Alsvid among three to follow in graded stakes action

In today's graded stakes offerings, here are three I'll be following:

Pennine Ridge (G3) -- Race 8 at Belmont Park -- In a race lacking much in the way of pace, HAMMERS VISION (#1, 8-1) could show speed from post 1 and take this field a ways. Demonstrating tactical foot in his allowance comeback over the Widener course going seven furlongs, he weakened to second over yielding ground, but might find firmer conditions today agreeable. Won over this course at two, and trainer Brian Lynch has been doing really well winning with four of his first eight starters. Son of Court Vision should see out nine furlongs.

Aristides (G3) -- Race 10 at Churchill Downs -- The possibility of rain later in the day could turn the track sloppy, which might help the speed, but on the other hand there is plenty of early gas in the field to potentially set up a winning close from ALSVID (#5, 3-1). A hard-luck horse this term with three seconds and three thirds from six outings, he outran his odds in both the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) and Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G3) in his last two, and hard to forget he ran down reigning champion sprinter Work All Week in this race 12 months ago.

Shoemaker Mile (G1) -- Race 6 at Santa Anita -- Less exposed than most in this field of six, TWENTYTWENTYVISION (#2, 7-2) has run very well in two previous graded tries on the turf, finishing second to Gabriel Charles in the Eddie Read (G2) last July and to Grade 1 winner What a View in the Thunder Road (G3) two back. With the latter currently absent from the scene, the time could be now for the Richard Mandella trainee to claim a major prize of his own. Flavien Prat, who has been aboard for all of his previous wins, is back in the saddle here.

(Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)