June, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Brown To Saddle Four In Manhattan; Deep Field Also Includes Colonel Liam, Man O’ War Top Pair

Trainer Chad Brown will be loaded for bear in the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, with four of the 10 horses entered running under his banner in the 1 1/4-mile inner turf test for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, at Belmont Park.

No stranger to success in the Manhattan, Brown will be looking for his third consecutive win – and seventh overall – in the prestigious race, which will be the final undercard contest as Race 10 before the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in Race 11.

Brown's recent dominance in the race is underscored by the fact that a win in the 119th running of the Manhattan would not even be his first three-peat in the race. The four-time Eclipse Award-winner captured three straight editions of the Manhattan from 2014-16. His exploits in the race also include saddling the top three finishers in 2019 and the top two in 2020.

Brown's quartet all have the credentials to win, but that honor may go to Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old son of Kingman who made a successful 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Domestic Spending showed much promise as a 3-year-old, beginning his career with a first-out win in February 2020 at Tampa Bay Downs, before making steady strides throughout a sophomore campaign that culminated with a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on November 28. He still seemed to take his game to another level in the Turf Classic, rallying through traffic to dead-heat with the classy Colonel Liam for the win on Kentucky Derby Day.

“He seems to be doing really well and came out of his last race super,” Brown said of Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, who will break from post 4 with Flavien Prat aboard again. “He's been breezing like a timepiece, so I think we're in good shape. He ran a faster race than the horse he dead-heated with in the Turf Classic. We're confident he'll run a good race.”

Chilean transplant Master Piece adds a bit of South American flavor to Brown's diverse lineup. Master Piece was a four-time winner in his native Chile, including a marquee win in the Group 2 Gran Clasico Coronacion at about this distance, before he joined the Brown barn late last year and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in his North American debut on October 3 at Belmont.

After receiving some time off following the Joe Hirsch, Master Piece returned on April 16 at Keeneland, where he defeated allowance competition by three-quarters of a length going 1 ⅛ miles with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. He is owned by Don Alberto Stable and will break from post 5 with Javier Castellano in the irons.

Brown will also send out a pair of runners exiting the Grade 2 Fort Marcy, a local prep for the Manhattan. Fort Marcy-winner Tribhuvan was a late addition to the race, while third-place finisher Rockemperor will look to improve upon a runner-up finish in last year's Manhattan, which was won by his stablemate Instilled Regard.

Brown said he is hopeful an equipment change for Rockemperor could be what gets him back on track, as despite running well on a number of occasions he's yet to win a race in the U.S.

“What I'm going to do with him, finally, is put a little blinker on the horse,” Brown said. “He's funny because sometimes he'll drop out of position and look a little funny and lack that turn of foot in his races, but when you train him, he can be a little bit keen going to the pole, so then I end up not putting them on because of the way he trains. I'm going to put the blinkers on.

“Another horse who was like that was [2015 Manhattan-winner] Slumber,” Brown said. “When I first got him, he would go to the pole with an iron jaw and I'd say, maybe I don't want to do that, then I'd see him race and know that I needed to (add blinkers). We'll see with Rockemperor, it may help him move forward. Let's see how he runs with them. I did see an improved workout with them.”

Rockemperor and Tribhuvan will break from posts 6 and 8, respectively, with Jose Ortiz and Eric Cancel named to ride. Both are owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso, while Michael Kisber is also a part-owner of Rockemperor.

A winner of four straight races dating back to December 26 of last year, Turf Classic co-winner Colonel Liam will give Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher another strong chance to capture a Grade 1 event on Saturday. A son of Liam's Map owned by Robert and Lawana Low, Colonel Liam exploded onto the 3-year-old turf scene in 2020 when he made short work of an allowance field at Saratoga Race Course in his first try on the surface.

Colonel Liam nearly followed with a win a few weeks later in the Saratoga Derby Invitational, but he had to settle for fourth behind Domestic Spending. The Saratoga Derby marked the last time Colonel Liam has lost, and his victories in the intervening months include scores in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park, as well as the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds.

“It's a very deep race and a very good race, arguably the strongest on the card,” said Pletcher of the Manhattan. “Colonel Liam is doing great and he's run well every time; we expect him to do the same again.

“I think he thought he had [the Turf Classic] won last time and he may have idled a touch when he got to the lead,” Pletcher added. “Depending on the pace scenario, I don't see too much pace. He may find himself closer and possibly on the lead. We'll play it by ear and let him do his thing.”

Colonel Liam will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the outermost post 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement is a three-time Manhattan winner and will send out a pair of runners in Gufo and City Man. The former rose through the stakes ranks last year with Domestic Spending and Colonel Liam, two rivals he's well acquainted with. A 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, Gufo finished second to Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby and third in the Hollywood Derby, beaten a head and a neck, respectively, on those occasions. In his 2021 unveiling in the Grade 1 Man O' War over this turf course, the Otter Bend Stables color-bearer lodged yet another near miss, this time finishing second by a nose.

“He's doing very well,” Clement said of Gufo, who will enlist the services of Joel Rosario from post 9. “I worked him on Friday and he had a nice work. He's a nice horse. He ran very well in the Man o' War. The Manhattan is going to be a very tough race, it always is.”

The Manhattan wasn't originally the plan for New York-bred City Man, who was entered in the Kingston here on Memorial Day, but Clement was forced to call an audible when that race came off the turf. City Man, second last out in the Fort Marcy, will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 1.

The upset winner of the Man o' War, Channel Cat, will also be back to try his luck in this spot. The Jack Sisterson and Calumet Farm product was given an aggressive ride by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the Man O' War, which seemed to make all the difference as the sputtering 6-year-old son of Kitten's Cat was able to stir the echoes and just outlast Gufo in the stretch.

“I'm only just getting to know the horse, but he seems to really be coming around in the short time I've had him,” said Sisterson, who took over Channel Cat's training in late 2020. “He was second in the Elkhorn and we wanted to give him time to come back for the Manhattan, but he put on 50 pounds after the Elkhorn and his coat was coming around. If horses could talk he was telling us he wanted to run again. So, we ran him back quick.”

Velazquez will again be aboard Channel Cat and the duo will depart from post 7.

Completing the field will be Masteroffoxhounds [post 3, Manuel Franco], who was eighth last out in the Turf Classic, and Bye Bye Melvin [post 2, Junior Alvarado], most recently fourth in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico.

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Search Results Faces Dayoutoftheoffice In Compact Acorn Field

Traditionally one of America's premier races for sophomore fillies, Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn at Belmont Park has attracted a compact, quality field to tackle Big Sandy's one-turn mile.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday through Saturday, June 5, culminating with the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown. First post on Belmont Stakes Day is 11:35 a.m. Eastern.

Blazing Meadows Farm and Siena Farm's Tim Hamm-trained Dayoutoftheoffice returns to the course and distance of her greatest triumph, last fall's Grade 1 Frizette, in what will be just her second start of the season. The daughter of Into Mischief defeated subsequently crowned champion Vequist that day, just four weeks before their places were swapped in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The Siena Farm homebred returned on Kentucky Oaks Day, April 30, to finish a game second to Obligatory in Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Eight Belles over seven furlongs. In five starts, she has never finished worse than second and has three victories.

“She's doing great and coming in perfect,” Hamm said. “We worked her on Sunday morning and she went just as prescribed, doing exactly what we wanted. We are confident, but when you get to this level of racing, you need a good trip. She's coming into the race in good shape.

“She's always been a mature filly, even at two, and has been very good mentally,” Hamm continued. “She has put some body back on as a 3-year-old and the big thing about coming off the layoff with a filly is making sure they having the same ambition at three. We circled the Acorn as a target.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the call from post 4.

“I think she'll be close to the pace. She's been tactical her whole career,” said Hamm.

Klaravich Stables' Search Results [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] will hope to optimize her second top-level attempt after losing last month's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks by a neck to divisional leader Malathaat. Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Flatter went into the Classic undefeated from three tries, including the Grade 3 Gazelle at the Big A.

“It's five weeks and [after the Kentucky Oaks] I said I'm going to point to the race under no pressure to run and Mr. Klarman was fine with whatever I wanted to do,” Brown said. “She's come back and worked really well. I've been doing this long enough to know that even if they work well, you're going to find out how they're really doing at the quarter-pole and how much the last race did or didn't affect them. I just can't pass on a race where she would be favorite in a Grade 1 and she's training this well. I am looking at the five weeks wishing I had a little more time for my own comfort, knowing what a hard stretch duel it was, but she's doing well.”

OXO Equine's Brad Cox-trained Travel Column [post 1, Florent Geroux], a dual graded stakes winner, was sent off as the second choice in the Kentucky Oaks, but faded to fifth after setting the pace. Topping this field's price tags—$850,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga—the daughter of Frosted cuts back to one turn for the first time since graduating on debut over six furlongs in September.
“She's a multiple Grade 2 winner and hopefully we can get her a Grade 1,” Cox said. “I like the cutback from a mile and an eighth to a one-turn mile. I think it'll be a positive for her. She's been training well. She's had three nice breezes since the Oaks. With a good setup, she can make a big impression on Saturday.”

Gary Barber's New York-bred Make Mischief [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione] was third in the Eight Belles after closing from mid-pack at long odds. The daughter of Into Mischief won the state-bred Maddie May Stakes at the Big A's one-turn mile. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, she is the most seasoned of the field, embarking on her 11th start.

“It's coming up pretty tough, but she ran a great race last time,” Casse said. “She's accomplished a fair amount already. She's graded stakes-placed and a stakes winner, but she doesn't have any Grade 1 type and that's what we're shooting for.”

Juddmonte's aforementioned Obligatory [post 2, Jose Ortiz] enters in top form for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, landing her second career win from four starts in the Eight Belles. The homebred daughter of Curlin broke her maiden over a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park and appears well-suited to the trip.

Ruthless Stakes winner Miss Brazil [post 3, Javier Castellano] completes the field, seeking her fourth victory and exiting a one-sided, gate-to-wire Belmont sprint allowance tally on April 23. She was second to Search Results in Aqueduct's Busher Invitational over a one-turn mile in March and posted a bullet-of-86 half-mile breeze in 47.40 last week.

The Acorn is slated as Race 5 on the 13-race card.

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Swiss Skydiver Faces Deep Field In Saturday’s Ogden Phipps

Swiss Skydiver has taken her show on the road here, there and yonder while notching six graded stakes triumphs over five different racetracks. On Saturday, the 2020 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly will vie to reign supreme over a new oval when taking on a compact but classy field in the 53rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.

The prestigious 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering the winner an automatic entry into the Distaff on November 6 at Del Mar.

Owned by Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver boasts a lifetime record of 14-7-3-2 and a bankroll of $2,125,480 in earnings, most notably becoming only the sixth filly in history to capture the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Her six graded stakes victories make up a cumulative 21 graded stakes triumphs in the Ogden Phipps field.

In the third start of her 3-year-old campaign, the daughter of Daredevil won her first graded stakes when taking the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in gate-to-wire fashion and began adding miles to the tank with triumphs in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. After taking a crack against males with a game second in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland, she recorded her first triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure with a 3 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga, where she ran a 102.

Swiss Skydiver registered her biggest claim to fame thus far two starts later in the Preakness. At the top of the stretch, she engaged in a dramatic stretch duel with Kentucky Derby winner Authentic and managed to fend off the subsequent Horse of the Year by a neck while recording a career-best 105 Beyer.

Trainer Kenny McPeek gave Swiss Skydiver a freshening after a seventh-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Keeneland to close out her sophomore season. She returned to action with vigor when making her 4-year-old bow a winning one in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita. She arrives at the Ogden Phipps off a distant third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 17 at Oaklawn Park.

Swiss Skydiver has put together a strong series of works heading into her upcoming engagement. She recently went a sharp half-mile over the Churchill Downs main track in 47.80 on Saturday morning.

“She's been training super,” McPeek said. “We had a little hind leg infection that was bothering her. It didn't appear to be a big deal going into Oaklawn, but it might have been why she ran a little flat that day. She's trained like a beast going into this race. So, we're lining up with her again. She's obviously a great filly.

“She is pretty amazing, there's no question,” McPeek added. “She doesn't have many quirks and she loves her routine. She's a very happy filly. She loves to eat, train and has been a pleasure for the people around her. I just hope it last a couple of more years. She's very low maintenance.”

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver could target a start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch on August 1 at Del Mar. She also could set sights on a return to the Spa for the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 28. Like the Ogden Phipps, both races are also “Win And You're In” events.

“The Grade 1 status and the timing for this race was ideal,” McPeek said. “We could have waited it out for the [Grade 2] Fleur de Lis [on June 26 at Churchill Downs], but we wanted to run here,” McPeek said. “I'd like to think we could get her to the Clement Hirsch in California or the Personal Ensign and then there's the Spinster in the fall, too.”

McPeek said Callahan, a New Yorker, has expressed excitement in watching his champion filly run at Belmont Park.

“Peter is from New York, New York so obviously he was interested in this race himself,” McPeek said. “We're also looking at the Saratoga schedule. It was a big deal for Peter when we won the Alabama. We're going to meet Peter this week and hope to enjoy another big win.”

Jockey Jose Ortiz will attempt to be the sixth jockey to pilot Swiss Skydiver to a graded stakes triumph when she breaks from the inside post.

Three of Swiss Skydiver's foes also are Grade 1-winners, including St. George Stable's Letruska, who notched her first victory at such caliber last out in the Apple Blossom on April 16 at Oaklawn Park.

The conquest was a breakthrough one for the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver, as she defeated two champions in Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl, the reigning Champion Older Mare. After setting the pace, she was confronted by Monomoy Girl in upper stretch, but re-rallied along the rail to win by a neck.

“She's doing very well since the Apple Blossom,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “She's trained very well at Keeneland. The first question I had was if she could fit with those kind of mares and she showed in that race that she could. She ran like a champion.”

Letruska brags the most amount of victories in the field with 13.

She scored her first six wins in as many starts in Mexico, where she won two Group 1 events. When shifting to the United States, she remained competitive at a high level with stakes triumphs in the Added Elegance at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga.

Following a distant fourth in the Grade 2 Beldame Invitational, Letruska returned ten weeks later with a decisive win in the Grade 3 Rampart on December 12 at Gulfstream Park. Her career has reached new heights during her current campaign, which commenced with a sharp triumph in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic on January 31.

Gutierrez said removing blinkers ahead of the Rampart benefitted Letruska.

“After we took the blinkers off, she had more chance to relax,” Gutierrez said. “She's more competitive. She would go very fast. She's a filly with some natural speed. She likes to run free.”

Letruska will be reunited with Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3.

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will saddle two contestants, including 2020 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil.

Shedaresthedevil led a Daredevil-sired exacta in the Kentucky Oaks defeating Swiss Skydiver by 1 ½ lengths while completing the nine-furlong journey in 1:48.20 – the fastest time in the race's history.

Owned by Flurry Racing and Qatar Bloodstock, Shedaresthedevil will seek to keep a clean 4-year-old season intact. Following a wire-to-wire win against Letruska in the Grade 3 Azeri at Oaklawn Park in her seasonal debut, she returned to Churchill Downs with vigor when defeating five graded stakes winners in the Grade 1 La Troienne on April 30.

“Off the bench, she's 2-for-2 and was able to beat some really good horses,” Cox said. “She was able to keep her head in front of Letruska in her first start as a 4-year-old. She's a big, beautiful filly and I think she's moved forward from 3 to 4.”

Jockey Florent Geroux has been aboard for four of Shedaresthedevil's five graded stakes victories and will be reunited with the talented bay filly from post 5.

Cox also sends out two-time graded stakes-winner Bonny South for three-time Ogden Phipps winning owner Juddmonte Farm.

The daughter of Munnings won in her 2021 debut when prevailing in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on April 16 at Keeneland. During her sophomore campaign last March, Bonny South made her first start against graded stakes company a winning one in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

Bonny South worked in company with Grade 1 Belmont Stakes favorite Essential Quality on May 29 going a stiff five furlongs in 59.40 seconds over the Churchill Downs main track.

While Shedaresthedevil boasts a more accomplished resume, Cox said Bonny South is on the improve.

“She's been training really well, and I thought her race off the layoff was huge,” Cox said. “I really feel this filly has moved forward from 3 to 4 physically, mentally and just how she's training. We're expecting a big year out of her. This is going to be her 4-year-old Grade 1 debut, so with a good trip, she can be a big factor. She breezed with Essential Quality and they both breezed fantastic.”

Jockey Joel Rosario wore Juddmonte's iconic pink, teal and white silks when guiding Close Hatches to victory in the 2014 Ogden Phipps, and has the mount from post 7.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher seeks his fourth Ogden Phipps victory with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and China Horse Club's Valiance.

The gray Tapit mare makes her 5-year-old debut having last raced when second to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Keeneland. Initially campaigned on turf, on which she won her first three starts,

Valiance saw an alternation of her campaign after a victory in an off-the-turf Eatontown in August at Monmouth Park. She parlayed her newfound winning dirt form into Grade 1 company, capturing the Spinster on October 4 at Keeneland by three-quarters of a length.

“I think as she improved last year, she started training better and running better on the dirt,” said Pletcher who previously won with Ashado [2005], Life At Ten [2010] and Awesome Maria [2011]. “We were happy to run her when it came off. She came out of it and started training better and better. Obviously, the Spinster was a huge win for her and then she ran super in the Breeders Cup. It's a tough race off the layoff, but she seems to be training well.”

Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 2.

Completing the field are graded stakes-placed Water White [post 6, Manny Franco], who won last year's Busher Invitational at Aqueduct for Rudy Rodriguez, and the Saffie Joseph, Jr. trained Queen Nekia [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione], an upset winner of the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park two starts back.

Previously raced as the Hempstead through 2001, the Ogden Phipps honors the late philanthropist and horse owner, whose iconic and timeless black and cherry cap silks have been synonymous with some of the greatest thoroughbreds of the 20th century. During his long tenure as an owner, Phipps campaigned multiple Hall of Famers such as Easy Goer, Buckpasser, Personal Ensign and Inside Information. One year after his passing in 2002, Phipps was posthumously awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2003 and was named a Pillar of the Turf in 2019. The Phipps family remains active in racing under the moniker Phipps Stable, which is managed by Daisy Phipps Pulito with their horses being trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

The Ogden Phipps is carded as Race 7 on Saturday's 13-race program at Belmont Park. First post is 11:35 a.m.

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Mischevious Alex Will Stretch Out Against Knicks Go In Met Mile

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex will look to build on his already impressive ledger in Saturday's stallion-making Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up on Belmont Stakes Day.

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said Mischevious Alex, who garnered a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure last out for winning the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack, is a force to be reckoned with at sprint distances, but will need a top performance to have his picture taken in the Met Mile, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November at Del Mar.

“In my opinion, he's the leader of the sprint division, but we run a mile this time, so it's going to be a big test,” said Joseph, Jr. “This is the time to try it and if he's able to accomplish it, it will be a great thing for his resume as a stallion.”

Last year, the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt captured the seven-furlong Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream ahead of a prominent two-length win in the Grade 3 Gotham, travelling a one-turn mile at the Big A for former conditioner John Servis.

Joseph, Jr. said the Gotham result gives him confidence that Mischevious Alex is up to the task after starting his season 3-for-3 with six-furlong wins in an optional claimer and the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint at the Hallandale Beach oval ahead of the Carter coup.

“He's won a one-turn mile already. He won the Gotham before we had him,” said Joseph, Jr. “So, we know he can get the mile, the question will be if he can get the mile against top-class company.

“I'm cautiously optimistic,” continued Joseph, Jr. “He's lethal at six or seven furlongs because he can make the lead or sit if he needs to. At a mile, I feel it's within his reach and he's capable of it, so we'll give it a try. The way he won last time gives you optimism, but he has to go over and do it to make me a believer.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who leads the Belmont spring/summer meet with 34 wins, retains the mount from the inside post.

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, trained by reigning Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, looms the one to beat as the 126 pound highweight with an impressive record of 19-6-3-1 with purse earnings in excess of $4.5 million.

The pacesetting 5-year-old son of Paynter enjoyed a perfect 3-for-3 campaign in 2020, culminating with a win in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile that registered a career-best 108 Beyer.

Bred in Maryland by Angie Moore, the striking grey horse matched his impressive figure in his seasonal debut with a 2 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park.
Last out, Knicks Go faded to fourth in the $20 million nine-furlong Saudi Cup on February 20 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Cox said he intended to enter the horse in the Grade 3 Sexton Mile held Monday at Lone Star, but called an audible with Knicks Go, who breezed a bullet five-eighths in 59.80 seconds on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

“We had to contend with a trip to the Middle East and back. He seemed to recover really well. We were pointing him for the race at Lone Star in the Sexton Mile but with the defection of Charlatan, it gave us enough confidence to put our name in the hat for the Met Mile,” said Cox. “I think this will be a good experience for the horse. He breezed extremely well Sunday and had a huge gallop out. I feel like we're in a good spot with him and going the right way.”

While his rival Mischevious Alex will be concerned about the stretch out, Cox said he has some concerns about the one-turn mile on Big Sandy.

“Outside of Saudi, I haven't really gone one turn with him, so it'll be interesting to see because it's a little bit of a question mark,” said Cox. “But he's won going five-eighths as a 2-year-old, so if the race sets up, I feel confident we can get a good trip and be effective.”

Joel Rosario retains the mount from the outermost post 6.

Dr Post, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for St. Elias Stable, hit the board in consecutive nine-furlong Grade 1s last summer when second to Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes and third in the Haskell won by Authentic by a nose over Ny Traffic at Monmouth Park.

A $400,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, Dr Post launched his 4-year-old campaign with a prominent score in the Grade 3 Westchester traveling a one-turn mile at Belmont on May 1 that garnered a career-best 103 Beyer.

Pletcher said the colt would appreciate a target after being closer to the pace than usual last out.

“It wasn't a very quickly run race. He wasn't any faster earlier on that usual,” said Pletcher of the Westchester score. “I think he would benefit from a contested pace and sit mid-pack. That's his preferred running style.”

Pletcher is a two-time Met Mile winner with Palace Malice [2014] and Quality Road [2010], the sire of Dr Post.

“He's always physically reminded us of Quality Road. Like a lot of good Quality Road progeny, he seems to be stamped by his sire,” said Pletcher. “He's a good-training horse and always has been very straightforward and professional. I like the way he ran off the layoff and hopefully he makes another move forward. I'm happy with him.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the call aboard Dr Post from post 2.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, brings a five-race win streak into Saturday's test after making the grade last out in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 17.

A $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, the 4-year-old Hard Spun colt is out of the stakes-winning Empire Maker mare Supreme. Silver State has blossomed at Oaklawn this campaign, winning the one-mile Fifth Season in January and the 1 1/16-mile Essex Handicap in March.

Asmussen and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., who teamed up to win the Met Mile back-to-back in 2018-19 with Bee Jersey and Mitole, will look for continued success when the improving bay exits post 3.

Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm's By My Standards is a four-time Grade 2-winner with nine-furlong scores in the 2019 Louisiana Derby, 2020 New Orleans Classic, and 2020 Oaklawn Handicap, as well as a victory in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba in September at Churchill Downs.

A seven-time winner from 15 starts with purse earnings in excess of $2 million, By My Standards will look for his first Grade 1 score following a narrow nose win in his seasonal debut in the Oaklawn Mile on April 10.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, the Kentucky-bred son of Goldencents will exit post 5 under Gabriel Saez.

Calumet Farm homebred Lexitonian, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown trained by Jack Sisterson, will look to provide his owner their second Met Mile following Criminal Type, who won in 1990 under Jose Santos for Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.

Lexitonian made the grade sprinting six furlongs in the 2019 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico. He tried his luck in a pair of Grade 1 events last year, rallying from last-of-eight to finish second, by a nose, to Collusion Illusion in the six-furlong Bing Crosby at Del Mar, which was followed by a more prominent fifth, defeated 2 1/2-lengths to Win Win Win in a sloppy renewal of the Forego at Saratoga.

“He's a funny sort of horse. We think we have him figured out and then he throws us a curveball,” said Sisterson. “The plan in the Bing Crosby wasn't to take back and make one run, they just went that quick up front. It was a brutal loss.”

Last month, Sisterson completed a personal NYRA Grade 1 triple when Channel Cat captured the Man o' War at Belmont, adding to top-flight wins by True Timber in the Cigar Mile Handicap in December at the Big A and Vexatious' upset win in the Personal Ensign in August at the Spa.

Lexitonian finished second, by a head to Flagstaff, last out in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1 in a blanket finish when a nose better than third-place Whitmore, the reigning Champion Male Sprinter.

With regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione up, Lexitonian tracked in fourth position, just 1 1/2-lengths off a swift half-mile of 44.21 set by Bango, in the seven-furlong sprint before digging in down the lane to just miss.

Sisterson said he expects another forward trip for Lexitonian.

“Tyler said to me in the paddock at Churchill that he was going to put him in the race. He felt his best running style is forwardly placed,” said Sisterson. “He's a horse that's never going to win by five or 10 lengths. He works in the mornings to the level of his workmate. He's never going to work in 59 and change, his last work was in 1:02. I think Tyler will ride him forwardly placed. I always think if a horse has speed, why take that away from him.”

Gaffalione will guide Lexitonian from post 4.

The Met Mile is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 13-race card.

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