Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency
7th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:07 p.m. ET
A trio of Hall of Fame barns send out five of the eight entrants in this elongated sprint. Todd Pletcher saddles Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's $560,000 KEESEP buy Gate Runner (Arrogate). Out of stakes-placed turf router Nerfertiti (Speightstown), he's half to MGSW dirt sprinter Engage (Into Mischief). Second dam Clearly a Queen (Lucky North) was a hard-knocking MGSW on the lawn. Pletcher will also be represented by Days of Yore (Street Sense), who appears to have been purchased privately from breeder Shadwell Farm by Waterford Stable.
Seventh timer Logico (Violence) hails for a different barn, but could provide further insight into another runner of Pletcher, Repole and Viola's–he was second with a career-best Beyer figure last out behind good-looking debut scorer Bright Future (Curlin).
Bill Mott's two-pronged attack includes newcomer Broken Spur (American Pharoah). The Mike Rutherford homebred ($275,000 KEESEP RNA) is the first foal out of SW/GSP Stageplay (Curlin), who took her own debut going 6 1/2 panels at two. Stakes-winning second dam Stage Stop (Valid Expectations) also produced a GSW juvenile and 2013 GI Preakness S. third Mylute (Midnight Lute).
Mott's other runner is OXO Equine's $675,000 KEESEP buy Mendenhall (Pioneerof the Nile), who missed the break and checked in seventh over track and trip Mar. 5. He has fired two bullets in the interim, including one from the gate. The dark bay is out of 2012 GII Fantasy S. winner and $1.2-million FTKNOV seller Mamma Kimbo (Discreet Cat), whose previous foals include SWs Balandeen (Bernardini) and Matwakel (California Chrome).
Shug McGaughey gets in on the action with Stuart Janney III homebred Breakwater (Flatter). The bay, who has alternated between dirt works and ones on the grass–which might ultimately proof his preferred surface–is out of he connections' 2009 GIII Violet S. winner Quiet Harbor (Silver Deputy), who is a half to GSWs Ironicus (Distorted Humor), On Leave (War Front), Norumbega (Tiznow) and Hunting (Coronado's Quest). TJCIS PPs
9th-GP, $43K, MOC ($50K), 3yo, 7 1/2fT, 5:10 p.m. ET
Live Oak Plantation and conditioner Mark Casse take advantage of Great Uncle (Uncle Mo)'s Florida-bred status as he takes on a softer bunch on debut without being risked for the tag. The rail-drawn bay is out Zo Impressive (Hard Spun), who won her first two starts over the local main track before finishing second in the 2012 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks. She reached the highest level in the GI Mother Goose S. at Belmont two starts later and has already produced MGSW Souper Tapit (Tapit). Zo Impressive is a daughter of GISW Zoftig (Cozzene) and half to big-figure earning GI Acorn S. heroine Zaftig (Gone West), who in turn has produced SW/MGSP Spinoff (Hard Spun) and SP Rugbyman (Tapit). Live Oak purchased Zoftig, while she was carrying Zo Impressive, for $1.5 million at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November sale. She was later sold for $1.1 million back in foal to Hard Spun at KEENOV '13.
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