Considering how the 2-year-old male division is one of the more puzzling categories on the Eclipse Award ballot, the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct could be a spot for unveiling one or two new Triple Crown candidates. Contested at a two-turn, 1 1/8-mile distance, it offers a preview of what could come for the nine starters in the important two-turn stakes awaiting them as 3-year-olds.
There are not many Southern California Grade 1 or Grade 2 dirt stakes that have eluded the grasp of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The Los Alamitos Futurity is definitely not one of them.
Making the Grade, which will run through the 2020 Belmont Stakes, focuses on the winners or top performers of key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could impact the Triple Crown. We’ll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner, trainer, jockey), and pedigree.
