Alydar Stakes drawn, but field still in flux

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s advisable to wait until scratch time to really delve into handicapping Sunday’s $100,000 Alydar Stakes at Saratoga.

Six were entered, but not all are likely to run. Breaking Lucky was entered by trainer Reade Baker as a backup plan in case the track for Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney Stakes came up muddy. But even if he scratches out of the Whitney, Breaking Lucky is not definite to start in the Alydar, Baker said Friday.

“I might scratch twice,” Baker said, noting that he could wait for the Woodward on Sept. 2.

Mohaymen is another whose starting status is not definite. Mohaymen is also entered for the main track only in Saturday’s $100,000 Lure Stakes. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Friday that he still has to talk with his owners to decide whether to run in either spot.

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Mohaymen’s strength in the Alydar field would be that he could possibly be the main speed breaking from the rail under Junior Alvarado. He will be equipped with blinkers for the first time.

Conquest Windycity, Rally Cry, and Mo Tom are all expected to run.

Rally Cry is taking a significant drop in class coming off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. Prior to that, he won a second-level allowance race at Belmont in April, earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

Conquest Windycity is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows on July 8. Prior to that, he was third in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special and had won an allowance at Keeneland.

“He’s been training well over this track, and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “I was a little disappointed in his last race, but he got stuck down inside, and that’s just not his thing. I’m just hoping he can get back to his best form here on Sunday.”

Mo Tom has not won since taking the Ohio Derby in June 2016. His form has been spotty since then, but in his last race, he finished a closing third in the Michael G. Schaefer at Indiana Grand.

“I think there’s more to Mo Tom than what we’ve seen,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “He clipped heels early in the Stephen Foster, which totally took him out of the race, so that is an absolute throw-out of a race.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Rally Cry, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 91-105-99

◗ Takes a significant drop in class after running sixth in the Grade 1 Met Mile.

◗ His last two races before that are good enough to win this.

Conquest Windycity, by Tiznow
Last 3 Beyers: 86-96-96

◗ Three starts back, he was a pace factor when winning a second-level allowance going two turns at Keeneland.

Mo Tom, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 96-85-88

◗ Amoss said he was very impressed with Mo Tom’s second-place finish in a one-turn-mile allowance at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

“We won a Grade 1 race Derby weekend, but Mo Tom’s performance was the best we had Derby weekend,” Amoss said. “He was caught behind a slow pace and had to go around everybody and still ran big.”

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch