The first graded race on the card this weekend in New Jersey will be the United Countries Handicap (G1) at a mile and three-eighths over the turf. The race, open to three-year-olds and up, is set for a post time of 3:00 pm EST on Saturday. The Grade I race is offering up a total of $750,000 in purse money and has attracted a total of eleven horses to go to the post in what looks like be a firm track for post time. Let\u2019s take a look through the contenders for this year\u2019s race. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shipping back to the US for this race after making several starts abroad, this four-year-old colt most recently started in Italy during The Carlsbad Lessons (G2) at a mile and a half. The colt was well off the pace early on in this race, rated back in tenth. He would gain some ground midway through the race and eventually cross the wire in fifth after rallying late. He set a speed figure for this race of one hundred eight. The most recent win for the horse was in his prior start, this in the form of a listed stakes race in Australia, also over twelve furlongs. The colt was slightly more forwardly placed, with the colt held back in eighth at the start and winning by half a length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Seayouondotherside (IRE) – <\/strong>valesa7 \u2013 A. Hewitson \u2013 8\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the second slot, we have a five-year-old bay horse that is looking for his first graded win. By Sea The Stars, the Irish-bred horse most recently started over the dirt in a listed stakes race over ten furlongs. Fourth out of the gate, the horse lost ground throughout the race to finish seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred two. The most recent win for the horse was in an allowance race, also on the dirt track, though this time in at eleven furlongs in the UAE. The most recent graded start for the horse was in Belgium during the His Majesty Philippe Cup (G3) at a mile and a quarter where he would finish ten lengths back in fifth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Yoze Nasdyn (SAF)<\/strong> – temp5 \u2013 W. Cahill \u2013 10\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Making his eighteenth career start this weekend, this four-year-old gelding is the first horse going into the starting gate on Saturday having already won a graded stakes. The most recent start for the brown son of Global View was in Italy during The Carlsbad Lessons (G2) at a mile and a half. Breaking towards the rear of the field in thirteenth, the gelding would rally late but finish a well beaten seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred four. His most recent win was in his prior start, this coming in The Kyoto Handicap (G2) in Japan over a mile and three-eighths. The gelding won this race by a length and a quarter, setting a speed figure of one hundred seventeen, again starting the race from the back of the pack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Meal Armstrong<\/strong> \u2013 tgo6 \u2013 J. Hernandez \u2013 7\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Returning to graded company this weekend after taking a step down in class for several starts in listed company, this Kentucky-bred bay most recently started in Canada in a listed stakes race over ten and a half furlongs. The horse sprang out of the gate to an early second place position before being shuffled back in the stretch to finish sixth. The horse would set a speed figure of one hundred nine. The most recent win for the colt was also in Ontario in another listed stakes race, though over fourteen furlongs. The horse led the field gate to wire in this race, triumphant by three and a quarter lengths at the wire. The most recent graded start for the horse was in October of last year during The Narrow Land (G3) at a mile and a half, which he also won in wire to wire fashion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. I\u2019m The Answer (JPN)<\/strong> – mtkgrs3 \u2013 M. Kelly \u2013 10\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next in the field we have the Japanese-bred Grade II winner, who looks to return to the turf after a try over synthetic. His most recent came across the country in California during the California Synthetic Championship (G1) at a mile and a quarter. Breaking towards the rear of the field at the start, the horse wouldn\u2019t gain much ground in the running of the race, coming home to finish tenth and setting a speed figure ninety-eight. The most recent win for the horse came here in New Jersey during a listed stakes race over eleven and a half furlongs. Still towards the back in fifth at the break in the short field, the horse made his move midway through the race and went on to win by three and a half lengths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Millechurch (AUS)<\/strong> – guru3 \u2013 P. Bangs \u2013 10\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Midway through our field for Saturday, the Australian-bred horse will be returning to graded company after taking a long step down in class after his most recent attempt. The four-year-old colt most recently started across the country in California during an allowance race over eleven furlongs. The colt won the race by one and a quarter lengths after stalking the early pace, tucked back in fifth in the small field. The colt set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fourteen for this race. The most recent graded stakes for the colt was in August of last year during The Cant Breeder\u2019s Cup (G3) at a mile and one-eighth where he would finish eighth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Doletady<\/strong> \u2013 pooperdoodle \u2013 C. Euler \u2013 12\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The morning line longshot for Saturday\u2019s field will be this five-year-old horse by Dortmund. The light grey horse will be making his first started against graded company this weekend and has far exceeded the expectations set down by his dam, who was a winner at the claiming level. The most recent start for the horse was in a listed stakes start over eleven furlongs in the horse\u2019s native Maryland. The horse settled off the pace towards the rear of the short field and made his move midway through the race to rally for third, though only three-quarters of a length off the pace. The horse set a speed figure of one hundred twelve for the race. In his start prior to this, the horse won a local-bred allowance race by three lengths over a yielding track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Atom (ENG) \u2013 <\/strong>gowans9 \u2013 G. Owans \u2013 7\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the eight slot, we will have our first prior Grade I winner, as well as a million-dollar earner to head into the starting gate. The five-year-old bay by Kingman most recently started in Japan during the Kinsho Cho Classic (G2) at a mile and one-quarter. The horse broke towards the rear of the field, tucked into seventh early on, and made his move in the stretch to cross the wire in third while setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. This most recent win was in his prior start, an allowance race in South Africa over ten and a half furlongs. His most recent graded win was in last years The Osmonds Memorial (G1) at a mile and one-quarter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Open Lengths<\/strong> \u2013 mitole \u2013 D. Givins \u2013 9\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the ninth slot, this five-year-old by Curlin is looking for his first graded win. The Kentucky-bred bay horse is out of a Grade I winning broodmare and most recently started in The Grand Brazilian (G1) over a mile and a half in Brazil. The horse was forwardly placed out of the gate in this race, sent out in third, though he would stat to fade midway through the race and ultimately cross the wire in ninth while setting a speed figure of one hundred seven. The horse would win in his prior start, an allowance race over the same distance in Wyoming where he set a speed figure of one hundred eleven. The colt was won two listed stakes, but is is looking for his first graded win in what will be his fourth attempt this weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Blackrose Prison (ENG)<\/strong> – simsters2 \u2013 L. Radzinski \u2013 4\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Favorite for the race on Saturday will be this English-bred five-year-old by the top sire Dubawi (IRE). The bay horse is a Grade I winner and million-dollar earner and is out of the Hall Of Fame broodmare Just Dynamite<\/em>, who has produced five graded winners including this horse. The most recent start for the horse came in Ireland during the Tattersalls Gold (G1) over a mile and five-sixteenths. The horse would break towards the middle of the field in fifth and make up some ground, but only enough to bring him home for fourth at the wire, though he set an impressive one hundred thirteen speed figure for the race. The most recent win for the horse was last November during The Singapore Cup (G1) over a mile and three-eighths. Again, the horse was back towards the middle of the field and went on to win the race by one and a quarter lengths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. Purple Red (ENG)<\/strong> – tees61 \u2013 T. Tees \u2013 5\/1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The final horse in the field for this weekend\u2019s race, this five-year-old bay by Dubawi (IRE) is another million-dollar earner to finish off our field. The horse is lightly raced and will be making his fifteenth lifetime start this weekend. The most recent start for the horse was in Italy during The Carlsbad Lessons (G2) at a mile and a half. The horse broke towards the middle of the field in this race and started to make his move midway through the twelve furlong race. He would cross the wire to finish second, while setting a speed figure of one hundred seventeen, which equaled a lifetime best for the horse first achieved in a listed stakes race which he won in wire to wire fashion last year. The most recent win for the horse in last years Sword Swallower Stakes (G1) at a mile and a half. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Flrancho\u2019s Picks:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Win: Blackrose Prison (ENG) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Place: Atom (ENG) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Show: Purple Red (ENG) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The first graded race on the card this weekend in New Jersey will be the United Countries Handicap (G1) at<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[300],"class_list":["post-63116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews","tag-united-countries-handicap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=63116"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63121,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63116\/revisions\/63121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}