The July 20 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park and the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course are two races utilized as launching pads toward the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, but for eligible runners, Saratoga's July 19 Curlin Stakes provides an easier path. A 1 1/8-mile dirt race, the Curlin is restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes at a mile or longer this year.
Some of the six competitors, at least this year, appear to have graded quality. Corporate Power won the restricted Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard; Unmatched Wisdom is unbeaten in two starts, running stakes-quality speed figures each time; and Timeout, Elephant Ear, and Django enter the Curlin off last-out victories in either maiden or allowance optional claiming company. Longshot Catire Vizcaya appears outgunned.
#3 Unmatched Wisdom remains unmatched in his 2 career starts as he takes Race 2 at Belmont at the Big A as the 1/5 favorite!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 22, 2024
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich Stables Inc
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/aWN2sdas4k
Courtlandt Farms' Corporate Power, a winner of two of four starts for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, closed to take the 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton by a nose over Gould's Gold, a next-out runner-up in the Ohio Derby (G3). Corporate Power is just the 7-2 third choice on the morning line, trailing Klaravich Stables' Unmatched Wisdom (4-5) and Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Timeout (2-1), both of whom captured 1 1/8-mile races in fast time most recently at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Saratoga Race Course, Friday, July 19, 2024, Race 3Entries: Curlin S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Unmatched Wisdom (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Chad C. Brown 4/5 2 2Corporate Power (KY) Javier Castellano 124 Claude R. McGaughey III 7/2 3 3Catire Vizcaya (KY) Luis Saez 120 Juan Carlos Avila 30/1 4 4Timeout (KY) Joel Rosario 118 William I. Mott 2/1 5 5Elephants Ear (KY) Colby J. Hernandez 120 Kenneth G. McPeek 12/1 6 6Django (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 15/1
