Crazy Mason aims to take advantage of stretch in Vosburgh

ELMONT, N.Y. – Crazy Mason will likely have a lot to do turning for home in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park. But with the elongated stretch at the new Belmont – it’s 125 feet longer than the old track – he’ll have a lot of extra time and room to get it done.

Crazy Mason is one of many contenders in what appears to be a wide-open renewal of the Vosburgh, a seven-furlong race that drew a field of 10 with a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland up for grabs.

Crazy Mason has not won since he took the Grade 2 Carter at Aqueduct in April 2025. But in seven of his nine straight defeats, Crazy Mason has run well, including a narrow defeat in the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 at Saratoga. In that race, he came with a late and wide rally but hung on his left lead until very late in the stretch. He was beaten three-quarters of a length by Hymn but was a head behind T Kraft and Senior Officer, who dead-heated for second.

“The last race was a little heartbreaking,” trainer Gregg Sacco said. “He switched leads very late. If he would have switched on a dime, it could have been a different outcome.”

Crazy Mason has finished third to the likes of T O Elvis and Book’em Danno, horses who would be heavily favored in this spot. Crazy Mason has spent the summer training at Delaware Park, and Sacco felt his most recent half-mile workout in 49 seconds was among his best.

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“We put a horse five lengths in front of him, let him roll by him. Looking forward to running him on Saturday,” Sacco said. “I think this is a very winnable race for him. Some of the top dogs aren’t there.”

Manny Franco rides Crazy Mason from post 7.

Senior Officer and T Kraft are back in this spot. Senior Officer had won three straight races before the Forego.

Buttah and Doc Sullivan finished one-two in the John Morrissey Stakes for New York-breds, with Doc Sullivan rallying from 12th in what was his first start off a nine-month layoff. He came back to just miss in a one-mile allowance at Saratoga. Doc Sullivan is trained by Amelia Green, who also entered the speedy Contrary Thinking.

Peter Miller has shipped in from California the late-running Moonlight, who was second in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien and third in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby, both at Del Mar.

Bring the Smoke, El Grande O, and Ignite the Light complete the field.

Gallant Bloom

R Disaster ran the worst race of her career four weeks ago in the Grade 1 Ballerina. Handicappers will have to determine whether that was the beginning of the end or just a blip on the radar for the Grade 1-winning 5-year-old mare when she runs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes.

Prior to the Ballerina, R Disaster had run first or second in 15 of 16 starts, including a victory in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in May and the Gallant Bloom last September at Aqueduct.

She had a physical issue that forced her to miss the Honorable Miss in July, which would have been her prep for the Ballerina. In the Ballerina, she chased a hot early pace before backing up, finishing 15 1/2 lengths behind Ways and Means.

“It was never going to be ideal preparation after we missed the Honorable Miss,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Definitely not prepared well enough off the layoff. She chased, she made a brief run, it took a toll on her. Tyler [Gaffalione] wrapped up on her and took care of her.”

R Disaster has had uninterrupted training since the Ballerina, including a three-furlong blowout in 35.80 seconds Tuesday morning in Saratoga. More to her liking, the Gallant Bloom doesn’t appear to have much other early speed in the field.

“If she breaks cleanly, I think she’s the controlling pace of the race,” Joseph said.

Munnings Express, who breaks from the rail, also has some speed if jockey Manny Franco elects to use it.

Joseph also runs Paradise City, who finished fifth, 11 3/4 lengths behind Ways and Means, in the Ballerina, one race after winning the Saylorville at Prairie Meadows.

“She ran decent in the Ballerina. She made a run and flattened out,” Joseph said. “She needs to be covered up as long as possible. She runs her best races like that.”

Beauty Reigns took advantage of a super-hot pace to win a July 23 allowance race at Saratoga. She beat Senza Parole and Munnings Express, both of whom came back to win their next starts. All three fillies are in the Gallant Bloom.

Senza Parole’s win came in the mud, which may serve her well given the weekend forecast.

Queen Jubilee is 2 for 2 this year, her wins coming at Fair Grounds in January and Colonial Downs in August.

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