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Kimari Looks to Repeat in Madison

'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) looks to successfully defend her GI Madison S. title Saturday at Keeneland. Twice second at Royal Ascot, the bay kicked off 2021 with a win in Oaklawn's Spring Fever S. and took the Madison next out. Sent to the sidelines after that effort, she was ambitiously spotted for her return off that seven-month layoff in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and she could only manage seventh to stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). Sent through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale just days later, Kimari summoned $2.7 million from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and returned to Wesley Ward's care. She kicked off her 5-year-old campaign with a facile score in a 6 1/2-panel optional claimer on the Gulfstream main track Mar. 3.

Lady Rocket (Tale of the Cat) looks to pick up where she left off at the end of 2021. Earning her black-type victory in the Pink Ribbon S. at Charles Town in August, the dark bay checked in second in the GII Gallant Bloom H. Sept. 26 at Belmont. The Brad Cox trainee captured a sloppy renewal of Belmont's Pumpkin Pie S. Oct. 31 and romped by nine lengths in Aqueduct's GIII Go For Wand H. Dec. 4, earning a gaudy 107 Beyer Speed Figure for the one-turn mile. Cox also saddles the once-beaten GII Inside Information S. winner Just One Time (Not This Time).

Bell's the One (Majesticperfection), winner of the GI Derby City Distaff when run in September of 2020, dead-heated for second behind Kimari in last year's Madison and was fourth in the Derby City Distaff next out. The bay won the Roxelana S. back at Churchill in June and followed suit with a victory in Saratoga's GII Honorable Miss H. in July. A close second in the Open Mind S. beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 18, Bell's the One took this venue's GII TCA S. Oct. 9 and, after skipping the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, rallied to yet another score back in Louisville in the Dream Supreme S. Nov. 13.

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Rising Stars Square Off in the Blue Grass

'TDN Rising Stars' Smile Happy (Runhappy) and Emmanuel (More Than Ready) face off Saturday as they try to secure their spots in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate at Keeneland in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S.

Smile Happy rallied past rivals with ease to take his career bow in style going two turns at Keeneland Oct. 29 and followed suit with a decisive victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27. Splitting foes, the dark bay closed from well back to be second to next-out GII Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (Not This Time) in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds last out Feb. 19. His trainer Ken McPeek also saddles last year's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. winner Rattle N Roll (Connect), who adds blinkers after finishing fourth in the Louisiana Derby.

A dominant debut winner at Gulfstream Dec. 11, Emmanuel wired a Tampa optional claimer next out Jan. 30. The $350,000 KEESEP acquisition was fourth after a wide trip last time in Gulfstream's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5. He is joined by stablemate Commandperformance (Union Rags), who is still maiden of four starts, but finished second in the GI Champagne S. Oct. 2 and was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5.

Jeff Drown's Zandon (Upstart) has been knocking at the door of graded glory and looks to break through here. Opening his account in a Belmont sprint Oct. 9, the dark bay came up a nose short in Aqueduct's nine-panel GII Remsen S. Dec. 4. Hopping at the start of the Risen Star, he launched a five-wide bid, closing to be third.

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Search Results Back in Action in Distaff

Last term's GI Acorn S. heroine and narrow GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Search Results (Flatter) returns to action in Saturday's GIII Distaff H. at Aqueduct. The even-money morning-line favorite concluded her sophomore campaign with a third-place finish as the favorite in the GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga Aug. 7. Search Results is two-for-two at the Big A, including a win in last April's GIII Gazelle S.

“She's doing well. She's freshened up well down at Payson,” trainer Chad Brown said. “This is a good spot and we know that she likes Aqueduct.”

The in-form Glass Ceiling (Constitution), claimed by trainer Charlton Baker for $40,000 last May, enters riding a three-race winning streak, led by Laurel's GIII Barbara Fritchie S. Feb. 19.

Last year's GII Mother Goose S. and GIII Forward Gal S. winner Zaajel (Street Sense) makes her first start since finishing fifth in the GII Beldame S. Oct. 10.

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Pletcher Duo Top Choices in Bay Shore

'TDN Rising Star' Wit (Practical Joke) launches his 3-year-old campaign against nine rivals in Saturday's GIII Bay Shore S.

After beginning his career with a pair of blowout victories despite awkward breaks, led by Saratoga's GIII Sanford S., the 2-1 Bay Shore morning-line favorite was second after stumbling at the start in the GI Hopeful S. Sept. 6 and a well-beaten third in the GI Champagne S. most recently Oct. 2.

“He's doing really well,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We got a good work into him Sunday. Hopefully, he'll break as well as he did in his work on Sunday. He was putting himself in a compromised position in his last couple of starts. Hopefully, he gets away cleanly with the field and not give himself too much to do. It's good to have him back.”

Pletcher will also saddle second-choice Dean's List (Speightstown). Perfect in his first two starts sprinting at Gulfstream this winter, the chestnut set the pace and reported home a well-beaten second behind unbeaten GII Wood Memorial S. morning-line favorite Morello (Classic Empire) going an additional furlong in the one-turn mile GIII Gotham S. Mar. 5.

“He's run well every time,” Pletcher said. “He has natural speed and I think seven furlongs is a good distance for him. I think cutting back from a mile that hopefully he'll be ready to run his best.”

Highly Respected (Dialed In), just a $65,000 KEESEP yearling, heads right into the deep end for trainer Chad Brown following a smart local debut win Feb. 26.

Doctor Jeff (Street Boss), winner of the grassy Atlantic Beach S. last November, is likely to scratch in favor of a turf allowance next week, trainer Rudy Rodriguez told the NYRA notes team.

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