Awesome Gent on the rise for Bay Shore
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Not all the best 3-year-olds running at Aqueduct on Saturday are in the $1 million Wood Memorial.
Eight were entered, but Mid-Atlantic-based runners Awesome Speed and Never Gone South were cross-entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Federico Tesio at Laurel and were expected to run there, according to their connections.
Still, it’s a talented sextet that remains.
Awesome Gent, a New York-bred by Awesome Again, has won his last three starts by a combined 18 3/4 lengths. All three wins have come since he was gelded following behavioral issues that led to an eighth-place finish in his debut last summer at Saratoga.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said castration became the solution when extensive work trying to calm Awesome Gent failed.
“He still has his moments where he can still be a little bit explosive, but it seems like it’s made a big difference in his performance,” Pletcher said.
Unified, a Kentucky-bred son of Candy Ride, won his only race by three lengths at Gulfstream Park, running six furlongs in 1:08.95 and earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I never had a horse break that fast in my life,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. “He flew out of there.”
Cocked and Loaded is unraced since finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Sallisaw, King Kranz, and Richie the Bull complete the field.
The first stakes on Saturday’s card is race 3, the Grade 3, $200,000 Excelsior Stakes at 1 1/4 miles. Kid Kruz and Madefromlucky head the five-horse field.
KEY CONTENDERS
Bay Shore Stakes
Awesome Gent, by Awesome Again
Last 3 Beyers: 99-82-76
◗ Seems to be getting better with each race, jumping into open company last out and galloping to a four-length victory in the Jimmy Winkfield.
◗ There was some consideration to stretching him out in the Wood, but the decision was made to keep him sprinting.
“Being a son of Awesome Again, you’d think he’d handle more of a stretch-out,” Pletcher said. “The bottom side of his family is sprinter-type; that’s why we decided to try the gradual stretch-out rather than try the Derby trail.”
Unified, by Candy Ride
Beyer: 99
◗ Although he led all the way under Javier Castellano in his win, Jerkens said the horse doesn’t train like a need-the-lead type.
“He’s got speed, but from what he does in the morning, he doesn’t look like he has to have the lead,” Jerkens said. “You never know till the nitty-gritty, but he sure doesn’t act like he has to have the lead. We worked him behind horses, and he took a lot of dirt.”
◗ With Castellano at Keeneland, the white-hot Jose Ortiz has the mount.
Excelsior Stakes
Kid Cruz, by Lemon Drop Kid
Last 3 Beyers: 102-89-95
◗ Though he may be compromised by a lack of pace, trainer Linda Rice believes the distance will help him overcome that.
“He clearly can do the distance, and I think that’s a big hurdle that a lot of horses will struggle with,” Rice said.
Madefromlucky, by Lookin At Lucky
Last 3 Beyers: 94-89-101
◗ Failed to fire when third in the Stymie over the inner track March 13. Did run a good second in the Discovery to stablemate Tommy Macho in his lone try over the main track.
“Thought we niggled on him a little too much trying to keep him close in a somewhat paceless race on a speed-favoring track,” Pletcher said. “I think the mile and a quarter should suit him well, as will the move to the outer track.”