Trikari Tries to Return to Winning Ways in Dinner Party

Trikari, a grade 1-winning millionaire by Oscar Performance, tries to end a three-race slide and return to the winner's circle in the $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes (G3T) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. The 1 1/8-mile turf test for 3-year-olds and up serves as the appetizer ahead of Pimlico's Saturday main course, the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1). Following a nearly six-month layoff, the Graham Motion trainee who ended 2024 with a fourth in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) and a sixth in the Bryan Station Stakes (G3T), returned with a distant third behind standout turf miler Carl Spackler (IRE) in the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland April 11 over a course rated as "good." "I possibly underestimated (Carl Spackler) a little bit," Motion said. "He's obviously very, very good. "I don't know how much the ground affected Trikari; it was pretty soft that day. But they're grade 1 horses. I thought he ran very well first time back." Motion added that he "probably ran him one time too many" last year. Trikari, owned by Amerman Racing and bred by Michael Slezak and Amy Boll, could again race over rain-softened ground Saturday after precipitation in Maryland this week. He won over a damp course at Churchill Downs last spring. He won't be given a free pass Saturday against the likes of Magic Cap Stables' Fort Washington. This year, the 6-year-old son of War Front was a respectable fifth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) and then nosed out a win in the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T), both at Gulfstream Park, for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Looking for redemption—and another win—in the Dinner Party is Balnikhov (IRE). The Phil D'Amato trainee won last year's edition over a soft course by 1 1/2 lengths over another returnee, Crabs N Beer, but Balnikhov hasn't won since. He has two thirds and a second among his six starts since the 2024 Dinner Party, but he also has a ninth and two 10ths. Those rear-half finishes have all come over his last four races. But despite these recent struggles, the gelding owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable is battle-tested and can draw upon his experience. He's competed in 21 graded stakes with a 3-4-4 mark. Invader Takes Aim at Gallorette With trainer Chad Brown not having a runner in this year's Gallorette Stakes (G3T), a different conditioner will be in the winner's circle for the first time since 2022. Christophe Clement saddles the favorite, Three Havanas (GER), who comes into the race a relative unknown. She makes her North American debut after a 12-race career in Europe in which she hit the board more than half the time (4-1-2). However, her success in group events was not as good—1-1-2 from eight starts. She has steadily breezed for Clement at Payson Park Training Center and Belmont Park since the winter. Trainer Rob Atras starts stakes-winning Way to Be Marie. The Not This Time filly has breezed twice since a victory in the March 22 Tom Benson Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where she matched her career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 102.