A last out runaway stakes winner will meet a pair of promising maiden winners in Saturday's GIII Claiborne Farm Swale S. going seven furlongs at Gulfstream.
Save a forgettable trip to the post losing his rider at the start in the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta last November, Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music) has done no wrong in three other attempts, headed by a runaway, front-running tally in Gulfstream's six-furlong Limehouse S. Jan. 2.
“The Swale is a good opportunity to stretch him out an eighth of a mile more. We feel like it's a race that's his for the taking,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “His last race was a breakthrough race. We always thought a lot of him.”
The rail-drawn Likeable (Frosted) earned a trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile following an 8 1/4-length maiden breaker at Belmont going a mile second out Sept. 19. The bay, however, could do no better than 13th after pressing a hot pace while making his two turn debut at the Championships in Lexington most recently Nov. 6.
“We kind of threw him to the wolves in the Breeders' Cup. He went too fast early on,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We've regrouped since then and he's been training well. We feel like backing up to seven furlongs will be a good distance for him.”
By George (Into Mischief) impressively handled his business on debut for Christophe Clement over sharp next out winner Too Boss (El Padrino) at Aqueduct Dec. 19. Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call on the 2-1 morning-line favorite.
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