The 35th running of the Grade 2 Swale for three year-old colts features a compact field of six January 30 at Gulfstream Park in a race where it is very difficult to take a firm stand against any of the competitors.
Awesome Banner is the 6/5 morning line favorite after winning the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes in impressive fashion January 2 at Gulfstream. The Stanley Gold trainee is unbeaten in two starts and has won both by open lengths – 9 3/4 followed by 4 3/4 –while racing exclusively on the lead. The son of Awesome of Course should once again be the quickest colt from the gate, but could be followed closely by Cardio Cowboy (5/1), a first-out maiden winner shipping from Parx. Still, Awesome of Course is the one to beat with regular pilot Jose Caraballo aboard breaking from post 3.
Economic Model (7/2) was a very professional first-out winner August 8 at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown, stalking a quick pace before showing good acceleration in the stretch to win by 2 1/4-lengths over a decent field. The colt has not raced since – a clear indication of at least a minor physical setback – but has worked regularly since December and gets a confident nod from a top barn.
Richie the Bull (6/1) projects as a closer after winning the Futurity at Hawthorne going a mile and one sixteenth December 12. In four starts, the Joan Scott trainee has won three and finished third in his only defeat – a stakes race at Keeneland. Javier Castellano takes the mount breaking from post 2.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
Leave a comment