The winners of the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) and the $200,000, Miss Grillo Stakes (G2) will be richly rewarded on Saturday at Belmont-at-the-Big A.
Each receives a guaranteed berth in their respective Breeders’ Cup race as part of the Breeders Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. Even longer range for the Champagne winner are 10 qualifying points toward next year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) to go with a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on Oct. 31.
The Miss Grillo offers the winner an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
The $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) is not a “Win and You’re In’’ race, but the winner earns a $30,000 bonus toward the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen series.
That’s a lot on the line for these 2-year-olds as these three stakes are final stops on the New York road to the Breeders’ Cup.
Let’s take a look at the top contenders and see if we can puzzle out some winners, starting with the Champagne at a mile.
This race will be one colt’s springboard to the BC Juvenile. A lot of bettors will be wagering that It’s Our Time (1-1) will be the one heading to California.
He was an awesome blowout winner in his Saratoga debut, torching the competition by 17 ¾ lengths.
“That performance was certainly eye-opening,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “Now, he has to do it against accomplished horses. I think there is a bit of a target on his back. He has to show he can do it again because that was such a talked about race. He has a lot to live up to.”
Since then, the colt had three solid workouts at Churchill Downs and should be fit and ready.
If there is a knock -- and it might be nitpicking after such a dominant debut -- it is the fact the race was only 6 ½ furlongs. We’ll see if the extra distance poses a problem.
“He ran an exceptionally quick time, and although he finished up with a lot of energy and galloped out very well, as a trainer, I’m training to transition him to go more distance gradually and we have this option of going a one-turn mile,” said Amoss. “That is a luxury, versus a two-turn race, which is why we are doing it.”
If It’s Our Time can’t repeat that debut effort at this added distance, who can spring the upset?
Talkin (5-1) is certainly a candidate, following a debut victory by neck going 7 furlongs at Saratoga. He landed the outside post in the nine-horse field but that shouldn’t be a major handicap in a one-turn race.
And 8-1 Napoleon Solo (a great name for fans of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV series) was also a sharp debut winner at Saratoga. He has turned in three straight bullet workouts (the fastest at the time and distance), so he should be eager for this test.
So, let’s pop the corks for the Champagne and head to …
1 Curtain Call (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Mark Casse), 6-1
2 Stradale (Manny Franco, Steve Asmussen), 8-1
3 Universe (Chris Elliott, Kenny McPeek), 12-1
4 Aye Eye (Sam Marin, Joe Orseno), 15-1
5 Just Asap (Florent Geroux, Mark Casse), 12-1
6 It's Our Time (Luis Saez, Tom Amoss), 1-1
7 Stickupwithoutagun (L R Rivera, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 30-1
8 Napoleon Solo (Joel Rosario, Chad Summers), 8-1
9 Talkin (Kendrick Carmouche, Danny Gargan), 5-1
The Frizette, also at a mile, is the filly companion event, and is a final prep for the BC Juvenile Fillies. While not a “WAYI’’ race, the Frizette has produced five winners of the BC Juvenile Fillies, the most recent being Echo Zulu in 2021.
Chopsticks (8-1) ships in from Kentucky for trainer Brad Cox following a pair of wins to start her career -- a maiden win at Churchill Downs followed by a victory in the Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park, beating Kingsolver who had earlier captured the Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga.
She is clearly talented, and battle tested.
Carmel Coast (7-2) showed plenty of speed in her debut at Saratoga where she pretty much had things her own way on the front-end in a 5 1/2 length win.
There will likely be more early pressure in this spot.
“She had always trained very well,” trainer Whit Beckman said. “Whenever they win as easily and professionally as she did, you take it in stride - we always thought she was nice, but we didn't expect her to win by that much.
“It was a nice debut, and we're excited to see how she handles the increase in distance, and stakes company.”
Five Bars (5-1) had a miserable trip in her debut, overcoming all sorts of trouble to win. She’s game, a quality prized by all handicappers.
The picks: 1 Chopsticks 2 Carmel Coast 3 Five Bars
The field for the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Jetty's Home (J Rodriguez, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 30-1
2 Carmel Coast (Kendrick Carmouche, Whit Beckman), 7-2
3 Rileytole (R Gutierrez, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 30-1
4 Rina's Revenge (Chris Elliott, Kenny McPeek), 15-1
5 Secane (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 10-1
6 Iron Orchard (Joel Rosario, Danny Gargan), 3-1
7 Chopsticks (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox), 8-1
8 Icecreamforevryone (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher), 12-1
9 Five Bars (Manny Franco, Shug McGaughey), 5-1
10 Steer Clear (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Todd Pletcher), 8-1
11 Lovely Christina (Junior Alvarado, Todd Pletcher), 8-1
Deep Learning (5-2) disappointed last time out, finishing fifth in the Natalma Stakes (G1) at Woodbine after winning her debut with a solid rally at Saratoga. She spotted the field too much ground in Canada, dropping almost 10 lengths off the pace before narrowing the final gap to less than two lengths.
She hails from the barn of Chad Brown, the master at developing grass runners. Look for a bounce-back effort to punch her ticket to California.
Miss Picky (6-1) showed nice development, winning at Saratoga in her second start after a third-place debut.
For those who bet horse racing ...
1 Cara's Dreamchaser (Ruben Silvera, Mitchell Friedman), 30-1
2 Day to Day (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 20-1
3 Ground Support (Adam Beschizza, Kelsey Danner), 12-1
4 Miss Call (Luis Rivera, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 30-1
5 Believe in Magic (Jaime Rodriguez, Bill Morey), 15-1
6 Rose Room (Florent Geroux, Michael Stidham), 10-1
7 El Barrio (Joel Rosario, Mark Casse), 15-1
8 Boomington (Luis Saez, George Weaver), 15-1
9 Deep Learning (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Chad Brown), 5-2
10 Miss Picky (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher), 6-1
11 Fille d'Oro (Manny Franco, Brad Cox), 5-1
12 Quiet Street (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 7-2
Also-eligible
13 Dyna (Jose Lezcano, Kevin Attard), 10-1
14 Caradise (TBD, Mitchell Friedman), 15-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
