After the fireworks of journalism’s Preakness Heroics, this week will eventually allow the 3-year-old male division to be moved to the back burner. It’s time to exhale, readjust and turn your attention to the Turf Queen.
On Memorial Day, you will be taking on the game at Santa Anita. This is a sophomore lawn opportunity for women and the best chance to regain her spot in my top five. She flashed that shape with Pegasus Philly & Mare Turf (G2) and now has the perfect stage for a comeback.
She’s not the only person in the game with shots that break into the top five. We quickly reach others and I’m thinking about Preakness too. But first, my ranking of women on the lawn is heading for the weekend.
lawn
1. She feels beautiful. A simple victory in humility (G3) at Churchill on Kentucky Oaks Day, launched the 2025 campaign in style. She ended her stellar three-year-old season with Queen Elizabeth II of Keeneland and American Oaks of Santa Anita. She picks up where she left off and regains her top spot in the Division.
2. Aaaah. Considering her intervention with the semi-great truth, it’s hard to say that she was really the best in Jenny Wiley (G1). After objections and steward reviews, she kept awake, and that’s a call I wouldn’t have made. Still, she’s 3-3 this season. However, unless she returns to race in the US, this place won’t last long.
3. Excellent truth. She was clearly the best in Jenny Wiley, but she had to settle second behind Choisa on her seasonal debut. If she doesn’t resurface in US soil anytime soon, expect her to slide these rankings over the next few weeks.
4. Keho Beach. He ran his career best race with Jenny Wiley and finished third in his seasonal debut. There are great things to expect from this girl from Omaha Beach in 2025.
5. Saffron moon. She didn’t run badly with humility, finished third and was beaten in about three lengths by how she felt beautiful. Previously, she won effort (G3) and Hillsboro (G2) in Tampa.
Next 5: gimme a nother, beach bomb, Mrs. Claypool, your best, sacred wish
Before diving into Gamely, let’s talk about Preakness, especially Umberto Rispoli’s journalism. I call it courage, I call it great, I call it the ride of the year so far. And who tears him to the chorus of armchair jockeys, social media trainers and self-proclaimed experts? It fires. The man did his job and did it perfectly.
Critics ask, “Why risk the rails to ride and defeat them?” Rispoli explained it himself. Journalism wasn’t traveling the backstretch well. He didn’t fire when he flipped him over. So Rispoli dived inside, and that’s when Colt finally responded. They held the line and it was goal orientation and flavienplat that drifted away in an attempt to close the door. Rispoli didn’t flinch. He trusted the horse and remained committed, and the duo pulled away from one of the brave moves you’ve ever seen.
And to those whining about the triple crown interval? Three of the top four finishers returned after two weeks of rest. That much for that tired excuse. As I said before, Preakness is the crown jewel of the Triple Crown series. Since the Eclipse Era began, its winners have driven out more Eclipse champions than Derby, Belmont and, frankly, more Eclipse champions than the more memorable races. The Triple Crown series is fine anywhere. There have been two Triple Crown winners over the past decade. If you ask me, it’s too much. It should be difficult.
I finished last week’s work and stated that by the time the black-eyed Susan blanket was covered, journalism might have done more than just winning another race. He may have silenced skeptics and stole the spotlight from the winner of the No Show Derby. That’s exactly how it unfolded, and in these rankings, at least journalism has regained the number one he surrendered at once after that sloppy setback in Louisville.
Switch gear to Grass Gal. None of my top five runners are in the game on Monday (G1). But don’t let it fool you. The trio’s grass filling is lurking just outside the spotlight, ready to make a statement.
It’s the best headline for that group, but this year it’s 2-2, keep an eye on the fresh public gathering from their first stakes score with Royal Heroine (G3). Another victory would move her into a ranking conversation.
Then there’s Mrs Claypool, who will sit in 8th place this week, bringing the best underdog story of the season. Her nine starts defeated her maiden and broke seven more to get things through. But when the light bulb turned on, she didn’t turn around. After shattering the optional claim rank, she upset Santa Ana (G3) Field 11-1, earning her third straight. Her fairy tales are still written, and Gamely may be her next chapter.
My ring may be well known for her stain resume, but it puts it on the grass game. Alphabera has also successfully tainted, but he showed a sense of affinity to the grass and recorded a victory graded on the grass last year.
Heavy batters didn’t reach the gate due to the game, but the opportunity for some ambitious promising people to rock the women’s division on the grass is knocking. Perhaps one of these upstarts will win it in the big dance when the Breeders cup rolls later this year.
Older stained male
1. White Arario. A few weeks after the Pegasus World Cup (G1) victory, Gulfstream’s Ghulfstream’s Gulfstream’s Gulfstream’s Gulfstream’s Gulfstream’s Gulfstream’s to my resume. Next is Met Mile (G1) on the Belmont Stakes Day.
2. Intense. In the end, it was back to the race and it was worth the wait. He scored a popular victory in the Alisheva (G1) run with 8 1/2 furlong. You can run next on the Met Mile on Belmont Day.
3. Hit the show. His victory at the Dubai World Cup (G1) may have been a surprise to some, but this wasn’t the case here. If he can bring that form back to the US, he will become a major player in this division.
4. It’s locked. He turned the worst performance of his career at Alisheva, finishing a distant fourth place and defeating six lengths. That effort contrasted with his previous outings, a dominant victory at the Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
5. The first mission. It became the race of his life in the Oak Lawn Handicap (G2), dealing with a tough crew of Grade 2 and Grade 3 veterinarians. He is still chasing that elusive Grade 1 victory, but with 12 starts under his belt, two starts in his five-year-old season. Next up is Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs in late June.
Next 5: Sierra Leone, Most Wanted, Mind Frame, Vanishing, Touchupsonastar
Older Stain Woman
1. Soped Anna. I can’t say I was shocked to see her finish from the board of La Troienne (G1). The warning signs were in the start of the first two times of the year. She didn’t look like the same filly since last season. There are no words yet as to where she will appear next, but I hope she can straighten the ship. For now, she still has the top spot.
2. Knight. They are undefeated in four starts, each one getting a fever. But for horses that clearly mean business, she has dealt with major races like an optional Zoom meeting. Oak Lawn does not have apple flowers (G1) or Churchill’s Latroyenne. Now she ghosts Santa Margarita (G2) in her backyard. The championship is not distributed for full barn attendance. You have to show up. If this no-show streak continues, she quickly drops to the rankings.
3. rich. She steamed Santa Anita’s Santa Maria (G2) and opened it in more than four lengths to give a great boost to the Cavaliers who previously beat the race. This Chilean import has only been impressive since its arrival in the state. She has been making five solid efforts since June and remember that Group 1 returned home to win 10 furlongs. She has stamina, rank and momentum. A serious player in this division.
4. The raging sea. Good news? She won Latroyenne in her seasonal debut. Bad news? From a speed figure perspective, it was one of the slowest Grade 1 victories for older stained women in decades.
5. Power squeeze. She was surprisingly running last time with the Ghostzapper (G3), finishing second to White Arario, hanging hard with Big Boy. No one in this division is working on a tough company in 2025.
Next 5: Ginjin, Randomized, Free like a girl, Sugarfish, Tax
3 year old man
1. Journalism. Many people don’t like me bringing him back to the top, but this is how I see it. He finds his loss of leaning towards sovereignty at Churchill Downs unusual. His prequeness score is amazing, and part of me wants him to skip Belmont. You’ll see how things unfold, but if the season ends today, ask yourself this question. Which horses vote for the solar eclipse? My answer is journalism.
2. sovereignty. Winning the Kentucky Derby is very impressive, waiting five weeks for the Belmont Stakes.
3. Baeza. He was drawn into Derby Field a few days before the race, making the most of it, finishing a strong third with just his neck and went missing for the second. He is pointed to Belmont, where he becomes the main player of the victory.
4. Burnham Square. We had a horrifying trip in the Kentucky Derby, but we still managed to finish the sixth place, which seemed to be a little. Before that, he won the Blue Grass (G1). It will next run at Churchill’s Matt Winn (G3) in June.
5. Sandman. He ran in good third place in Preakness and rebounded from his seventh time at Louisville. Before the Derby, he notched his first stakes victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and took advantage of a favorable pace scenario.
Next 5: Tappan Street, Rodriguez, Gosgar, Final Gambit, Tiztastic
3 year old filly
1. thank you. The dominant winner of the Kentucky Oaks is now an eye-catching 7-7 in her career. She heads to Acorn (G1) over Belmont weekend to continue her eight wins.
2. Quiet side. She cared about the Kentucky Oaks slops and didn’t appear to be fading sixth. Before that, she was joking in a thrilling stretch battle with a brave victory in a fantasy (G2). I think she is the top three filly in this category.
3. Tenma. I ran better than I expected at the Kentucky Oaks when I attended the Quick Pace, but was late and full to finish fourth. Previously, she scored for the Santa Anita Oaks (G2).
4. face. She may not have handled the Kentucky Oaks wet truck, but she’s finished a 9th in the distance, but I’m not ready to drop her yet. Her victory at Ashland (G1) and runner-up effort at Dabonadale (G2) still carry weight, so she holds the top five spots for now.
5. Drexel Hill. The runner-up for the Kentucky Oaks came out of the stakes victory listed in Buhher at Aqueduct.
Next 5: 5G, nitrogen, simply joking, muhima, I’m looking forward to it
lawn
1. St. Louis spirit. He recorded a popular victory in the Turf Classic (G1) on the Kentucky Derby Day, and has already given his sophomore victory this season.
2. Carl Spackler. This season, he was rushed into Keeneland’s maker Mark Mile (G1) to remind everyone why he is power on the grass. With a Grade 1 victory in three years of his final four starts, he has returned to the top of the division for the first time in years.
3. A far bridge. He recorded another victory in Man O’ War (G2) at Aqueduct. Prior to that, he kicked off in 2025 with a fiercely fighting neck victory at Gulfstream’s Pan American (G2). He won four of his final five starts.
4. Johannes. He won at San Gabriel (G2) in December to maintain his hot streak and close out his stellar 2024 campaign, which saw him win the fifth grade from sixth start. His only loss came as runner-up more than the appearance of the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Now back to training, I hope he will soon be back in the race and come back.
5. Think big. The turf sprinter has won two largest turf sprint stakes in the United States this season, Shakart Town (G2) in Keeneland and Strut Sprint (G2) in Churchill Downs.
Next 5: The Scary Man, Integration, Dashman, Atitlan, Utah Beach
Male Sprinter
1. No straight chaser. The real-life Breeders’ Cup Sprint Champion was disappointed in Dubai and finished in 8th place with Golden Shaheen (G1). Before that, he won the Riyadh Dat Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia in 2025. The next start was targeted at Del Mar in late July with Bing Crosby (G1).
2. Raging torrent. He won a big victory at the Godolphin Mile (G2) at Meydan, and collected victory at Malibu (G1) in December. He faced a straight no-chaser in the Breeders’ Cup sprint last fall and finished with a cheerful finish.
3. Mind Frame. I’ll go ahead and put him in this division. Because, honestly, his only stakes victory sprinted. And finally, he won his spot here as he defeated a tough field in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1).
4. Book’em damage. He lost two heads and necks in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1), then two heads and necks were defeated, and two heads and necks. However, he showed that he belongs to the elite of the department, and that is enough to keep his spot in the rankings as is
5. He also ran a van-up race in the Churchill Downs stakes, losing for a bit long in his fifth.
Next 5: Booth, Big City Light, Nakatomi, Bentornato, Mufasa
Female sprinter
1. copy. He chuckled the 8-1 morning line at Derby City DiSuffe (G1), went home with authority and left undoubtedly who would control this division. It’s a three-grade stakes victory, each faster than we’ve seen from any division this season.
2. Nick’s style. This Florida Breed is 7-8 in her career, the only loss to lose runner-up in her way and means at last year’s brave Bloom (G2). She won Hurricane Bertie (G3). Finally, we won four times in a row. A serious player in this division.
3. Hope Road. He will be the second best leader in the division leader of Derby City DiSuffe (G1) and the second best for the second straight runner-up. However, this time she ousted several other top members in the division and solidified her position in this top five.
4. rich. He finally got a simple victory while stretching at Santa Maria (G2). Earlier in the season, she started the campaign with a victory at Las Flores (G3), then ran the runner-up in the third mile (G1) Cavalieri behind Copion (G2) of Santa Monica.
5. Emery. He ran first or second in five straight races in this category, earning all staged stakes. She was runner-up at Madison (G1) in the fifth from Derby City board.
Next 5: Methods and Means, Positano Sunset, Silla, Comfortable, Spirit-style
