Ahead of Plan and Castellano form tough team in allowance
The dynamic duo of Ahead of Plan and Javier Castellano will be reunited on Friday at Belmont when Ahead of Plan returns from a five-month layoff going six furlongs on the inner turf in the featured allowance.
A 5-year-old owned by Klaravich Stables, Ahead of Plan took back-to-back grass sprints in front-running style last year under Castellano. His victory over $40,000 maidens in August at Saratoga came in a rapid time of 1:01.20 for the 5 1/2 furlongs, which was good for an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. He doubled up in a $50,000 starter allowance over seven furlongs on Oct. 1 at Belmont, when he got an 84 Beyer in a half-length score.
Ahead of Plan went on to finish a close third in a first-level allowance on Nov. 19 at Aqueduct, earning a career-best turf Beyer of 86 under Manny Franco. He went to the sidelines after coming up empty on the dirt on Dec. 11 at Aqueduct.
Ahead of Plan has worked regularly since early April for trainer Chad Brown, who had a 27 percent strike rate with 61- to 180-day layoff runners in turf sprints during the past five years.
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Ahead of Plan is drawn well outside the other entrants with speed – By George, Into the Sunrise, and Yes and Yes.
By George has run two clunkers on dirt since graduating impressively at first asking on the main track on Dec. 19 at Aqueduct. A son of 14 percent grass sire Into Mischief, By George is a half-brother to minor stakes winner Arizona Moon, who’s the only winner from three turf starters from his dam.
Shiraz finished second to the favored Big Package in last Sunday’s featured second-level allowance for statebreds. The 7-year-old’s red-hot trainer, Mike Maker, has won at an 18 percent clip with one- to seven-day comebackers on turf over the last five years.
Hurricane Hill has been idle since capturing a $50,000 starter allowance traveling a mile on Dec. 4 at Aqueduct. He won a pair of conditioned-claiming turf sprints last summer for trainer Linda Rice.
Rounding out the field are Gulfstream maiden winner Comedy Town and main-track-only entrant Wudda U Think Now.
The headliner goes as the eighth of nine races at 4:40 p.m.
Friday’s opener, a maiden-special dash for 2-year-old New York-breds, contains some expensive first-time starters, including Coinage, a $450,000 Keeneland yearling purchase by Tapit. Trained by Mark Casse, Coinage is the first foal from Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold, who won on debut at 2.
Maker sends out Churchill Downs shipper Barese, a $150,000 2-year-old purchase by Laoban.