Bobby's Kitten shortens up in Hall of Fame
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Having ascertained that 1 1/4 miles is probably a little beyond Bobby’s Kitten’s comfort zone, trainer Chad Brown will turn his 3-year-old turf specialist back to a more suitable distance, hoping to get him back on the winning track Friday at Saratoga in the 1 1/16-mile National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes.
Bobby’s Kitten likely will be favored to beat a competitive group in the Grade 2, $200,000 Hall of Fame, which also includes top contenders Long On Value, Bashart, and So Lonesome.
Bobby’s Kitten finished eighth, beaten more than 14 lengths by Mr Speaker, after prompting the pace for the opening mile of the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Derby. In his previous start, Bobby’s Kitten was an impressive 2 3/4-length winner of Penn National’s Penn Mile. Bobby’s Kitten, third after setting the pace to late stretch in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, won his maiden at Saratoga last summer as a prelude to an easy victory in the Grade 3 Pilgrim.
Javier Castellano rode Bobby’s Kitten in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and will be aboard Friday from the outside post.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Bobby's Kitten. Trainer Chad Brown and jockey Javier Castellano have combined for 6 wins in 15 starts with a $2.47 ROI over the past two years at Saratoga in turf routes following a layoff of between 31 and 45 days.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
“I think the Belmont Derby was just a little too far for him, and Javier took care of him once he realized he couldn’t get the trip,” said Brown. “He’s been training real well up here, and I think the post is going to give him some options out there.”
Long On Value has finished second in his last two starts, including the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in May. A son of Value Plus, Long On Value could not quite overcome an unlucky trip when beaten a length going a mile in the Manila last out at Belmont Park.
“We had a rough trip, got checked on the inside and had to come around, and he finished on the outside fence,” said trainer Bill Mott.
KEY CONTENDERS
Bobby’s Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 69-95-53)
◗ Has shown tons of ability when at his best but has been well beaten in two of his last three starts, with both those losses coming in Grade 1 company.
◗ Should trip out nicely from the outside; expect to see him stalking the pace of So Lonesome and perhaps Bashart.
◗ Figures to be overbet while dropping out of Grade 1 company. He has been favored in all his starts but his last.
Long On Value (Last 3 Beyers: 87-79-83)
◗ An improving 3-year-old who earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in his last start despite an eventful trip.
◗ Has yet to win beyond 5 1/2 furlongs and did hang some in his two starts at this distance, although both of those races came against graded stakes opposition.
Bashart (Last 3 Beyers: 83-75-75)
◗ He has shown an affinity for the local turf course, having won a pair of races here last summer, including the Grade 2 With Anticipation.
◗ A blinker experiment ended quickly following a troubled fifth-place finish in the Manila.
◗ Earned his best Beyer last out despite an unlucky trip and having been idle almost eight months since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
So Lonesome (Last 3 Beyers: 85-87-76)
◗ Has shown improved speed with the addition of blinkers and enters the race off the two best races of his career from a Beyer standpoint.
◗ He turned in a very impressive work over the Oklahoma turf course July 25, according to the DRF Clocker Report.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Give No Quarter. Trainer Graham Motion and jockey Rajiv Maragh have combined for 1 win in 14 starts with a $0.98 ROI over the past five years in turf routes at Saratoga.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
– additional reporting by David Grening