Dagnabit goes for powerhouse ship-in barn

Trainer Rick Dutrow has a huge chance to win the New York Breeders' Futurity at Finger Lakes for the second straight year when he saddles the unbeaten colt Dagnabit on Saturday in the $318,000 six-furlong stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds.

Dagnabit, a son of Freud, has won his three starts by a collective 7 1/4 lengths, including back-to-back stakes in the $105,000 Tremont at Belmont in June and the $144,000 Aspirant at Finger Lakes a month ago.

Dutrow, who won last year's Futurity with the filly By the Light, owns an 8-for-15 record with the horses he has shipped to Finger Lakes the past three years, according to DRF's Formulator.

Dagnabit will race coupled with Legal Consent, a maiden trained by Carlos Martin. The colt comes back just nine days after running second in his career debut at Belmont.

Based on Beyer Speed Figures, Five Star Chowdair and the filly Mother Russia are fast enough to threaten the favorite.

Five Star Chowdair comes off a wire-to-wire maiden win at Saratoga in which he earned a 78 Beyer, matching the figure Dagnabit was awarded for his win in the Aspirant. Of the two maidens who have come back to run again, third-place finisher Brockly Rob beat a weak group at Belmont with a 54 Beyer, which doesn't exactly flatter Five Star Chowdair.

Mother Russia earned a 79 Beyer for a romp in her career debut at Saratoga, but ran more than a second slower than Dagnabit and got only a 61 Beyer for winning the $156,000 Lady Finger on the same card as the Aspirant. Her trainer, Linda Rice, took third with the filly Canadian Ballet in last year's Futurity.

Coli Bear returns in Proud Puppy

Coli Bear, who was good enough to win a minor stakes at Monmouth Park in June, returns from a two-month layoff in the $50,000 Proud Puppy Handicap (race 7).

The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares also attracted the Delaware Park-based Salt Water Reign, who was competitive against New York-bred stakes sprinters in her last two starts, and Sweet Lorena, a seven-time winner locally who was second in the Arctic Queen and third in the Susan B. Anthony earlier this season.