On Sunday, Aqueduct will feature the inaugural running of the $100,000 Key Cents Stakes. Restricted to horses bred in New York, the six-furlong contest will feature a field of six two-year-old fillies.
My Super Nova has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for trainer George Weaver. Purchased for $100,000, the dark bay filly is from the first crop of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. After finishing second in her first two starts, she broke her maiden last time out at Belmont over a sloppy main track as the heavy favorite. Joel Rosario, her regular rider, will remain aboard from post three.
Second choice at 5-2 on the morning line is The Lewis Dinner and is one of two fillies for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Bred in New York, the juvenile daughter of Posse has one win from four starts. She broke the ice last time out over seven rivals as the favorite after three competitive efforts in her prior outings. Manuel Franco will be in the irons and they will break from post position four.
Also in the field at odds of 6-1 on the morning line is Alexandrie for trainer Todd Pletcher. Purchased as a yearling for $220,000, the bay daughter of Majesticperfection will switch back to the dirt after breaking her maiden on the turf last time out at Belmont. She was third in her career debut on the dirt at Saratoga. John Velazquez, aboard for both starts to date, remains in the irons from post position two.
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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