“The work went very well, we couldn't be any happier. He did it well and came out of it great this morning, ate up everything last night,” said Reid. “We had a horse in front of him to chase after and he went after him.”

Due to a now-lifted Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following the Withers and returned to Reid's Parx base Feb. 25.

“The time off, believe it or not, actually did him a bit of good. He put his weight back on,” said Reid. “He's big and fat and healthy now, so we are very happy with the way he is going.”

Cash is King and LC Racing's Carmelina (Maximus Mischief), a last-out runner-up in the Mar. 2 Busher S., is expected to line up in the GIII Gazelle S.

“I think a mile and an eighth is the edge of how far she wants to go, but we will see how it comes up and she definitely could get involved,” Reid said. “Speed can be dangerous at a mile and an eighth, too.”

Reid, LC Racing and Cash is King's Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief), who earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points with his fourth-place effort in the one-mile GIII Gotham S., will ditch the Derby trail in pursuit of the seven-furlong Bay Shore S.

“We like a little bit of a turn back. He had to go from the one-hole last time and used a little bit out of the gate to not get swallowed up,” said Reid. “Right now, it doesn't look like he is going to be a Classic horse, so this race should be a nice turn back, to keep him going shorter.”

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Trained by John Sadler, Slider turned in bullet five-furlong work in :59.00 (1/121) at Santa Anita Sunday.

“He worked very well,” Sadler said Sunday. “He ended up catching a couple horses that broke off in front of him, but for me, it was more about how he galloped out since this will be the furthest he's ever run. If he looks good tomorrow, he gets on a plane early Tuesday to be there Tuesday afternoon to run Saturday.”

Sadler said timing was the main reason Slider was making the 2,792-mile journey from Santa Anita to Ozone Park for the Gotham.

“The spacing is good from his last race and we like a one-turn mile with him, so there's a lot of things to like for him [in the Gotham],” said Sadler.

Jose Lezcano, who won last year's Gotham aboard Raise Cain (Violence), will pick up the mount Saturday.

Sadler nominated two other colts to the Gotham, but said the duo will have other Derby prep assignments.

West Point Thoroughbreds' Scatify (Justify) returned from a debut win at Los Alamitos in December to be third behind the runaway winner Nysos (Nyquist) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Feb. 3.

“He might be looking at the [Mar. 2 GII] San Felipe or the [Mar. 9 GIII] Tampa Bay Derby,” said Sadler. “We were anxious to get him started and he was a little later getting to me than some of the other ones. We were pleasantly happy with his first race, and missed a little time before the Bob Lewis. He wasn't going to beat the winner that day, but I think if things had gone a little differently, he could have been second.”

Hronis Racing's Tapalo (Tapiture), most recently second in the Feb. 10 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate, will likely remain on the synthetics and make his next start in the Mar. 23 GIII Jeff Ruby S. at Turfway Park.

“Tapalo will probably go to the Jeff Ruby,” said Sadler. “That was synthetic at Golden Gate and he ran a really nice race up there. I think he's a developing horse and it was a close race. He's progressing.”

Maximus Meridius Set to Make Stakes Debut in Gotham

Trainer Butch Reid is pointing Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief) to the Gotham. The bay colt worked four furlongs in :47.68 (2/33) at Parx Saturday.

“He breezed beautifully in :47 and change like breaking sticks. He's ready to go,” Reid said. “He did it on his own, he tends to get a little keyed up in company.”

Owned by LC Racing, Cash is King and Wellesley Stable, Maximus Meridius romped to a 10 1/2-length debut victory at Parx last November. He was third, beaten two lengths by Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire), who exited that race to win the Swale S. at Gulfstream Park, in a Dec. 26 optional claimer. Adding blinkers for his third start, Maximus Meridius returned to the winner's circle with a front-running victory going 6 1/2 furlongs at Parx Jan. 30.

Reid said the colt came to him via his brother, the retired Pennsylvania Hall of Fame trainer Mark Reid, who is known by the family as 'Uncle Heavy.'

“He's been very impressive from the beginning,” Reid said of Maximus Meridius. “He's a big, strong horse that we found out of a field in Chester County, Pennsylvania at my brother's place. He's been very forward the whole time we've had him.”

Reid said Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion), a last-gasp winner of the GIII Withers S. Feb. 3, will aim for the Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial S.

Due to an Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy was shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following his Withers victory, but was able to return to his Parx base Sunday with the quarantine now lifted.

“He was on the jogging machine and he didn't lose any fitness. He looks fantastic,” Reid said. “We'll have time for three or four good breezes. I'm not worried about fitness at all.”

Reid said he was impressed with Uncle Heavy's late-running win in the Withers.

“The key was the way he finished up. His last five strides were huge, big strides and he gobbled that horse up,” Reid said. “That was very impressive his first time going a mile and an eighth and we'll see if we can confirm that coming back in the Wood.”

Owned by Michael Milam, Uncle Heavy was bred by Reid's sister-in-law Barbara Reid and named for his brother.

“It's a great story and he's been a real find so far,” Reid said.

Uncle Heavy has banked $293,580 with a 4-3-0-0 record.

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Drawn one from the outside over a rain-affected strip that was putting a demand on stamina, the hulking bay, off at 9-1, raced in the four path, but with cover on the back of longshot Khanate (Hightail) as El Grande O fought out the early fractions from the inside.

Asked to improve approaching three furlongs from home, the Butch Reid-trained Uncle Heavy appeared to be running in place as El Grande O and Khanate began to separate themselves at the quarter pole.

El Grande O was finally able to shake off Khanate entering the final eighth of a mile, pinched a break and looked on his way to victory, but Uncle Heavy kept plugging away and was shoved across the line first. El Grande O was second ahead of even-money favorite Lightline (City of Light) in third.

Uncle Heavy, a narrow debut winner going six furlongs versus open company at Parx Oct. 23, dwelt and ducked in at the start and finished fifth as the favorite in the Pennsylvania Nursery S. Nov. 28. He successfully stretched to two turns with a rallying victory going one mile and 70 yards against fellow state-breds in the Wait For It S. last time Dec. 27.

“I have always felt all along with this horse, the further the better,” Reid said. “He certainly proved that today. He looked like he was just hitting his best stride about 50 yards from the wire. He really started stretching out nice.”

He continued, “We haven't had a whole lot of time, and this was only his second time around two turns. For him to go a mile and an eighth and under the circumstances is a testament to him. It worked out great. It's a short ship [from Pennsylvania] and there's a lot of big money up here.”

On a potential next start in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 6, Reid added, “We're going to keep him around two turns from here on out. We'll definitely have a look at the Wood, there's no doubt about that. We're going to sit down with (owner) Mikey (Milam), and start plotting and planning from here on in.”

Pedigree Notes:

Uncle Heavy is the first graded stakes winner for Social Inclusion, who entered stud at Woodford Thoroughbreds near Ocala in 2017, transferred to Diamond B Farm in Pennsylvania after two seasons and now stands privately at Briardale Farm under the stewardship of Joe Imbesi.

Bred in Pennsylvania by trainer Robert Reid's sister-in-law Barbara Reid, Uncle Heavy is out of the winning Tiz Wonderful mare Expect Wonderful, who brought just $1,700 from Milam Racing Stables at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December Mixed Sale while expecting the winner.

A $70,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred yearling, Expect Wonderful RNA'd for $15,000 at the 2019 edition of the December Mixed Sale in foal to The Factor. The hammer fell at $70,000 for the resulting foal, later named Roan Burgundy, at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Expect Wonderful's 2-year-old colt Beyondexpectations is by Peace and Justice, and she was bred to Weigelia for 2024.

Saturday, Aqueduct
WITHERS S.-GIII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 2-3, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:53.79, my.
1–UNCLE HEAVY, 118, c, 3, by Social Inclusion
1st Dam: Expect Wonderful, by Tiz Wonderful
2nd Dam: Holiday Peace, by Harlan's Holiday
3rd Dam: Stilled, by Quiet American
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Michael Milam; B-Barbara Reid (PA); T-Robert E Reid Jr; J-Mychel J Sanchez. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $293,580. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–El Grande O, 119, c, 3, Take Charge Indy–Rainbow's Song, by Unbridled's Song. 1ST GRADED BLACK-TYPE. O-Barry K Schwartz; B-Stonewall Farm (NY); T-Linda Rice. $50,000.
3–Lightline, 118, c, 3, City of Light–Upperline, by Maria's Mon.
1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK-TYPE. ($600,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Town & Country Horse Farms LLC (KY); T-Brad H Cox. $30,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, HF. Odds: 9.30, 4.10, 1.15.
Also Ran: Deposition, Khanate, Speed Runner, Mission Beach, Society Man, Seminole Chief. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

UNCLE HEAVY wins the Grade 3 Withers Stakes and 2⃣0⃣ qualifying points toward the @KentuckyDerby with @SanchezMychel up for trainer Butch Reid. pic.twitter.com/Prt6pMtey8

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) February 3, 2024

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“He came out of [the City of Brotherly Love S.] really well and happy,” trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said. “I was happy to see him come back after that effort in the Withers and be no worse for wear. The jockey [Abner Adorno] said he was kind of choking up down the backside last time and maybe he flipped his pallet, but he didn't show any signs of that this time.”

Of a potential start in the Wood, Reid added, “It's possible. “There are several races around that time and we wonder if he handled that surface there, so we've got some questions to think about. But we'll see how the races shape up and make our decision from there. I don't think shipping is his best thing, but he'll probably have to go on the road again for his next start. We will probably ship him in a little earlier to get him used to his surroundings.”

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The chestnut daughter of Kantharos was a close third in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in December at the Big A, displaying the same forwardly-placed tactics before lugging out in deep stretch. Magic Circle never relinquished this time around, maintaining her advantage throughout to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

In capturing the Busanda, Magic Circle earned 10 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, pushing her total up to 13 points. She earned two points when third in the Demoiselle and one point when fourth in the Grade 1 Frizette in October at Belmont Park.

Updated Kentucky Oaks and Derby Leaderboard

Piloted by Jose Ortiz, a now three-time Busanda winner, Magic Circle was nudged a few strides out of the gate from her inside post, and led the field through an easy opening quarter-mile in 24.38 seconds over the fast main track. Rosebug kept close company to her outside in second with two-time winner Waters of Merom another half-length back in third.

Positions remained unchanged through a half-mile in 48.28 seconds, but the tempo picked up around the far turn with Morning Matcha launching her usual late move. Ortiz kept Magic Circle to task approaching the quarter pole and into upper stretch as Morning Matcha continued to sweep up ground. But Magic Circle could not be caught, coming under the wire in a final time of 1:51.29.

“She broke really sharp and put me there by herself,” said Ortiz, who also piloted Fierce Boots [2014] and Flora Dora [2016] to Busanda scores. “She was traveling very nicely the first quarter. She was pulling me a little too much. I was a little bit nervous and I just wanted to put my hands down and relax and she finally did passing the seven furlongs. When she entered the backside she was completely relaxed and going a very decent cruising speed. She didn't walk the dog but the track is fast and inside is good, so I wasn't afraid to let her go.”

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez tasked Ortiz with piloting Magic Circle, who was ridden by Manny Franco in all four of her previous efforts.

“At Belmont, when she finished second, I was hoping that Manny didn't [use the crop] the way he did because she doesn't like the whip too much,” Rodriguez said. “I told him, 'Don't try to surprise her because she ducks in and out.' Jose is one of the top riders in the country and we are happy to get him in the race. Nothing against Manny; I told the owner that if we couldn't get Jose, we would try to get Manny.”

The remaining local qualifiers for the Kentucky Oaks are the one-mile $250,000 Busher Invitational [50-20-10-5] on March 5 and the nine-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle [100-40-20-10] on April 9.

“I'm going to talk to the owner about that and decide what we are going to do,” Rodriguez said. “I don't know. You never know. Right now she's learning, so we just have to hope for the best.”

Returning $4.10 for a $2 win wager, Magic Circle brought her lifetime earnings up to $194,000 and boasts a record of 5-2-1-1.

Morning Matcha maintained her perfect in-the-money record and picked up a third career stakes placing when finishing second. She finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Reigning Chick.

Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. did not rule out the addition of blinkers for Morning Matcha's next start.

“We'll try it in the mornings with her and see if it perks up her interest early on a little bit and go from there,” Reid, Jr. said.

Reid, Jr. said Morning Matcha will likely target the Gazelle.

“That's a definite possibility because it's not easy finding races long enough for this filly and the Gazelle is a mile and an eighth,” Reid, Jr. said.

Completing the field were Rosebug, Waters of Merom and Gamestonks.

Magic Circle, bred in Kentucky by Manitou Farm, is out of the Distorted Humor mare Magic Humor. She was purchased for $110,000 from the 2021 OBS April Sale, where she was consigned by Costanza Stables.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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The nine-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

With a perfect in-the-money record of 7-2-3-2, Cash is King Racing, LC Racing and Gary Barber's Morning Matcha brags field-best earnings of $247,390.

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Morning Matcha returns to the Big A following a late-closing second in the NYSSS Fifth Avenue on Dec. 18. Trailing the field down the backstretch, Morning Matcha kicked into gear with a late rally to finish 1 3/4 lengths shy of the victorious Yo Cuz.

The Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Central Banker, New York's leading sire in 2021, broke her maiden going 6 1/2 furlongs at Parx Racing on September 25, only 12 days after earning black type when second in the restricted Finest City at Presque Isle Downs. In her lone start around two turns, Morning Matcha defeated open company by 6 1/4 lengths going one mile at Parx on Nov. 16.

Morning Matcha, who was initially expected to ship to South Florida for the winter, remained in training at Reid, Jr.'s primary division at Parx in preparation for the Busanda.

“The quicker I can get her going longer, the better,” said Reid, Jr. “We've had plenty of time since her last race and she had a nice breeze last week. I think we made the right choice keeping her up here. She's been like that where she doesn't like to overextend too early on. That's why Kendrick [Carmouche] is riding her back, he knows the filly really well.”

Carmouche, who piloted the filly to both of her career wins, retains the mount from post 3 in pursuit of his second Busanda score.

While Morning Matcha attempts to make a good first impression on the Oaks trail, Magic Circle will seek to build on a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on Dec. 4 at Aqueduct, where she earned two Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

J.W. Singer's Kantharos sophomore chestnut set slow fractions while in command throughout most of the nine-furlong Demoiselle journey before veering out in mid-stretch, ultimately giving way in the final sixteenth.

After a successful career debut at Saratoga at 25-1 odds in September, the Rudy Rodriguez-trained Magic Circle was a distant fourth in the G1 Frizette on Oct. 3 at Belmont Park before finishing a close second in the Tempted one month later.

Magic Circle breezed a half-mile in 51.12 seconds Sunday over the Belmont dirt training track.

“She worked well Sunday morning,” Rodriguez said. “When you're running against these type of horses, it's tough. She's just a very laid back filly. She lets us do whatever we need with her. She's shown plenty of promise from Day One. She's coming into the race well. We just have to hope for the best.”

Jose Ortiz, a two-time Busanda winner, will pick up the mount from the inside post.

After a collaborative triumph with The Grass Is Blue in 2021, trainer Chad Brown and owner Louis Lazzinnaro will vie to become the first trainer-owner combo to score back-to-back Busanda wins with Waters of Merom.

The daughter of Connect, who also is owned by FIN Stables, was claimed for $30,000 out of a two-turn maiden claimer in October at Keeneland, which she won by 8 1/2 lengths. She made a winning debut for her new connections on Jan. 6 at Aqueduct, traveling a one-turn mile at the starter allowance optional claiming level.

Dylan Davis returns to the irons from post 2.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott seeks a third Busanda score with Mike G. Rutherford homebred Rosebug. The daughter of American Pharoah found the winner's circle at fourth asking over a sloppy and sealed Big A main track on Dec. 30.

Rosebug is out of multiple stakes-winning Menifee mare Taittinger Rose, who was fourth in the 2004 Busanda before winning the Pennsylvania Oaks later that year. Rosebug's fourth dam is 1985 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Twilight Ridge.

Manny Franco will attempt to win his third Busanda in the past four runnings when guiding Rosebug from the outermost post 6.

Completing the field are Gamestonks [post 4, Trevor McCarthy] and Reigning Chick [post 5, Jalon Samuel].

The Busanda honors Ogden Phipps' 1950 Alabama winner, whose name is an anacronym for the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts (BuSandA) – a Navy bureau that Phipps had served in during World War II. As a broodmare, Busanda, a daughter of War Admiral and maternal granddaughter of the influential broodmare La Troienne, produced Hall of Famer and prestigious sire Buckpasser and was also the great granddam of 1984 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Outstandingly.

The Busanda is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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The seven-furlong test for eligible New York-sired juvenile fillies is one of two stakes races on Saturday afternoon for state-sired 2-year-olds, along with its counterpart race, the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way.

“We're pleased to be offering these important races – the richest juvenile sire stakes races in the country – which demonstrate the strength of the New York-sired program and offer a great incentive to breed to New York stallions,” said NYRA racing secretary Keith Doleshel. “Our New York-sired and New York-bred programs are integral to NYRA racing and we look forward to continuing to support the New York breeding industry.”

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Morning Matcha will cut back a furlong after defeating winners by 6 ¼ lengths going a two-turn mile on Nov. 16 at Parx. She registered a field-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure last out, saving ground along the rail before angling several paths wide around the far turn and drawing off to a 6 ¼-length victory as the 1-9 favorite.

The daughter of leading New York stallion Central Banker, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for a $7,500 stud fee, has never finished out of the money in six career starts.

The consistent bay earned a stakes-placing in the Finest City on Sept. 13 at Presque Isle Downs en route to a 6 ½ furlong Parx maiden score 12 days later.

Reid, Jr. kept a small division of horses at Saratoga this past summer, including Morning Matcha, and said he had been looking forward to more ground since watching her train at the Spa. Morning Matcha sprinted against restricted maiden company twice at Saratoga, finishing a respective third and second.

“No doubt the longer distances have helped,” said Reid, Jr. “We've been waiting to stretch her out in distance since we had her at Saratoga. A mile was perfect for her so this won't be out of reach either.”

Reid, Jr. will have five stalls at Gulfstream Park this winter. Following the NYSSS Fifth Avenue, Morning Matcha is scheduled to join his small South Florida division.

“After this, we'll stretch her back out. She'll head to Florida after this and train in some nicer weather,” Reid, Jr. said.

Kendrick Carmouche, the pilot in both victories, will return aboard Morning Matcha from post 6.

“It'll be up to the jock wherever she's most comfortable,” Reid, Jr. said. “Inside or outside, she appears to have no qualms with anything. Kendrick has done a great job with her.”

Bred in Pennsylvania by Crane Thoroughbred Services, Morning Matcha is out of the stakes-placed Iam the Iceman mare Home Ice and was bought for $18,000 out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic Sale.

Trainer Michael Trombetta will send out Howdyoumakeurmoney, a dual-surface winner and the lone stakes-winner in the Fifth Avenue field.

The Commonwealth New Era Racing-owned Freud bay graduated at second asking on turf against fellow New York-breds on September 3 at Saratoga and one month later captured the 6 ½-furlong Presque Isle Downs Debutante, defeating next-out winner Battle Charge.

Howdyoumakeyourmoney, bred in New York by Davie Bloodstock and Peter Colon, arrives from a runner-up effort in the seven-furlong Glorious Song on Oct. 30 at Woodbine.

Mychel Sanchez will be aboard from post 7.

Joseph Bucci's Laoban's Legacy will seek her first stakes victory, coming off a runner-up effort against open company winners for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Bred in New York by Sequel Thoroughbreds, the daughter of the late Laoban was a dazzling 7 ¾-length winner in July over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track on debut en route to a distant third in the Seeking the Ante the following month at the Spa.

Breaking from post 3, Laoban's Legacy will be ridden by Manny Franco – a two-time winner of the NYSSS Fifth Avenue.

Trainer Christophe Clement will send out Barry Schwartz's Shigeko following a 6 ¾-length maiden win at second asking. Bred in New York by Schwartz's Stonewall Farm, the daughter of Japan found the winner's circle on Oct. 30 over a sloppy and sealed main track in an off-the-turf mile for state-breds at Belmont Park.

Dylan Davis will ride Shigeko from post 11.

Completing the field are She's a Big Deal [post 1, Raul Mena], Alicia's Way [post 2, Benjamin Hernandez], Laochi [post 4, Eric Cancel], Yo Cuz [post 5, Jose Ortiz], Half Birthday [post 8, Trevor McCarthy], Bank On Anna [post 9, Jose Lezcano], and Mrs. Banks [post 10, Mike Luzzi].

The NYSSS Fifth Avenue is carded as the penultimate event on Saturday's nine-race program. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Following a year's hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, a 13-race card comes to Parx Saturday, Eight stakes races – highlighted by a pair of $1 million Grade 1 races, the Cotillion and Pennsylvania Derby – worth $3.4 million will be held.

“It will be good to see the nation get a chance to look at us and look at the quality product we put out here,” veteran Parx trainer Robert “Butch” Reid said. “There are good horsemen here with good horses. To get the national press is a very good thing for the track. It was like last year never happened because we missed out on our big day.”

Reid has horses running in five races. He will send out Beren in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bob for 3-year-olds where he will tackle the imposing Jackie's Warrior.

Beren, owned by St. Omer's Farm and Christopher Feifarek, is 6-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Frankie Pennington, the second leading rider at the Parx meet with 121 wins.

In eight career starts at Parx, Beren has four wins and two seconds. Overall, he has six wins in 12 career starts. The Gallant Bob will be his second graded stakes start; he was third in the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Belmont in April.

“It's obviously a monumental chore,” Reid said about going up against Jackie's Warrior, the 4-5 morning line favorite. “But the horse always gives a good effort and we will certainly give it a try.”

Beren is coming off a front-running 6 ½-length win in the Parx Summer Sprint Stakes on Aug. 24. His trainer says his horse does not need the lead to win.

“He won a race at Belmont (Gold Fever on May 9) and he stumbled out of the gate, righted himself, and ran really well,” Reid said. “He is just an honest horse.”

Reid has also entered 6-year-old Smooth B in the five-furlong Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster and Ninetypercentbrynn in the $200,000 Plum Pretty at 1 1/16 miles.

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Vequist, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies champion, had been preparing to return off a seven-month layoff this week, but an issue was discovered after her latest workout.

“She had a minor setback coming out of her last work and will be off for rest of the year,” trainer Butch Reid told DRF.

The 3-year-old daughter of Nyquist has only started once in 2021, running ninth in the G2 Davona Dale on Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park. She completed five workouts at Saratoga this summer, and Reid had planned to enter her in an allowance race on Thursday.

Search Results, winner of the G1 Acorn and a valiant second to Malathaat in the Kentucky Oaks, has also been taken out of training. Trainer Chad Brown said the filly, most recently third in the G1 Test Stakes, does not have any series issues. She just needs a break from the races.

“I'm really looking forward to running her in mile-and-an-eighth races next year,” Brown told DRF. “That was a really good race in the Oaks. If she can just get a couple of lengths faster as a 4-year-old, she's a real player in these mile-and-an-eighth races all over the place next year.”

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The 105th edition of the Adirondack, named for the mountain range in eastern New York, has been the proving ground for many future champions, with modern-era winners encompassing Sky Beauty, My Miss Aurelia, Folklore, Sacahuista, Storm Song, and Smart Angle, who have used this race as a springboard.

The Adirondack is slated as Race 8 on the 10-race card, which also includes the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational as the second leg of the Turf Triple series for 3-year-old fillies going 1 3/16 miles, and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for older fillies and mares going one-mile on the inner turf.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled last year's Adirondack-winner Thoughtfully, looks to repeat and capture his fourth overall victory in the race by sending out Wicked Halo.

Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Wicked Halo arrives with strong credentials as she is the daughter of the 2015 winner Just Wicked and the 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

“They're basically twins,” said Asmussen, who trained both the homebred Just Wicked and Gun Runner for the Winchell Family, when asked to compare this filly and her dam.

Wicked Halo graduated from the maiden ranks at first asking in June on a muddy Lone Star Park track. Elevated to stakes company last out, she faded to third after leading until late in the six-furlong Debutante on June 26 at Churchill Downs. She will now be asked to go a half-furlong further.

“Wicked Halo deserves the chance. I ran her back fairly quick after the Debutante from the one hole. It could have been different for her,” said Asmussen. “The Gun Runners have run extremely well, and obviously, that's exciting to us. I do believe that every single one of them will continue to improve with distance and with time, just like he did. It means a little more to us when we send out one of his babies.”

Jose Ortiz will ride from post 7.

Another filly in the field with famous family ties is Swilcan Stable' homebred Mainstay, a half-sister to Vequist, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning 2-Year-Old Filly and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies victress.

Mainstay, co-owned by LC Racing, romped to a 7 3/4-length score in the slop at Monmouth Park her first time out and then was the runner-up in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on Saratoga's Opening Day after an inauspicious start to her race.

“I think she raced a little greenly last time,” said trainer Butch Reid, who also conditions Vequist. “She got a little distracted through the lane. I don't know if it was the people in the grandstand or what exactly it was, but since that race her concentration has been much better in the mornings and she's not paying any attention to any of that kind of stuff, so I expect her to run a much better race.

“I think her experience can only help her this time,” he added. “I normally wouldn't have raced her back this quickly, but she came out of it great and very determined and very serious, so we're going. I think she just needs a little seasoning and I think having these races under her belt will be nothing but a benefit to her. You can't live on reputation alone. Now she's riding on her big sister V's coattails, but she's got to prove it on her own.”

Joel Rosario will have the call from post 8.

Joel Politi's Microbiome also garnered attention by winning her debut by 5 1/2 lengths on the same day as the Schuylerville. The Tom Amoss trainee drew the outside post 9 with Tyler Gaffalione returning to ride in Microbiome's first stakes appearance.

“She's exciting. She showed a lot of talent to us before we ever ran her,” said Amoss, who also trained 2020 Grade 1 Ballerina-winner Serengeti Empress for Politi. We knew coming up here and debuting her was going to be going against the heavy heads, but I thought she really performed well and that gives us a real reason to think she has a chance on Sunday.”

From the inside post, J L's Rockette will look to build on her first-out win on June 27 at Ellis Park for Hall of Famer trainer Bill Mott. Owner Frank Fletcher names all of his horses for his beloved dog Rockette, and J L's Rockette got her moniker after he purchased this daughter of Into Mischief for $750,000.

“She's progressed nicely since she's been here from Kentucky,” said Mott, who is lacking an Adirondack victory on his lengthy Hall of Fame resume. “We've got several good works in her. She seems like with the additional training she's become stronger and fitter, but she'll have to be stronger and fitter to compete with this group.”

Junior Alvarado will be in the irons.

Ontheonesandtwos is a filly on the upswing after closing strongly in a runner-up Debutante effort by lone length, following her winning first-out performance at Churchill Downs in May for trainer Norm Casse.

“I think she's doing really well and we're excited about running in the Adirondack and seeing what the future holds,” Casse said. “It's a pretty good test but I think she's ready. She's done really well since we got her up here and her last breeze was excellent so it's time to see where she fits with all of these other good fillies.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride the daughter of Jimmy Creed for the first time, breaking from post 2.

“He's been working her, and he likes her,” Casse said. “It's time to see where she fits. I know I'm running a horse that's doing well and is happy. That's all you can hope for.”

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will saddle Interstatedaydream, a daughter of 2016 champion Juvenile Colt Classic Empire. She won her debut at Belmont Park in June by a head in a game effort. Luis Saez will ride from post 6.

Rounding out the field is Saucy Lady T, for trainer James Chapman [post 3, Manny Franco]; Shesawildjoker, for conditioner David Donk [Hall of Famer John Velazquez, post 4]; and the Gregory Sacco-trained Boss Lady Kim [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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