Always a Suspect stands out in Lost in the Fog

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin hopes Haul Anchor’s upset victory in Thursday’s Damon Runyon Stakes was a harbinger for his stable’s young horses based in New York this holiday weekend.

On Sunday, McLaughlin will send out Always a Suspect in the $100,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds going six furlongs. On Monday the barn will be represented by Takaful and True Timber in the Grade 3, $150,000 Jerome Stakes for 3-year-olds trying to step onto the Triple Crown trail.

Always a Suspect, a son of Exchange Rate, is the only two-time winner entered in the Lost in the Fog, which drew a field of five. Always a Suspect defeated two of these same rivals - Caledonian and Mabrouk – in a starter allowance run over Aqueduct’s main track on Nov. 24. Always a Suspect was widest of all that day and was able to win by a neck over Caledonian, who got an inside run.

In that race, Always a Suspect took advantage of a speed duel that involved Mabrouk, who faded to last. In Sunday’s race, there does not appear to be much early speed other than Mabrouk.

“If he needs to be close or on the lead he can be,” McLaughlin said of Always a Suspect. “He’s a very live horse, probable favorite, and we like our chances.”

Butch Walker, trained by Joe Orseno, rallied from last to win his debut at Monmouth Park on Sept. 24. He hasn’t run back owing to a few minor issues. He has worked five times in the last month at Belmont Park and Orseno believes this race came up a good spot for the colt’s second career start.

“He got a little sick one time, he hit himself another time, we let him get over all that, but he’s ready to run,” Orseno said. “It came up a short field. I’m just hoping the field doesn’t get away from him. It’s a little different than maidens at Monmouth.”

Trainer John Terranova won the Lost in the Fog last year with King Kranz. For Sunday he has both Mabrouk and Caledonian.

Mabrouk looks like the potential lone speed under Irad Ortiz Jr. Terranova, sensing Mabrouk might have “choked up” or displaced in his last start, is equipping the gelding with a tongue tie and nose band for the Lost in the Fog.

Caledonian, Terranova’s other horse, figures to be coming late as does Cape Lookout, a recent maiden winner at Parx Racing who has been training forwardly for trainer Michael Trombetta at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland.

With only five runners, the Lost in the Fog is carded as the third on a nine-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m.