The Triple Crown may be over for another season, but the high-quality horse racing action continues throughout the summer. All eyes will quickly turn toward the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the season, with trainers looking to ensure that their runners go into the end of season Championships in the best possible form.
There are some key Grade 1s to take in over the summer months, with high-quality action at tracks such as Saratoga, Belmont Park, and Santa Anita. But, what are some of the unmissable summer races that fans should be tuning in to watch?
Belmont Derby
One of the big turf races on the summer schedule will be run at the start of July, with the Belmont Derby taking place on July 6. It is a race run by horses aged three over a distance of 1 ¼ miles, with a purse of nearly $1 million up for grabs for connections. This race has been run annually since 1929, when it was previously known as the Jamaica Handicap.
Recent winners of the race include Bolshoi Ballet for Aidan O’Brien in 2021, and Far Bridge for Todd Pletcher in 2023. This year’s race looks set to attract a typically competitive field, including Endlessly, who was last seen finishing ninth in the G1 Kentucky Derby.
However, Charlie Appleby could hold the standout contender in the form of Legend of Time, who has already beaten many of the most talented American turf runners in the G2 Pennine Ridge Stakes.
Find how to bet on this event here: https://www.twinspires.com/200-signup/
Haskell Stakes
Racing fans will get another look at some of the Triple Crown contenders before they enter open-age company at Monmouth Park at the end of July when the Haskell Stakes is run.
This race is one of the key summer races in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and it is the most important race on the Monmouth schedule. The Haskell Stakes has been run since 1968 when it was previously known as the Monmouth Invitational, but it has been known as its current name since 2020. Horses aged three will compete over a distance of 1 1/8 miles in New Jersey, with the victor earning an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The race boasts an exceptional roll of honor, which includes 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, as well as more recent victors such as Authentic and Mandaloun. Once again, a star-studded field will likely be assembled at Monmouth to compete in this hot race.
Arlington Million
One of the most popular betting races of the summer will take place in mid-August with the field at Colonial Downs for the Arlington Million competing for their share of the $1 million purse. This race has been staged since 1981, and it was typically the standout race at Arlington Park before the course in Illinois was closed down a few years ago. It is an important stop on the Road to the Breeders’ Cup, with the victor in this race earning their spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The field compete over a distance of 1 ¼ miles at Colonial Downs, and it is typically a race that many trainers plot their way to at the start of the season. The winners of the race throughout history highlight just how prestigious of a race the Arlington Million is, with Set Piece landing a famous victory in the contest last year for trainer Brad Cox.
Meanwhile, the most successful recent winner of the race was Bricks and Mortar in 2019, who would also land victories in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, and Breeders’ Cup Turf before being named the American Horse of the Year in 2019.
Travers Stakes
It could be argued that the most important race of the summer will take place at the end of August, with the Travers Stakes being run at Saratoga. This is a key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with contenders typically using the Travers as their final race before the Championship contest at the start of November.
Horses aged three are eligible to compete in the Travers, leading it to be called as the ‘summertime derby’. Only the Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby rank higher in the international classifications in terms of prestigious races for horses aged three, but there have been no shortage of shocks in the race throughout history. One of the most famous defeats came in the 2015 running, as Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was beaten in the Travers.
However, the race typically throws up clues for the Classic later in the season, with the top three-year-old often emerging. That has been evident in recent years, with high-quality horses such as Essential Quality, Arcangelo, and Epicenter landing victories in the Travers. All three of the Triple Crown winners from 2024 are likely to take their chance in the race this year.
