Breakin the Fever eyes third FL Horse of the Year title

For three seasons Finger Lakes has been Breakin the Fever’s playground. He is 16 for 19 at the upstate wine country track, has won five stakes there, and was voted horse of the meet in both 2015 and 2016.

In June, he won the George W. Barker Stakes for the second straight year. On Monday, he will be heavily favored to win his third consecutive Leon Reed Memorial. A win would likely ice his third Finger Lakes Horse of the Year title.

Breakin the Fever, 5, is 4 for 6 this year for Ronnie and Debra Breed, who bred him, own him, and train him. Since 2014, he has earned a few dollars shy of $535,000.

Still, nobody is going to concede the Reed Memorial to Breakin the Fever. He has not been as dominating this year as last, and his Beyer Speed Figures have dipped.

In his lone local loss this season, Breakin the Fever was beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Sundae On Sunday, whom he has consistently handled the past few years. In his first two starts of the year, he gutted out wins by a head and a half-length.

Sundae On Sunday, whom Breakin the Fever came back to beat by two lengths in a Sept. 11 overnight handicap, also is entered in the Reed. A 10-time winner, he is now 8 and has won only one of his last 14 starts.

The horse Breakin the Fever will have to deal with Monday is the lightly raced Foreset, who leading trainer Jeremiah Englehart ships in from his Belmont Park stable. Foreset, a winner of three of nine starts, is fast and will test Breakin the Fever on the front end.

Foreset earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure when third in his last start, a number higher than Breakin the Fever has laid down this year. Leading rider John Davila Jr. will ride Foreset.

Reed Memorial, Race 8

Key Contenders

Foreset, by Forestry

Last 3 Beyers: 85-91-79

◗ Claimed out of a $40,000 maiden race in August 2016 by Englehart, he won under first- and second-level allowance conditions at Aqueduct in January and February before going to the sidelines for six months

◗ He should move forward off his comeback race, which was won by the stakes-quality Mr. Crow.

◗ Englehart also has entered longshot Zoo Yorker in the six-horse field.

Breakin the Fever, by Roaring Fever

Last 3 Beyers: 80-81-52

◗ He is well drawn in post 5, outside of Foreset, who has the rail.

◗ Jockey Nazario Alvarado will be aboard for the 13th straight race.

Peter’s Project, by Anasheed

Last 3 Beyers: 71-81-67

◗ Like Sundae On Sunday, he is trained by Michael Ferraro. Peter’s Project, 7, finished third to Breakin the Fever and Sundae On Sunday last time out but if the pace collapses he could find himself in a position to benefit.