Some top 3-year-olds back in action in Saturday's $1M Haskell Stakes - UPI.com

1 of 3 | Dornoch defeats Mindframe in the Belmont Stakes, both return in Saturday’s $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park. Photo by Walter Wlodarczyk/Coglianese Photograpy, courtesy of NYRA

July 19 (UPI) — The 3-year-old wars resume this weekend with Fierceness, Dornoch and Mindframe given yet another chance to stamp their mark on the division in the Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park.

The Haskell is the centerpiece of a wonderful day of racing “down the shore” in New Jersey and that, in turn, keys a big weekend of action from coast to coast and up into Canada. Del Mar swings back into action to give things even more of a boost.

Almost incredibly, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and 2-year-old champ Fierceness gets yet another chance to jump to the top ranks of 3-year-olds in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I NYRA Bets Haskell at Monmouth Park. If he can’t, a few others are ready to step up.

The City of Light colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, has been up and down like a hotel elevator throughout his career.

A stunning debut was followed by a drubbing in the Grade I Champagne before the Breeders’ Cup triumph. He was a fading third in the Grade III Holy Bull to start 2024 and ran away with the Florida Derby by 13 1/2 lengths.

A redemption in the Haskell would be no easy task as the field includes the 1-2 finishers in the Belmont Stakes, Dornoch and Mindframe. The latter also is trained by Pletcher, who reportedly has considered scratching Fireceness to give Mindframe a clear shot.

If Fierceness does swerve the Haskell, next weekend’s Jim Dandy at Saratoga would be the likely alternative.

The field for the Haskell, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, includes last year’s Grade I Champagne winner, Timberlake; and Tuscan Sky, the 6 3/4-length winner of the local Pegasus Stakes.

Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Plate Trial at Woodbine is restricted to Canadian-breds looking for a boost into the King’s Plate. Don’t overlook it because good horses have come out of these races. My Boy Prince, third in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, is in this field.

Already in the books: Pandagate outfinished odds-on favorite Doc Sullivan in Monday’s $159,000 New York Derby for state-breds at Finger Lakes, winning by 3/4 length. The Arrogate ridgling, finished third in the Group 2 UAE Derby in Dubai in his previous start.

Thorpedo Anna has won the Grade II Fantasy, the Kentucky Oaks and the Grade I Acorn one after another, so it’s no wonder she’s the 1-2 favorite among five in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Her only loss was a second to Intricate in last year’s Golden Rod at Churchill Downs, a 5 1/4-length thumping. Intricate is back but seems less of a threat based on recent form.

Tapit Trice is set to make his first start of 2024 in Saturday’s $400,000 Grade III Monmouth Cup. He finished seventh in the 2023 Kentucky Derby, third in the Belmont, fifth in the Haskell and third in the Travers before going to the sidelines.

If he’s not ready, look to Highland Falls, who is moving right up for trainer Brad Cox.

Goodness. Which of her six rivals could upset four-time Grade I winner Idiomatic in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade III Molly Pitcher for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park? Any could, of course, but none seems likely. Compulsive plungers might see potential in Soul of an Angel or Misty Veil.

Sunday’s $200,000 Grade II Shuvee at Saratoga, by contrast, looks about as wide open as a five-horse race could be, with Raging Sea and Shotgun Hottie the lukewarm morning-line picks.

Saturday’s $135,000 (Canadian) Trillium features Fashionably Fab and Solo Album among eight going 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine all-weather.

Remember Book’em Danno? The New Jersey-bred Bucchero colt almost stole the Group 3 Saudi Derby from eventual Kentucky Derby third Forever Young in February and returned after a well-earned rest to win the Grade I Woody Stephens at Saratoga on June 8, defeating Prince of Monaco.

He returns as the odds-on favorite in Friday’s $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park.

Saturday’s $600,000 Grade II United Nations at Monmouth Park features the first three finishers, and two also-rans from the Monmouth Stakes over the same course June 15.

Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III WinStar Matchmaker at Monmouth Park may be the most wide-open race on a very high-quality program.

Medoro, undefeated after four starts, ranks as 8-5 favorite in a full field of 3-year-old fillies set for Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar.

King of Gosford and Formidable Man are the morning-line picks in Saturday’s $100,000 Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar.

Oversubscribed and Sweet Rebecca are the morning-line picks in an overflow field for Saturday’s $175,000 Grade III Lake George for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga. Both are trained by Chad Brown.

Multiple graded stakes winner Arzak likely will have to chase down a speedy Nothing Better in the late stages of Saturday’s $100,00 Wolf Hill Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Flag of Honor tops the morning line for Saturday’s $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II Connaught Cup at Woodbine. The 5-year-old American Pharoah gelding exits a win in the Grade III Jacques Cartier Stakes.

How highly regarded is Ryan Moore by the racing establishment? Ribblesdale winner Port Fairy was the solid favorite in Saturday’s Irish Oaks at the Curragh when it was assumed she’d be Moore’s choice among Aidan O’Brien‘s fillies.

Content was listed at around 5-1. Then Moore announced he was so impressed with Content’s third-place effort in the Pretty Polly Stakes that he’s ride her, instead.

The bookmakers’ odds almost exactly flip-flopped, making Content the favorite and lowering Port Fairy to 9-2 or longer, no disrespect intended to her rider, Wayne Lordon. Neither is a lock in a talented field.