Weekend Stakes Rundown: Monmouth's Big Day

After some time away, the Weekend Stakes Rundown is back. Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week a trio of grade 1 events highlight the schedule, along with a classic showdown in the Jim Dandy (G2). Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews can be found through the hyperlink for each race.

Saturday, July 29

3:15 p.m.—$200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course

Never worse than second in five starts, Marco Bommarito and Stuart Zook's Mo Cash will look to earn his first graded stakes victory off a second-place finish in his graded debut July 1 in the Carry Back Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, where he was just edged by a neck by Three Rules.

Amsterdam S. (G2)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 5

• 6 1/2f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 3:15 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Singing Bullet (KY)	Robby Albarado	117	Dale L. Romans	10/1
2	2Coal Front (KY)	John R. Velazquez	117	Todd A. Pletcher	7/5
3	3Mo Cash (FL)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Ronald B. Spatz	5/2
4	4Aquamarine (FL)	Luis Saez	117	D. Wayne Lukas	8/1
5	5Excitations (KY)	Javier Castellano	117	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	8/1
6	6Toga Challenger (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	117	Rudy R. Rodriguez	7/2

3:39 p.m.—$175,000 Nijinsky Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine

Can'thelpbelieving, second last time out in the United Nations Stakes (G1T), will lead a short field of five in the 10-furlong event. An Irish-bred son of Duke of Marmalade, Can'thelpbelieving won the Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3T) last summer by daylight. He grabbed the lead late in the U.N. after he made a strong move from mid-pack and was steadied, but was caught late by Bigger Picture and lost by just a head.

Nijinsky S. (G2T)

Woodbine, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 6

• 1 1/4m
• Turf
• $175,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:39 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Can'thelpbelieving (IRE)	James Graham	119	H. Graham Motion	1/1
2	2Dragon Bay (KY)	Gary Boulanger	123	Stuart C. Simon	5/2
3	3Pumpkin Rumble (PA)	Jesse M. Campbell	117	Kevin Attard	10/1
4	4Bangkok (ON)	Emma-Jayne Wilson	119	W. Phillip Gracey	4/1
5	5Tour de Force (KY)	Patrick Husbands	117	Mark E. Casse	6/1

4:47 p.m.—$125,000 Royal North Stakes (G3T) at Woodbine

The slim morning-line choice in the up-for-grabs turf sprint is Skylander Girl, who won the 2015 Hendrie Stakes (G3) at Woodbine and comes into the six-furlong Royal North off a July 1 win in the Zadracarta Stakes over the turf. The 6-year-old daughter of Stroll has two wins in three starts so far this year, which is a significant improvement from her 10-race winless streak that followed her Hendrie victory.

Royal North S. (G3T)

Woodbine, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 8

• 6f
• Turf
• $125,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:47 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Miss Gossip (IRE)	James Graham	118	Andrew McKeever	12/1
2	2Jennifer Lynnette (ON)	Patrick Husbands	118	Mark E. Casse	10/1
3	3Southern Ring (ON)	Eurico Rosa Da Silva	122	Malcolm Pierce	3/1
4	4Nobody's Fault (KY)	Luis Contreras	118	Neil L. Pessin	4/1
5	5Code Warrior (FL)	Anne Sanguinetti	120	Rachel Halden	6/1
6	6Scatter Gun (KY)	Luis Contreras	118	Neil L. Pessin	20/1
7	7Kasuga (ON)	Jesse M. Campbell	118	Martin Drexler	10/1
8	8Salty Breeze (KY)	Emma-Jayne Wilson	118	Josie Carroll	20/1
9	9River Maid (ON)	Gary Boulanger	122	Robert P. Tiller	15/1
10	10Skylander Girl (ON)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	120	Alexander P. Patykewich	5/2

5:02 p.m.—$350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course

Green Lantern Stables' multiple grade 1 winner A. P. Indian is set to make his Saratoga Race Course return in the Vanderbilt. A.P. Indian loomed over the Saratoga sprint division last summer, when he posted back-to-back grade 1 victories at the Spa. The Indian Charlie gelding already owned three straight stakes wins when he notched a 1 1/4-length score in the Vanderbilt and came back four weeks later to dominate the Forego by 2 1/2 lengths.

Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 8

• 6f
• Dirt
• $350,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:02 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Spartiatis (KY)	Rajiv Maragh	115	Leon J. Blusiewicz	20/1
2	2Awesome Banner (FL)	Jose Lezcano	115	Kenneth Decker	6/1
3	3El Deal (KY)	Javier Castellano	114	Jorge Navarro	7/2
4	4A. P. Indian (KY)	Joe Bravo	120	Arnaud Delacour	5/2
5	5Bird Song (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	116	Ian R. Wilkes	6/1
6	6Ready for Rye (KY)	Luis Saez	115	Thomas Albertrani	12/1
7	7Green Gratto (NJ)	Kendrick Carmouche	117	Gaston Grant	20/1
8	8Limousine Liberal (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	119	Ben Colebrook	3/1

5:40 p.m.—$250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course

In his graded stakes debut, Ascend reached racing's heights. Now the 5-year-old gelded son of Candy Ride   will try for consistency at the graded level. Trainer Graham Motion made an aggressive move to enter Ascend in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T ) and he proved up to the challenge with a victory in the 1 1/4-mile test June 10 on the inner turf at Belmont Park.

Bowling Green S. (G2)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 9

• 1 3/8m
• Inner turf
• $250,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Bigger Picture (KY)	Joe Bravo	124	Michael J. Maker	7/2
2	2Frank Conversation (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	124	Doug F. O'Neill	6/1
3	3Closing Bell (KY)	Jose Lezcano	116	William I. Mott	8/1
4	4Sadler's Joy (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Thomas Albertrani	3/1
5	5Hunter O'Riley (KY)	Florent Geroux	116	James J. Toner	10/1
6	6Hello Don Julio (KY)	John R. Velazquez	116	Michael Dilger	12/1
7	7Ascend (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	H. Graham Motion	8/5

6:09 p.m.—$150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes at Del Mar

Jerry Hollendorfer and George Todaro's G. G. Ryder, a 13-time winner and last-out victor of the All American stakes (G3) at Golden Gate Fields, has found the winner's circle in all kinds of races, but he'll seek his first win at Del Mar in the 1 1/16-mile grass test for California-breds.

6:18 p.m.—$600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course

Both Cloud Computing and Always Dreaming are going to get their chance to prove a point in the Jim Dandy. In what will be their first starts since the Preakness Stakes (G1), Always Dreaming will try and make his last outing into an aberration, while Cloud Computing is out to reinforce his late-blooming upside.

Jim Dandy S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G2)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 10

• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 3 yo
• 6:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Always Dreaming (KY)	John R. Velazquez	123	Todd A. Pletcher	1/1
2	2Cloud Computing (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Chad C. Brown	6/5
3	3Giuseppe the Great (KY)	Luis Saez	117	Nicholas P. Zito	10/1
4	4Pavel (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	117	Doug F. O'Neill	6/1
5	5Good Samaritan (KY)	Joel Rosario	119	William I. Mott	12/1

9:03 p.m.—$300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar

A week after his high-profile stablemate threw in a clunker in the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2), Drefong, the champion sprinter of 2016, will look to avoid a similar fate in the six-furlong sprint. In his first start since the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), trainer Bob Baffert has concerns regarding Drefong's fitness off a layoff and would prefer an outside post, but has been encouraged by the Gio Ponti   colt's training.

Bing Crosby S. (G1)

Del Mar, Saturday, July 29, 2017, Race 9

• 6f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:03 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Denman's Call (KY)	Tyler Baze	123	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
2	2Drefong (KY)	Mike E. Smith	123	Bob Baffert	5/2
3	3St. Joe Bay (FL)	Kent J. Desormeaux	121	Peter Miller	6/1
4	4Ransom the Moon (ON)	Flavien Prat	121	Philip D'Amato	7/2
98	5Big Macher (CA)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
5	6Magic Taste (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	119	Marcelo Polanco	50/1
98	7Coastline (KY)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
6	8Roy H (KY)	Paco Lopez	121	Peter Miller	3/1
7	9Solid Wager (CA)	Joseph Talamo	119	Peter Miller	20/1
8	10Kobe's Back (KY)	Gary L. Stevens	119	Peter Eurton	8/1
9	11Moe Candy (KY)	Victor Espinoza	119	John W. Sadler	20/1

Sunday, July 30

12:54 p.m.—$100,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park

Coming off a game runner-up effort to Mor Spirit last month in the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Sharp Azteca aims to find his way back to the winner's circle. Gelfenstein Farm's runner has hit the board in 10 of his 12 starts, and started this season with a 4 1/2-length score in the Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).

Monmouth Cup S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 3

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:54 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Classy Class (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	118	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	3/1
2	2Just Call Kenny (VA)	Nik Juarez	116	Patrick B. McBurney	6/1
3	3Donegal Moon (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
4	4Sharp Azteca (KY)	Paco Lopez	123	Jorge Navarro	4/5
5	5Scuba (KY)	Flavien Prat	116	Brendan P. Walsh	9/2

1 p.m.—$200,000 Shuvee Handicap (G3) at Saratoga Race Course

The Shuvee Handicap, long a prestigious grade 1 or grade 2 race run at Belmont in May but run as a grade 3 event run at Saratoga since 2013, drew only three contestants. Paid Up Subscriber and Terra Promessa are expected to be the favorites for the 1 1/8-mile test on the dirt in a field that also includes Apologynotaccepted.

Shuvee H. (G3)

Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 1

• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 1:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Apologynotaccepted (KY)	Luis Saez	116	William I. Mott	3/1
2	2Paid Up Subscriber (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Chad C. Brown	1/1
3	3Terra Promessa (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Steven M. Asmussen	6/5

2:56 p.m.—Monmouth Stakes (G2T) at Monmouth Park

Isabelle de Tomaso's Irish Strait, winner of the May 27 Red Bank Stakes (G3T) over a mile on the Monmouth Park turf, will be the sentimental choice in the grade 2 grass test. The local runner will be making his eighth start "Down the Shore" in New Jersey and is first of three state-bred runners on the day out of Tomaso's mare Irish Sovereign.

Monmouth S. (G2T)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 7

• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:56 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Bolting (KY)	Rajiv Maragh	116	H. Graham Motion	12/1
2	2Money Multiplier (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Chad C. Brown	9/5
3	3Kharafa (NY)	Joe Bravo	116	Timothy A. Hills	7/2
4	4Irish Strait (NJ)	Orlando Bocachica	120	H. Graham Motion	5/2
5	5Thatcher Street (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	116	Ian R. Wilkes	5/1
6	6Smooth Daddy (KY)	Eric Cancel	120	Thomas Albertrani	5/1

4:38 p.m.—$100,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park

Mo' Green aims to pick up another grade 3 win this year. The Top Flight Invitational (G3) winner enters off a fifth-place run in the Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park June 10 and a third behind Terra Promessa and Molly Pitcher entrant Carrumba in the Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (G3) in May, both at 1 1/8 miles.

Molly Pitcher S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 10

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Pleasant Mine (KY)	Joel Rosario	116	Anthony R. Margotta, Jr.	6/1
2	2Carrumba (KY)	Nik Juarez	116	Claude R. McGaughey III	5/2
3	3Eskenformoney (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Todd A. Pletcher	4/1
4	4Behrnik's Bank (PA)	Eddie Castro	116	Enrique Arroyo	8/1
5	5Mo' Green (KY)	Joe Bravo	118	John C. Servis	4/1
6	6Money'soncharlotte (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Kelly J. Breen	5/1
7	7Miss Inclusive (KY)	UNKNOWN	116	John C. Servis	20/1
8	8Power of Snunner (PA)	Edwin Gonzalez	118	Timothy C. Kreiser	9/2

5:12 p.m.—$100,000 Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park

After being thrown into the deepest of waters for her seasonal debut, the plan for multiple grade 1 winner Miss Temple City was to give the dark bay mare a chance to get her sea legs back. In what will be her first start since a disappointing result at Royal Ascot, the Graham Motion-trained distaffer has a prime opportunity to land a confidence booster in the Matchmaker.

WinStar Matchmaker S. (G3T)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 11

• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Wekeela (FR)	Javier Castellano	118	Chad C. Brown	5/2
2	2Miss Temple City (KY)	Edgar S. Prado	120	H. Graham Motion	4/5
3	3War Flag (KY)	Nik Juarez	116	Claude R. McGaughey III	7/2
4	4Quiet Kitten (KY)	Frankie Pennington	116	Thomas Morley	10/1
5	5Giovanna Blues (KY)	Flavien Prat	116	Michael W. Dickinson	12/1
6	6I Dream of Lois (KY)	Jenn Miller	116	David Nunn	30/1
7	7Judy's Chance (NJ)	Wilmer A. Garcia	116	Derek S. Ryan	20/1

5:47 p.m.—$1 million Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park

Each of the seven entrants for the Haskell can make the claim of being a graded stakes winner. Five are coming off victories in their most recent starts and of the two that were bested last time out, one was beaten a total of about an inch and the other hit the wire second in the most grueling of Triple Crown tests. Someone had to be made the favorite of the group, and the 5-2 morning-line honor went to hometown boy Irish War Cry, the New Jersey-bred colt owned by the daughter of the man for whom the Haskell is named.

betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. (G1)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 12

• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $1,000,000
• 3 yo
• 5:47 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Irish War Cry (NJ)	Rajiv Maragh	118	H. Graham Motion	5/2
2	2Battle of Midway (KY)	Flavien Prat	118	Jerry Hollendorfer	5/1
3	3Timeline (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	Chad C. Brown	3/1
4	4Practical Joke (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Chad C. Brown	4/1
5	5McCraken (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Ian R. Wilkes	9/2
6	6Hence (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
7	7Girvin (KY)	Robby Albarado	118	Joe Sharp	6/1

8:40 p.m.—$300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar

Champion Stellar Wind has done nothing but impress in her first two starts of the season. She won outside of California for the first time since joining the John Sadler string in the April 14 Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park to start her season, then edged fellow Hirsch entrant Vale Dori by a neck in the June 3 Beholder Mile (G1), which was essentially a match race, with champion sprinter Finest City never seriously involved in the three-horse field.

Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1)

Del Mar, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 8

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:33 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Motown Lady (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	119	J. Keith Desormeaux	12/1
2	2Vale Dori (ARG)	Mike E. Smith	123	Bob Baffert	7/5
3	3Stellar Wind (VA)	Victor Espinoza	123	John W. Sadler	6/5
4	4Autumn Flower (KY)	Martin A. Pedroza	119	Dan L. Hendricks	15/1
98	5Shenandoah Queen (KY)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
5	6Faithfully (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	119	Bob Baffert	4/1