Fill my 'Cup, please
The official sign lit after Saturday's Belmont Stakes put a cap on the Triple Crown season, a five-plus month ordeal that has outgrown all other things "spring" in the sport of kings. But as summer approaches, another long run toward November's Breeders' Cup World Championships has begun. In fact, many of the 14 divisions already are in full flight.
With both eyes on the road and avoiding the rear-view mirror, let's see what lies ahead among the game's championship divisions. Besides, you don't need me to pile on and tell you Calvin moved too soon in the Belmont.
Onward!
Championship Friday Divisions
LADIES CLASSIC
Headline: With last year's top three finishers remaining in active duty, led by champion Zenyatta, will Rachel Alexandra loom on the horizon?
June/July/August Summer Dates: Mother Goose (June 27, Belmont); Delaware Handicap (July 19, Delaware Park); Clement Hirsch (Aug. 9, Del Mar); Personal Ensign (Aug. 30, Saratoga)
Key Horses: Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, Cocoa Beach, Music Note, Life is Sweet, Seventh Street
FILLY & MARE TURF
Headline: Reigning champion Forever Together appears strong as ever on the east coast, while challenges from Europe and California are sure to gather steam.
June/July/August Summer Dates: American Oaks (July 1, Hollywood Park); Diana (Aug. 1, Saratoga); Beverly D (August 8, Arlington); Mabee (Aug. 16, Del Mar)
Key Horses: Forever Together, Acoma, Well Monied, Gozzip Girl, Rutherienne
Jeremy's Future Book Stab: none at this time.
FILLY & MARE SPRINT
Headline: Defending champion Ventura remains razor-sharp in 2009 as rival Indian Blessing has begun to fire a.m. bullets in California in recent weeks after her Dubai trip.
June/July/August Summer Dates: First Flight (June 28, Belmont); Princess Rooney (July 11, Calder); A Gleam (July 18, Hollywood Park); Ballerina (Aug. 29, Saratoga)
Key Horses: Indian Blessing, Ventura, Informed Decision, Carolyn's Cat
JUVENILE FILLES
Headline: California's fillies have dominated the Breeders' Cup historically in years where the championship is held on the west coast, so pay extra attention at Del Mar.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Debutante (June 27, Churchill); Schuylerville (July 29, Saratoga); Sorrento (Aug. 7, Del Mar); Adirondack (Aug. 19, Saratoga)
Key Horses: none yet
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
Headline: New Yorkers ran first-third in the inaugural Juvenile Fillies Turf, giving one more reason to give Saratoga's season a closer look.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Tippett (July 25, Colonial Downs), Wilhite (Aug. 15, Louisiana Downs)
Key Horses: none yet
Championship Saturday Divisions
CLASSIC
Headline: Well Armed's Dubai World Cup romp stamped him the early favorite back home at Santa Anita, but he's unlikely to scare away the Americans, much less last year's European onslaught.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Stephen Foster (June 13, Churchill), Suburban (July 4, Belmont), Hollywood Gold Cup (July 11, Hollywood Park), Haskell (Aug. 2, Monmouth), Whitney (Aug. 8, Saratoga), Travers (Aug. 29, Saratoga)
Key Horses: Well Armed, Einstein, Albertus Maximus, Mine That Bird, Summer Bird, Pioneerof The Nile, Rail Trip, It's a Bird, Tiago, Colonel John
TURF
Headline: Soft American division should get international class test in the Arlington Million.
June/July/August Summer Dates: United Nations (July 4, Monmouth), Man o' War (July 11, Belmont), Virginia Derby (July 18, Colonial Downs), Arlington Million (Aug. 8, Arlington), Sword Dancer (Aug. 15, Saratoga), Del Mar Handicap (Aug. 30, Del Mar)
Key Horses: Gio Ponti, Court Vision, Cowboy Cal, Better Talk Now, Parading, Midships, Globetrotter
SPRINT
Headline: Benny The Bull hits comeback trail and Fatal Bullet returns to work tab in late May, joining with a strong group of 3-year-olds in pursuit of Fabulous Strike.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Tom Fool (July 5, Belmont), Triple Bend (July 5, Hollywood Park), Smile (July 11, Calder), Bing Crosby (Aug. 8, Del Mar), Vanderbilt (Aug. 9, Saratoga), King's Bishop (Aug. 29, Saratoga)
Key Horses: Benny the Bull, Fabulous Strike, Fatal Bullet, Georgie Boy (currently sidelined), Kodiak Kowboy, Munnings
MILE
Headline: Inauspicious seventh-place return effort by defending champ Goldikova sent this division into "wide-open" mode in mid-May.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Poker (June 14, Belmont), Firecracker (July 4, Churchill), American (July 4, Hollywood), Eddie Read (July 25, Del Mar), Fourstardave (Aug. 2, Saratoga), Bernard Baruch (Aug. 28, Saratoga), Del Mar Mile (Aug. 29, Del Mar)
Key Horses: Goldikova (filly), Never On Sunday, Thorn Song, Hyperbaric, Cosmonaut, Madeo, Diamondrella (filly)
TURF SPRINT
Headline: Downhill turf course plays to specialists, so this could be a wait-and-see division until Oak Tree opens Sept. 30.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Umphrey Turf Sprint (July 11, Calder), Jaipur (July 18, Belmont), Green Flash (Aug. 13, Del Mar), Troy (Aug. 17, Saratoga), Play the King (Aug. 29, Woodbine)
Key Horses: Mr. Gruff, Desert Code, Heros Reward, Chamberlain Bridge, Mr. Nightlinger, Noble Court
MARATHON
Headline: Last year's winner came out of nowhere overseas and has since finished off the board in three straight races. So who's this year's Muhannak?
June/July/August Summer Dates: tbd
Key Horses: Muhannak, Summer Bird, Eldaafer, Nite Light, Stream Cat, Big Booster
DIRT MILE
Headline: Two of last year's key players, Albertus Maximus and Well Armed, could be Classic players in '09.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Salvator Mile (July 4, Monmouth), San Diego (Aug. 2, Del Mar), Seagram Cup (Aug. 3, Woodbine), Longacres Mile (Aug. 16, Emerald Downs)
Key Horses: Albertus Maximus, Well Armed, Two Step Salsa, Bribon, Smooth Air, Vacation, Ball Four, Halo Najib, Big Drama
JUVENILE
Headline: Early returns sharp for Asmussen, Ward, Pletcher and O'Neill barns as per usual, but expect more route players to step up as distances progress.
June/July/August Summer Dates: Bashford Manor (July 3, Churchill), Hollywood Juvenile (July 12, Hollywood Park), Sanford (July 30, Saratoga), Best Pal (Aug. 9, Del Mar), Saratoga Special (Aug. 20)
Key Horses: none yet
JUVENILE TURF
Headline: Saratoga and Del Mar likely to launch the summer's best babies, as usual, but keep an eye north of the border on Woodbine's turf and Polytrack.
June/July/August Summer Dates: July 25 (Chenery, Colonial Downs), Continental Mile (Monmouth, Aug. 15), Sunny's Halo (Aug. 15, Louisiana Downs)
Key Horses: none yet
If you feel the Jones to get in on the early future wagers for the fall classics, my advice is to seek a price, of course. I really project Globetrotter to be a rising star in the Turf or Mile divisions on grass, developing into California's top lawn threat by autumn. Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby alum Hold Me Back could be a strong force back on the all-weather track for Bill Mott by fall if he can stay healthy. Mott has done well over the years shipping west, and an ill-timed Derby move certainly should flatter Breeders' Cup Classic price shoppers who appreciate this son of Giant's Causeway.
Jeremy Plonk has been an ESPN.com contributor since 2000 and is the managing partner of the handicapping website Horseplayerpro.com. You can E-mail Jeremy about this topic or anything racing-related at Jeremy@Horseplayerpro.com.
