Bay of Plenty an elusive target in Queens County

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Godolphin Racing bring a solid one-two punch of Bay of Plenty and Watershed into Saturday’s $125,000 Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct.

Bay of Plenty, who returns to the dirt for the first time in 15 months, looks like the main speed of the Queens County under the red-hot Jose Ortiz, while Watershed, a nonfactor in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup two months ago, figures to be running late under Kendrick Carmouche.

Unbridled Juan, War Story, Sunny Ridge, and Discreet Lover round out the six-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. The Queens County shares billing with the $150,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes for juveniles on the nine-race program.

Bay of Plenty, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, was a front-running winner of the 1 1/8-mile Alydar Stakes at Saratoga in August 2015. He made one more start that year, a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodward. In subsequent training, Bay of Plenty sustained a condylar fracture to his right hind leg.

He made it back to the races in October, running second in a turf allowance behind Night Prowler, who came back to run third in the Artie Schiller Stakes. Bay of Plenty came back to run second again in a turf allowance behind Fire Away.

“He ran very well on turf twice but did not seem to improve, so we’re back to dirt,” McLaughlin said.

Watershed, a 4-year-old son of Bernardini, won a second-level allowance at Saratoga before finishing a nonthreatening third in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth and fifth and last in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“He needs to step up probably,” McLaughlin said.

Unbridled Juan, coming off an allowance win going a one-turn mile over the main track Nov. 11, looks like the main threat to the McLaughlin duo.

KEY CONTENDERS

Bay of Plenty, by Medaglia d’Oro

Last 3 Beyers: 98-97-99

◗ Looks like the primary speed in the field.

“Hopefully, they leave him alone,” McLaughlin said.

◗ Won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 7 1/4 lengths over the inner track in March 2014.

Unbridled Juan, by Unbridled’s Song

Last 3 Beyers: 99-86-87

◗ Won a high-quality allowance race over the main track. Third-place finisher Doyouknowsomething came back to win in allowance company Dec. 9.

◗ Has never finished worse than third in 14 career starts.

◗ Figures to get a ground-saving, inside stalking trip from the rail under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Watershed, by Bernardini

Last 3 Beyers: 88-95-99

◗ Was overmatched and broke poorly in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.

◗ Had to steady down the backstretch in the Iselin when a horse broke down in front of him, and he finished behind Baccelo and Mr. Jordan.