bridge, an English Channel pony, slipped his nose in American Turf Stakes (G2T) May 6, suffering his first loss in three career starts.
Sharar, son of gunman made his U.S. debut after winning the $200,000 Jumeirah Derby in Dubai in his final match.
Brown, two-time Pennine Ridge Prize winner, will be represented by Belouni , Congruent And Kalik .
Belouni, one Fast company The 3-year-old owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Michael Kisber and William Rucker, won the Woodhaven Stock April 22 in his final and second start since arriving in the United States.
Tami Bobo and Lugamo Racing Stable’s Congruent make their Brown debut after winning the John Battaglia Memorial Stock on synthetic surfaces for coach Antonio Sano. The son of faucet finished no better than third in a trio of grass starts.
Kalik, son of collect racer for Robert La Penta, e Five Racing Purebred and Madaket Stables, consecutively subsidized and first win.
Item: Pennine Ridge S. (G2T)
Belmont ParkSaturday, June 3, 2023, Race No. 9
- Class II
- About 1 1/8m
- courtyard
- 200,000 USD
- 3 years old
- 5:12 pm (local)
