City Man tough to beat in Kingston with repeat of last

ELMONT, N.Y. – Last December, City Man ran the worst race of his life when he was eased in the Alex M. Robb Stakes on dirt. Earlier this month, City Man ran the best race of his life when he was second in a deep renewal of the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes on turf.

Monday, City Man will look to build off that solid 4-year-old debut when he drops back into New York-bred company in the $125,000 Kingston Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on turf. His trainer, Christophe Clement, entered Saturday’s card as the leading trainer at the meet with 18 wins, all of them coming over the Belmont turf.

City Man didn’t win the Fort Marcy, but his runner-up finish to Tribhuvan resulted in a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, a career best. His previous best speed figure came when he won the Gio Ponti going 1 1/16 miles on good turf at Aqueduct last November. He is a two-time winner on dirt.

“I have not turned the page on dirt, it’s just at the moment the Fort Marcy was a really strong race, maybe the best race of his life,” Clement said. “It’s difficult to change surfaces right now. He’s a nice horse and he’s doing very well.”

While weather could be an issue Monday, Clement said City Man would run whether the turf is firm, soft, or even if the race is moved to dirt.

Jose Ortiz rides City Man from post 4.

Clement, who has won this race three times including its last running in 2019 with Gucci Factor, also sends out Therapist, a nine-time winner who is coming off a sixth in the Elusive Quality Stakes here on April 24. Clement said he doesn’t have a legitimate excuse for the performance, but said the horse has bounced back in his training and he wants to run him back. Clement said Therapist would not run on soft ground.

Trainer Chad Brown won this race in 2017-18 with Offering Plan. Monday, he runs Graded On a Curve, a 5-year-old gelding who makes his first start in a stakes race. He had three wins and a second in four starts last year. This will be his first start since winning an open allowance last November.

“He’s in a tough spot here, particularly off a layoff and a big step up in class,” Brown said. “I think this male New York-bred turf division always seems to be pretty solid. Even as some of the stalwarts retire, it seems like other ones come and take their place. I’m going to start him here to see if he can join the gang, so to speak. His numbers look like he’s right there or almost there.”

Rinaldi beat Graded On a Curve in a statebred allowance race last July, then came back to win the West Point Stakes. In his lone start this year, Rinaldi finished second, beaten just three-quarters of a length by Delaware in the Dangers Hour Stakes. He looms the primary speed in the Kingston.

Cross Broder is a consistent open stakes performer. He has run better at Saratoga than at Belmont Park, where he is 0 for 6.

Sanctuary City has won his last three. Mo Ready and Dot Matrix complete the field on turf. Control Group and Vintage Hollywood are entered for the main track.

Mount Vernon Stakes

Last year, Myhartblongstodady went 3 for 3 in New York-bred company, including wins in the Yaddo Stakes at Saratoga and the Ticonderoga at Belmont.

Monday, she returns to statebred company as the horse to beat in the $125,000 Mount Vernon Stakes going a mile.

Myhartblongstodady is coming off a third-place finish behind Regal Glory and Platinum Paynter in the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct on April 11. Though her three wins last year came when she was able to secure an early lead, she has run well from off the pace as well.

“If somebody wants to be on the lead, they can have it and I could tuck in right behind, but if she can make an easy lead I’m going to take advantage of it,” trainer Jorge Abreu said.

Abreu said he was also confident his mare could handle soft ground.

Myhartblongstodady will be reunited with Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for all three wins last year.

Classic Lady was third to Myhartblongstodady in the Yaddo last September. She has not run since, but her trainer, Clement, is very high on how the filly is training leading up to the race. He would not like to see the turf too soft on Monday.

“I’ve always thought she was much, much better on firmer turf than softer turf, but we’ll have to go with the flow,” Clement said.

The speedy Robin Sparkles came off the bench with a second-place finish in the License Fee Stakes going six furlongs on April 30. This will be her first try going a mile, though she did win a starter allowance going seven furlongs here last fall.

Pecatonica is coming off an allowance win over good ground here on May 7 for trainer Tom Bush. Giacosa, Kilkea, Two Cent Tootsie, Vienna Code, and Dancingwthdaffodls complete the field.