Competitive Edge gets class, distance relief in King’s Bishop
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After taking on American Pharoah earlier this month going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 1 Haskell, it is safe to say Competitive Edge will be getting decided class and distance relief when turning back to seven furlongs Saturday in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga.
Competitive Edge seemed to be on the road to stardom after opening his career with four consecutive one-sided victories, including the Grade 1 Hopeful at 2 and the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile this spring, but a dull performance as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens brought that streak to a screeching halt on Belmont Stakes Day. Trainer Todd Pletcher decided to give the son of Super Saver an opportunity to compete at two turns for the first time in the Haskell. Competitive Edge set the pace to the stretch before weakening to finish fourth behind American Pharoah, Keen Ice, and Upstart.
“He went very fast, and I’m not sure he won’t handle a little added distance when you don’t have American Pharoah breathing down your neck,” Pletcher said of Competitive Edge’s performance in the Haskell. “I thought he ran okay considering, and we’re looking forward to backing him up to seven-eighths. He’s trained very well, and we look for him to rebound with a big performance.”
A field of 11 3-year-olds will contest the King’s Bishop, and Holy Boss, not Competitive Edge, arguably is the one to beat. Holy Boss brings a four-race winning streak into the King’s Bishop, including a convincing 2 1/4-length triumph over Requite in the Grade 2 Amsterdam here four weeks ago.
The field also includes the graded stakes winners March, who turned in a game effort to capture the Woody Stephens, and Grand Bili who ships up from Florida after upsetting the odds-on Barbados in the Grade 3 Carry Back at Gulfstream Park.
Rounding out the talented lineup are the multiple graded stakes-placed Mr. Z and Classy Class; the undefeated Watershed and Limousine Liberal; the once-beaten Runhappy; Commute; and Loose On the Town.
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Key contenders
Competitive Edge (Last 3 Beyers: 94-73-102)
* Pletcher said he is dismissing Competitive Edge’s poor performance in the Woody Stephens.
“We had a virus in the barn, and I think he was adversely affected even though he wasn’t showing any clinical symptoms,” said Pletcher.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Competitive Edge. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 14-1-2-2 with a $0.51 ROI over the past two years going route to sprint in graded stakes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Holy Boss (Last 3 Beyers: 102-100-92)
* Continues to improve from a Beyer standpoint and owns the top figure in the race, along with Competitive Edge, but has yet to win a race beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.
March (Last 3 Beyers: 84-95-89)
* He’s the only other multiple graded stakes winner in the field, along with Competitive Edge, having added the Woody Stephens to his earlier victory in the Grade 3 Bay Shore, and he is perfect in two starts at seven furlongs.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 March. Trainer Chad Brown is 36-1-3-3 with a $0.14 ROI over the past five years in dirt Grade 1 stakes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Grand Bili (Last 3 Beyers: 98-91-62)
* His only poor effort in five starts came at Pimlico in the Chick Lang Stakes, in which he lunged leaving the gate to break behind the field.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Watershed. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 6-3-1-1 with a $4.21 ROI over the past two years in graded stakes in the second career start following a winning debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Mr. Z. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is 114-3-11-7 with a $0.58 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan