Photo:

Sue Kawczynski / Eclipse Sportswire

In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.

Results

Wednesday

Parx Racing, race 9: I try not to drop horses from my watch list off a single defeat, but Jerome winner Drum Roll Please ran below my expectations when returning from an injury-induced layoff in a one-mile and 70-yard allowance, finishing fourth by nine lengths as the 1-5 favorite. I’ll want to see him recapture his fine winter form before returning him to my watch list.

Entries

Saturday

Belmont at the Big A, race 6: A pair of watch list members, Silver Knott and War Like Goddess, are entered in the 1 1/2-mile Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1).

War Like Goddess, a 7-year-old mare, has conquered males in the last two editions of this race. She was compromised by a pedestrian pace and some traffic trouble when rallying to finish second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Flower Bowl (G2) last time out, but figures to encounter a quicker pace in this speed-packed Joe Hirsch field. War Like Goddess has a serious chance to three-peat.

One of the pace players is Silver Knott, who has used his tactical speed to win the Bowling Green (G2), Man o’ War (G2), and Elkhorn (G2) this year. He was beaten to third place after tracking a slow pace in the Sword Dancer (G1) last time out, but a quicker tempo in the Joe Hirsch may suit this Godolphin homebred and help him rebound.

Woodbine, race 9: Paramount Prince hasn’t missed the trifecta in nine starts over Woodbine’s Tapeta track, winning five times. Last year’s King’s Plate hero remains in sharp form this year, taking the Dominion Day (G3) and Seagram Cup (G2) in succession. He wired both those races by daylight margins and is hands-down the horse to beat while sticking to the Woodbine Tapeta for Saturday’s Durham Cup (G3).

Santa Anita, race 9: Only two horses have ever defeated Muth: reigning champion 2-year-old male Fierceness and Grade 1 winner Prince of Monaco. No horse has defeated Muth this year. The talented sophomore won the San Vicente (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) during the first quarter of 2024 and recently returned from a layoff to take the Shared Belief by two lengths.

With a prep run under his belt, I expect Muth to move forward in a big way while stepping up against older rivals in the $1 million California Crown (G1). We know Muth has talent – he defeated next-out Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in the Arkansas Derby – and with only three runs under his belt this year, he still has upside for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Churchill Downs, race 8: Last year’s Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Saudi Crown is the horse to beat in the one-mile Ack Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs. He exits a gate-to-wire victory in the one-mile R.A. “Cowboy” Jones at Ellis Park and is facing an Ack Ack field without a ton of pace on paper, setting the stage for another front-running score under hot jockey Florent Geroux.

Sunday

Belmont at the Big A, race 2: Nic’s Style has shown flashes of brilliance, wiring all three of her widely spaced starts by a minimum of 5 3/4 lengths. She was tons the best in a six-furlong allowance at Saratoga last month and is a logical win threat while making her stakes debut in the 6 1/2-furlong Gallant Bloom (G2).

Her key opposition is Ways and Means, a 3-year-old filly fresh off a 2 1/2-length score in Saratoga’s seven-furlong Test (G1). Ways and Means had no trouble beating older rivals in a one-mile allowance during the spring at Saratoga and should fire another strong shot for the hot jockey/trainer duo of Flavien Prat and Chad Brown.

Belmont at the Big A, race 8: Virgin Colada wasn’t helped by a pedestrian pace when rallying to finish second in the P. G. Johnson at Saratoga last month. She was only beaten half a length by Totally Justified, who enjoyed an ideal trip pressing the slow tempo. If Virgin Colada gets a better setup while joining the graded-stakes ranks in the Miss Grillo (G3), she can bounce back to the winner’s circle for Prat and Brown.

Santa Anita, race 9: Last year’s runaway Maryland Sprint (G3) winner Straight No Chaser tired after setting a quick pace in the May 11 Runhappy (G3) at Belmont at the Big A, his first start off a nearly one-year layoff. He’s turned in a series of sharp workouts in preparation for the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), his second start of 2024, and may be capable of bouncing back under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.