Belmont: Mohawk represents major class drop for King Kreesa

[bc_video_id:307611:]ELMONT, N.Y. – After facing Breeders’ Cup winners Wise Dan and Little Mike in his last two races, King Kreesa should find the company more to his liking when he heads a field of 12 New York-bred turf runners entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Mohawk Stakes at Belmont Park.

The last time King Kreesa met New York-breds, he won the Kingston Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths here in June. After winning the Grade 3 Poker on July 4, King Kreesa came within 1 1/4 lengths of upsetting Wise Dan, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and Horse of the Year, in the Grade 2 Fourstardave at Saratoga.

In a distance experiment, King Kreesa attempted 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic here on Sept. 28, but when it was evident he would be no factor, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. wrapped up on him, making the running line – he was beaten 40 lengths – look bad.

“I told Irad if you don’t feel like you’re going to be right there just ease him up, don’t keep pushing him if he’s tired and he did just that,” trainer Jeremiah Englehart said. “We went over him the next day. Physically, he was great. The idea was to come back in three weeks if he was okay and he seemed just fine.”

Last Saturday, King Kreesa breezed four furlongs over the Belmont Park turf in 47.10 seconds, a move Englehart said “was pretty cool to watch.”

King Kreesa is likely quicker than Mission Approved, who usually tries to make the lead in marathon races and slow down the pace. Mission Approved, upset winner of the 2011 Manhattan, hasn’t run in 23 months.

Kharafa, Lubash, and Compliance Officer loom the biggest threats to King Kreesa in the 1 1/16-mile Mohawk. Kharafa won the Ashley T. Cole in front-running fashion last out, but has proven effective from off the pace. Lubash won the Fort Marcy over this course and was a good second behind a slow pace to Kharafa last out.

Compliance Officer won this race in 2011 and makes his third start off a 11-month layoff for trainer Bruce Brown, who is putting a small set of blinkers back on the 7-year-old gelding that he wore during his statebred championship season of 2011.

“He’s doing great,” Brown said. “After that long break, he needed those races to get him back to himself. He should get plenty of pace unless everybody decides to take back.”

[bc_video_id:307607:]Effie Trinket in sharp form

Discreet Marq and Dayatthespa, the top two New York-bred turf fillies and mares, are headed elsewhere, leaving the $200,000 Ticonderoga a very competitive race, topped by the 3-year-old filly Effie Trinket.

Effie Trinket defeated Wholelottashakin by a neck in the John Hettinger Stakes on Sept. 15 with Inimitable Romanee, another neck behind in third.

Effie Trinket has won three of her last four starts on turf, her only loss coming to Summer of Fun in the Auntie Mame Stakes at Saratoga.

Rick Violette, the trainer of Effie Trinket, is a little concerned about breaking from the rail as well as having to pick up eight pounds from her last start.

“She’ll get covered up, that might be a new experience for her,” Violette said. “She’s such a pro, she’ll handle it. She picks up eight pounds, I hope she’s good enough to tote it.”

Tom Bush, trainer of Wholelottashakin, isn’t thrilled with her outside draw or the fact this 1 1/16-mile race is a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the Hettinger.

Shakeira has finished first or second in 16 of 21 career starts including a runner-up finish in this race last year.

Frosty Bay, a 3-year-old daughter of Frost Giant, has won three of her last four starts, her last two wins coming in stakes company against 3-year-old fillies.