Some familiar names from the Triple Crown will try to step into the spotlight in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes (G3) for three-year-olds going a mile and an eighth at Monmouth Park. Regarded as a key prep for the $1 million Haskell Invitational, the race has drawn a field of seven.
Graham Motion will send out Ring Weekend and try to rebound off of a fifth-place finish behind California Chrome in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Prior to that average effort, Ring Weekend was regarded as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby before a minor illness knocked him out of contention. Daniel Centeno, who was aboard the three-year-old son of Tapit for his victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in March, will be back in the irons.
Also in the field is the popular New York-bred colt, Uncle Sigh. After thrilling fans with a pair of hard-fought stretch battles with Samraat in the Withers (G3) and Gotham (G2), his form appeared to tail off against top competition. He is trying to improve off of a fifth-place finish in the Wood Memorial (G1) and a fourteenth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Joe Bravo will fly back to his home track on the Jersey Shore after competing at Santa Anita Park on Saturday in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) to take the mount.
Rounding out the field is Allstar for trainer Marcus Vitali and Crossed Sabres Farm. Along with jockey Orlando Bocachica, this outfit rose to success this winter with Grade 1 winner Lochte and will switch back to the main track with this gelding after a fourth place finish on turf last out. Ring Weekend will carry high weight of 123 pounds in the Pegasus, with all others in the field at 116.
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.
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