The richest racehorse in North American history is set to make his first start since garnering that lofty prefix. He will face, among others, the Grade I-winning amazon whose only career losses came at the hands of his Triple Crown-winning former stablemate.
The meeting of 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome against the chestnut beast that is Dortmund in Saturday's Grade II, $200,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar could be considered the best showdown the handicap division has seen in this country this season. What remains to be seen is if the high-profile matchup even goes down as the best race this weekend.
With the boutique Del Mar meet beginning last week and Saratoga opening its historic gates for the summer on Friday, the time of year has arrived when racing fans' heads will be spinning trying to keep up with the quality coming from the entry boxes. The first such exercise begins Saturday as California Chrome makes his first start since winning the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in March and continues Sunday with undefeated champion Songbird trying to extend her reign of dominance against the likes Grade I-winners Carina Mia and Weep No More in the Grade I, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.
Before either champion races this weekend, there will already be a top-level result in the books. Miss Temple City, who defeated males in the Grade I Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland in April, is set to make her first start since running fourth in the Group II Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot in June when she headlines a field of 10 in Saturday's Grade I, $500,000 Diana Stakes over the Saratoga turf.
The brilliant 48-hour stretch of racing on tap has the potential to produce some seismic shifts in the divisional ranks. Dortmund, whose first career loss came when he ran third to his old stablemate American Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby, hasn't started since winning the Grade III Native Diver at Del Mar last November and has been plagued by minor ailments this year.
If the massive son of Big Brown can upset 5-year-old California Chrome, who has rarely looked better at any point in his career, a new wrench could be thrown into the older male division that the latter has towered over. Such a defeat would be nothing, however, compared to the shockwaves that would resonate if Songbird were to endure a loss as the reigning juvenile champion filly has been unchallenged in winning her eight career starts by a combined 42{ lengths.
With no shortage of potential drama on tap, here is your weekend cheat sheet of the biggest racing action:
