Doc Sullivan, Mischief Joke top scratch-reduced Mike Lee Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The complexion of Sunday’s $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes at Saratoga, a seven-furlong dash for New York-breds, changed dramatically when trainer Rudy Rodriguez confirmed Friday that Antonio of Venice would be scratched from the race after coming back sore following a bullet work here Tuesday.

Antonio of Venice has dominated the New York-bred sprint division for 3-year-old males over the past six months and would have been a prohibitive favorite in the Mike Lee. He has won three stakes during that period, including the Damon Runyon by 9 1/2 lengths on March 17 at Aqueduct.

“The X-rays came back negative, so hopefully the injury is little more than a stone bruise he might have picked up during or returning from the work, and the setback will be a short one,” Rodriguez said.

Antonio of Venice’s defection will leave a field of just five in the Mike Lee. The small but well-matched group includes Doc Sullivan, a distant second behind Antonio of Venice in the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series in mid-April, and Mischief Joke, who in his 3-year-old debut handed the division leader his lone setback in his last four starts.

Doc Sullivan is in the best form of his career at the present time for trainer Mike Miceli, bouncing out of the Times Square to defeat open, entry-level allowance competition by two lengths going a mile on May 5 at Aqueduct.

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“Obviously the fact Antonio of Venice won’t start is good news for us, although you hate to see something happen to anybody’s horse,” Miceli said.

Doc Sullivan, who has paired up career-best Beyer Speed Figures of 86, indicated he could be sitting on yet another big performance by posting a bullet half-mile drill in 47 seconds over the Belmont Park training track on Monday.

“I really don’t make a habit of working him that fast, but I wanted to put a little zip in him shortening up to seven furlongs after going a mile in his last start,” Miceli explained. “He’s basically a one-run horse and he seems to be doing really well coming into the race.”

Mischief Joke got the early jump on Antonio of Venice, then held that rival off to register a one-length decision in the 6 1/2-furlong Rego Park, which was decided over a sloppy track. He proved no match for Antonio of Venice as the odds-on favorite in the rematch when finishing a distant second in the Damon Runyon.

Elysian Meadows also demands plenty of respect returning to New York-bred company and to the main track after finishing fifth trying turf for the first time in the Woodhaven Stakes. Elysian Meadows, who ran a distant sixth behind stablemate Resilience in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, captured his only two previous tries against statebreds when launching his career last fall at Aqueduct.

The field is completed by That’s Money, who also is perfect in two starts against New York-breds but finished a tiring fourth behind Doc Sullivan in their only previous meeting, and the maiden winner Grand Opening.

Bouwerie Stakes

The $125,000 Bouwerie, the filly counterpart to the Mike Lee, drew a field of 10 New York-breds topped by the undefeated Sunday Girl. She has won her only two previous starts by a combined 10 1/4 lengths, including the 6 1/2-furlong Park Avenue Stakes in game fashion on April 14 at Aqueduct. She was ridden to victory in both races by jockey Katie Davis.

“She’s stepping into a little bit deeper water on Sunday, but she’s training like she’s going in the right direction,” trainer David Duggan said. “Going seven-eighths for the first time, that’s a question mark, but I think with her running style she can handle it. She’s got tactical speed and I’ll leave the strategy in Katie’s hands. I’m not going to tie her down with any instructions. I think we’ll find out where she stands in the pecking order in the division after this.”

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Sunday Girl is one of three stakes winners in the lineup, joining Caldwell Luvs Gold for trainer Brad Cox and Jeremiah Englehart’s Tricky Temper.

The seven-furlong Bouwerie also features impressive maiden winner La Banquera, who returns on relatively short rest after withstanding race-long pace pressure to capture her career debut in game fashion with a very strong 86 Beyer Speed Figure at Aqueduct just 16 days earlier, and trainer Wesley Ward’s stakes-placed speedster Landed. Both figure to have a large say in the early pace scenario.

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