Belmont: Pretty Boy Freud looking renewed

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

Pretty Boy Freud, with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding, wins the Corma Ray Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Pretty Boy Freud won last month’s Corma Ray at Belmont Park, it was the first stakes victory for trainer Leo O’Brien in 12 years.

As long as Pretty Boy Freud stays sound and healthy, O’Brien shouldn’t have to wait that long for his next stakes success.

Pretty Boy Freud will seek his third consecutive victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Hudson Stakes at Belmont Park against a field that includes the previous two Hudson winners, General Maximus (2010) and Driven by Success (2009).

Pretty Boy Freud had lost 13 consecutive races – 10 on turf – before he won a first-level allowance race against open company when put back on dirt at Saratoga on Travers Day. He followed that up with a decisive 6 1/2-length victory in the Corma Ray Stakes for New York-breds on Sept. 28 at 8-1.

O’Brien explained that the only reason he put Pretty Boy Freud on the turf was because the horse had bad feet and he thought “the grass might be easier on him,” he said.

O’Brien added he felt Pretty Boy Freud wasn’t always putting forth maximum effort in his races, so following a last-place finish in a race at Saratoga on July 23, he had Pretty Boy Freud gelded and felt that made a significant difference.

Both of Pretty Boy Freud’s wins have come at seven furlongs. Saturday, he cuts back to six furlongs.

“That’s a little bit of worry,” O’Brien said. “But I think he likes Belmont. I actually hope they go quick enough and then he can sit further back.”

Irad Otiz Jr., the apprentice who has risen to third-leading rider at the meet, has the call from post 9.

General Maximus won this race last year, running six furlongs in 1:08.84. He is winless in four starts since.

General Maximus hasn’t run since finishing fourth in an open company allowance race at Monmouth in June. Since then, he has had surgery to remove an undescended testicle, turning him into a ridgling.

Terranova said he has not seen General Maximus - a flashy-looking chestnut son of Freud - train any better than he is right now.

“I’ve never seen him this good,” Terranova said. “It’s probably as good as we’ve ever seen him train. He drew great in the race, I’m really happy.”

General Maximus will break from post 7 under Corey Nakatani.

Driven by Success won this race in 2009 and was fourth in it last year. He will be coupled in the wagering with Be Bullish, who finished second to General Maximus in last year’s Hudson.

Preachintothedevil won the Mike Lee sprinting over this track in June. Smokin Hero, Law Enforcement, Bug Juice, and Dr Disco complete the deep field.