<p><em><strong>by Stefanie Grimm & Patrycja...

[Wandering Eyes]

by Stefanie Grimm & Patrycja Szpyra

With the 4th of July holiday weekend in the rear-view mirror, the summer turf season kicks into high gear starting with a pair of GI's at Belmont. The home team takes on a new wave of European challengers in the 1 1/4 mile GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational S., the first leg of the Caesars Turf Triple Series which sees the return of several GI Kentucky Derby runners.

Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), last seen spotting longshot Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) 12 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs, gets back to the surface that he's shown plenty of success on previously. After breaking his maiden in dominating fashion by 14 1/4 lengths last July, Tiz the Bomb scored back-to-back victories on the grass in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 6 and Keeneland's GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. Oct. 10. He ended his 2-year-old campaign with just a half-length defeat to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov 5.

After an unsuccessful 3-year-old debut in the GIII Holy Bull S., Tiz the Bomb returned to form with two wins on the all-weather surface at Turfway Park, taking both the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 5 and defeating eventual GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. Apr. 2.

“We gave him a Kentucky Derby chance,” said trainer Kenneth McPeek. “He ran respectable, but he's certainly not as good on the dirt as he is on the grass.”

Also returning from a poor showing at the Derby is Classic Causeway, who will be making his first start on the turf. He showed talent early, ending up third behind Rattle N Roll (Connect) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 9 after leading through much of the early going. He got a good jump on the Derby trail, taking wins in both the GIII Sam F. Davis S. and the GII Tampa Bay Derby before fading badly in the GI Florida Derby and finishing a non-factor 11th under the Twin Spires. In his first start for Kenneth McPeek, Classic Causeway was beaten late to be third behind Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) in Thistledown's GIII Ohio Derby June 25.

“I think he's got his mind set on go when he leaves the gate,” said McPeek of Classic Causeway.  “We're trying to re-tool him a little bit and get him to turn off for a bit. He's a really smart horse. I hate running the two against each other, but I think it's the right spot for both of them,” he added.

Classic Causeway | SV Photography

Topping the European contenders is Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who, barring his poor effort most recently in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom June 4, boasts an undefeated record in his last four starts since breaking his maiden at second asking Oct. 4. His best performance to date was a seven-length win in the Newmarket S. Apr. 29 over the same 1 1/4 mile distance he'll face Saturday. In fact, three of his four wins have come over Saturday's distance, though only two were on the turf and of those, only one was around turns.

Leaving the far outside post will be Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who, like Nations Pride, exits a disappointing showing in the G1 Cazoo Derby. Prior to that, he showed good form in taking the G3 Derby Trial S. at Leopardstown May 8 and also when finishing second in his last start of 2021, the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud S., both over the 1 1/4 mile distance.

Also on tap over Belmont's turf course Saturday is the 1 1/4 mile GI Belmont Oaks Invitational Series S. which features a similar combination of American and European-bred contenders. Chad Brown brings a trio of options starting with 'TDN Rising Star' Haughty (Empire Maker) who ended her juvenile season with only a three-quarter length defeat to GISW Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 5 at Del Mar. She returned just last month for the June 3 Penn Oaks where she drew off to win by 4 3/4 lengths over an overmatched group at the mile distance. Perhaps working against her though, is her only start over one mile was her maiden-breaking effort Oct. 17 where she put up a four-length showing at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland.

The second of the Brown trio is McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who enters off a second place in the 1 1/8 mile GIII Regret S. over the turf course at Churchill Downs June 4. Breaking from the inside gate, the lightly-raced filly who is making just her fifth career start, also came in second behind fellow Oaks rival New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) in the GII Edgewood S. May 6.

The presumptive favorite on class alone, coming from the barn of turf expert Aiden O'Brien, is Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). She contested a total of four graded-stakes races as a juvenile including two Grade 1 events where she was fourth and sixth respectively, sandwiched outside of her win in the G3 Weld Park S. Sept. 26. Stretched out in distance as a 3-year-old, she came home third in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, was fourth in the 1 1/2 G1 Cazoo Oaks, and was most recently fifth over a yielding 1 1/4 mile track in the G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at Curragh June 26.

Rounding out Chad Brown's entries is Consumer Spending (More Than Ready) who enters having won four of her last five starts. While she was no match for Pizza Bianca in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, she began her 3-year-old season with back-to-back wins, first turning the tables on Pizza Bianca in Aqueduct's Memories of Silver S. Apr. 24 and then posting an 88 Beyer Speed Figure when taking the GII Wonder Again S. at Belmont over 1 1/8 miles.

Consumer Spending | Sarah Andrew

Older Horses Go The Distance

The Belmont dirt offers no less action, showcasing older horses going 1 1/4 miles in the GII Suburban S. Steve Asmussen brings defending Suburban champion Max Player (Honor Code) back for the third start of his 5-year-old season. Though he showed promise after returning from Saudi Arabia last spring, winning the Suburban by a neck over G1 Dubai Wold Cup victor Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and then scoring by four lengths in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup en route to posting a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, he hasn't found that return to form yet this season. His last three starts dating back to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic in November resulted in a last-place eighth, a seventh behind the outstanding Olympiad (Speightstown) in the GII Alysheba on Derby weekend, and most recently a sixth in Belmont's GII Brooklyn S.

Shug McGaughey brings in 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin) who enters off a career-best performance in the GIII Pimlico Special S., posting a 98 Beyer Speed Figure over 1 3/16 miles.

And from Todd Pletcher's barn comes Dynamic One (Union Rags) who, after getting seven months off following his seventh-place effort in the GI Travers S. Aug. 28, returned as a 4-year-old with increasingly positive results. He checked in third off the layoff in the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa Mar. 12, was second behind Scalding (Nyquist) in the GIII Ben Ali S. Apr. 23, and most recently put up a 99 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the Blame S. June 4 at Churchill.

Also racing on the dirt Saturday are the 3-year-old fillies going the spring distance of 6 1/2 furlongs in the GIII Victory Ride S. Marylou Whitney Stables's Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) has rarely been headed, going nearly gate-to-wire in each of her last three starts before being caught late by the likes of Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GII Eight Belles S. and Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) in the Leslie's Lady Overnight S. June 12. The field also includes Happy Soul (Runhappy) who showed good precocity as a 2-year-old in taking her maiden-breaking win and the next out Astoria S. by a combined 23 lengths. While no match for Nest (Curlin) in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 8, she rebounded last out with a second-place effort in Pimlico's GIII Miss Preakness S.

Marathon Runners Chime In From Delaware

Not to be outdone by the action on the other side of New Jersey, a big weekend of racing will also be rolling at Delaware Park as a field of 10 lines up to contest the 1 3/8m GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S., featuring over half of the Keertana S. field including one-twos Temple City Terror (Temple City) and Stand Tall (Uncle Mo).

Temple City Terror returns for her second attempt at the race after a third place finish last year behind eventual GISW War Like Goddess (English Channel). After another third in the GII Glens Falls S. at Saratoga, a training injury sidelined the rest of her 2021 year before her 6-year-old bow against allowance company in April at Keeneland. Fighting a long layoff and a not-ideal distance, she finished fifth and rebounded from that effort to defend her crown in Churchill's Keertana S. May 28, earning a near career-high 93 Beyer in the process. Considering where she was last September, Pocket Aces Racing's racing manager Marc Wampler says they are counting their lucky stars for the chance to try again.

Temple City Terror (dark bay, red cap) | Coady Photography

“When she was injured last year, there was some thought into selling her as a broodmare prospect at the time. We brought her back, hopefully, to win a graded race, and it's amazing how much effort, time, and good luck had to take place for us to be here,” Wampler said. “From where she was last September, to now, it took a lot of work. It took a village. She's doing great, and [trainer] Brendan [Walsh] says she couldn't be training any better. Fingers crossed for no rain as it has been off turf the last couple days. Hopefully they keep it on since this is a great opportunity for her and we're excited to be along for the ride.”

Breaking to Temple City Terror's inside will be Stand Tall, who looks to play spoiler and avenge her second-place last out after running her lifetime best Beyer of 92. That effort came on the back of a dull performance in the GIII Modesty S. at Churchill Downs May 6, where she never really got rolling and never advanced better than sixth before fading to next to last. Given it was her first start in almost 6 1/2 months, it would've been fair to draw a line through the effort. She'll be looking to stay ahead of La Lune (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who ran on well to get third in the Keertana, but still four lengths behind the top pair.

The main track filly and mare marathoners will also have their day in the (most likely not present) Delaware sun in the GII Delaware Handicap, set to go 1 1/4m with Miss Leslie (Paynter) leading the charge. A modest $25,000 maiden claimer for BB Horses and trainer Claudio Gonzalez as a juvenile, she more than made back their investment with nine lifetime wins, six in stakes races, and earnings of over $565,000. She's been a staple on the eastern seaboard, which includes annexing the May 8 Serena's Song S. at Monmouth Park two back by over four lengths, and taking the local Obeah S. June 8 over old foe Battle Bling (Vancouver {Aus}). That one rides into this contest with a fourth-place effort in the May 6 GI La Troienne S. beneath the Twin Spires, and the aforementioned runner-up at this venue.

Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen will send their homebred Bees and Honey (Union Rags), the winner of the GIII Comely S. last year, to post with the hopes of tasting sweet success once again despite the filly not quite finding her feet since that winning effort. Despite her sixth and fifth place finishes in her two starts this year against Kentucky allowance competition, should she run back to that 97 Beyer from her sophomore season, she's more than a match for this field.

Smaller Circuit Graded Stakes Attract Big Names

Horseshoe Indianapolis–formerly Indiana Grand–may've changed their name, but the industry's heavy hitters came with their runners just the same for the GIII Indiana Derby and GIII Indiana Oaks, scheduled to go as the last two races on the card.

In the nightcap contest for the colts, 75-1 longshot GII Rebel S. conqueror Un Ojo (Laoban) uses the race as his return off a three-month layoff and for a new barn, moving to trainer Robertino Diodoro. Conditioner Kenny McPeek's Rattle N Roll (Connect) is cross-entered here and in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows after breaking his five-race losing streak last weekend in the July 2 American Derby at Churchill Downs. Those two will be challenged by talented local horse Mowins (Mohaymen) who is certainly a horse for course, with three of his four wins at Horseshoe being by over five lengths, including his June 22 route of the Hoosier Breeders' Sophomore S. Texas Derby winner King Ottoman (Curlin) and Brad Cox's Best Actor (Flatter)–a $330,000 KEESEP purchase for Gary and Mary West– round a talented, if lightly raced, field.

The Indiana Oaks is shaping up to be a battle of the trainers as Kenny McPeek and Brad Cox send out a pair each. Juddmonte homebred Patna (Into Mischief) and GI Ashland S. placed Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) will fly the flag of the latter; neither off the board in their careers and both earning career best figures last out. Nine-length maiden winner Silverleaf (Speightster) and the rapidly improving Runaway Wife (Gun Runner) will look to cap a potentially big day for McPeek, who also sends out several on the Belmont card.

Prairie Meadows will host their biggest night of racing on the season with the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. drawing the ever-green gelding Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy), looking to rebound from a pair of disappointing efforts including in Lone Star's May 30 GIII Steve Sexton Mile S., a race won by the horse to his inside, namely Silver Prospector (Declaration of War). Warrant (Constitution), second last out in the GII Brooklyn H. June 11, and second Mar. 5 in the GI Santa Anita H., aims to secure his first win of the season.

A field of eight fillies will do battle for the Iowa Oaks crown, led by Todd Pletcher's Falconet (Uncle Mo) and local Panther S. victress Butterbean (Klimt), who ran a career best 89 Beyer while en route to win by 5 3/4 lengths. By numbers, she is the one to beat here. Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), surprise winner of the Apr. 2 Bourbonette Oaks–the final GI Kentucky Oaks prep–at Turfway Park, is cross-entered here and in the GIII Indiana Oaks.

The post appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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