3 minute read

As usual this is split between the two big festivals – Saratoga on the East Coast and Del Mar on the West Coast.

On Saturday at Del Mar it's the iconic Bing Crosby Gr 1 over 1200m with Baffert's Shaaz on 11/4 with Juan Hernandez on board.  There are ten starters and others that are favoured are Drain The Clock on 5/1 and Let's Get Lucky 6/1.

The San Diego Handicap is Gr 2 over 1700m with 9 starters and here we see the reappearance of Country Grammar, the winner of the Dubai World Cup who may find this a bit short but is on 5/2 with John Velazquez riding.  Mandaloun and Royal Ship are on 4/1.

On Sunday in Del Mar it's the Eddy Read over 1800m turf with 11 declared and 1 emergency.  Beyond Brilliant is 5/2 for Shiriffs-Espinoza and a pair of d'Amatos Hong Kong Harry on 7/2 and Cathkin Peak 4/1.

On Saturday at the Spa there's the Alfred G Vanderbilt Gr 1 over 1200m with just 6 starters headed by Jackie's Warrior who is odds on for this.  My Traffic a possible bridesmaid.

Then the Jim Dandy Gr 2 is over 1800m with one less runner.  Has Early Voting 8/5 kept the other runners away?  Epicenter is also there on 3/2.

Sunday sees the running of the Amsterdam Stakes Gr 2 over 1300m which has at least drawn 9 runners.  Corniche Pletcher-Saez is on 5/2, Accretive 7/2 Brown – I Ortiz and Gunite 4/1 Asmussen-Gaffalone.

And sad to hear of the death of Swain, aged 30, who had been a very popular resident of Old Friends Farm in Kentucky of recent times.  He was a wonderful horse and it was good to see he had a happy old age.