Big Blue Kitten, Slumber go at it again

ELMONT, N.Y. – In the Grade 1 Manhattan, it was Slumber over Big Blue Kitten. In the Grade 1 United Nations, it was Big Blue Kitten over Slumber. In the Grade 1 Arlington Million, it was a near miss for Big Blue Kitten and annihilation for Slumber.

On Saturday, Big Blue Kitten and Slumber will be in the starting gate together for the fourth consecutive time when they face the surging Red Rifle, the consistent Twilight Eclipse, and four others in the Grade 1, $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

The Joe Hirsch, at 1 1/2 miles, is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race program that starts at 12:55 p.m. Eastern.

Big Blue Kitten and Slumber, both trained by Chad Brown, will again have a pacemaker in the field in the form of Shining Copper, who finished third in the Arlington Million and fourth in the United Nations. Brown also trains Shining Copper.

Big Blue Kitten has a 3-2-0 record from six starts at Belmont. He finished fourth to Main Sequence in last year’s Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

“He emerged from the Million in great shape,” Brown said. “I like him on this course, yes, but there are other courses I like him on, too. He ran really well at Arlington even though he was second-best.”

Big Blue Kitten will break from post 3 under Joe Bravo.

Slumber finished fourth in the 2013 Joe Hirsch – a race in which Big Blue Kitten was beaten a nose by Little Mike – but did win the Manhattan over this turf course.

Slumber was nearly put over the rail in the Arlington Million, emerging with lacerations that “were pretty significant,” Brown said. “Thankfully, he’s healed up from them and looks okay.”

Slumber will leave from post 5 under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Red Rifle, the runner-up in the Sword Dancer, has the rail. Twilight Eclipse, beaten a nose in this race last year, has post 4. Perfect Title and Quiet Force complete the field.