IT might be times of restricted travel for most of us but it seems like British jockeys have never been so active when flying across the Atlantic to take mounts in the US Grade 1s. Tonight Jamie Spencer and Ryan Moore are at Belmont Park and Frankie Dettori is in Canada where Woodbine stages two Grade 1s today, the Ricoh Woodbine Mile and the Pattison Canadian International, and two more tomorrow for two-year-olds, the Natalma and the Summer Stakes, with Dettori riding in all four.
At Belmont Park, Aidan O’Brien sends Bolshoi Ballet on a quick trip after he was denied a run at ParisLonchamp last Sunday due to a wrong vaccination date.
He lines up along with the Charlie Appleby-trained Great Voltigeur winner Yibir in the Jockey Club Invitational Stakes over a mile and a half. It is his third trip stateside this year and he won the Belmont Derby over two furlongs shorter beating one of tonight’s rivals, the Japanese colt Tokyo Gold, before finishing only fourth at Saratoga behind State Of Rest and another of today’s runners, the Frankel gelding Soldier Rising. The longer distance should suit Bolshoi Ballet.
Jamie Spencer partners Creative Flair, a Dubawi filly, in the Jockey Club Invitational Oaks (10.14pm) and her third in the Saratoga Oaks leaves her with little to find.
A few well-known names are having low-key preps for the Breeders’ Cup. The Open Mind Stakes for fillies on the Belmont card features two good females in the five-year-old Bell’s The One and four-year-old Sconsin. Multiple Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil runs in the Grade 3 Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Woodbine
Duke Of Hazzard, from the Paul and Oliver Cole stable, is the only European runner in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile. The five-year-old was down the field in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood last time and hasn’t won in two years. Mark Casse will saddle three, with Ride A Comet unbeaten in four starts at Woodbine the pick.
Raging Bull looks a worthy favourite. The French-bred son of Dark Angel, trained by Chad Brown, disappointed last time in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap, behind Got Stormy at Saratoga where Juddmonte’s Set Piece was second. He had won the Grade 1 Marker’s Mile in Keeneland in April. Dettori takes the mount and on his best, he should come out on top.
Set Piece can also get involved. The son of Dansili won the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs before his Saratoga second.
Space Traveller been moved to Brendan Walsh and was three-and-a-half-length fourth in the Arlington Million (Mr D Stakes) last time.
The Pattison Canadian International looks below the standard of many years with the two Europeans at the head of the market along with George Strawbridge’s Corelli, winner of the local prep, the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes, last time.
David Simcock’s Desert Encounter won this in 2018 and 2019 and despite his advancing years, his second in a Windsor listed contest last time out now looks decent as the winner, Teona, went on to win the Group 1 Prix Vermeille in ParisLongchamp.
Godolphin’s Walton Street is a seven-year-old gelding, was only third to Alpinista in a German Group 1 last time and would need to improve on that, with Dettori on board.