Domestic Spending, Colonel Liam rematch highlights Manhattan
ELMONT, N.Y. – The Arlington Million is now the $600,000 Mister D, leaving the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan Stakes as the preeminent 1 1/4-mile grass race in North America, and Saturday’s renewal does not disappoint.
Ten are entered, a blockbuster group that includes Domestic Spending and Colonel Liam, who dead-heated May 1 in the Turf Classic at Churchill, as well as Gufo, who has as much talent as anyone in the race. How deep is the field? Rockemperor was the 2-1 favorite in the 2020 Manhattan but is 8-1 on this morning line.
Chad Brown, winner of this race two years in a row and five times in the last seven seasons, trains Domestic Spending and Rockemperor, as well as Master Piece and Tribhuvan, who is cross-entered Saturday in the Monmouth Stakes. Tribhuvan is likely to start at Belmont, Brown said, where he figures to set the pace. Tribhuvan, racing for the first time as a gelding, set strong splits and won the Fort Marcy here May 1 by 1 1/2 lengths.
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“This horse really changed when he was gelded,” Brown said. “I’m not going to say he’s a Grade 1 horse for sure, but I think he’s going to run well.”
Rockemperor, winless in eight North American starts but beaten only a neck in this race last year, finished third at even money in the Fort Marcy. Brown tries blinkers on Rockemperor for the first time Saturday, and he won the 2015 Manhattan with Slumber making the same equipment change.
“I know his first race back was a little flat, but I think he’s going to move forward,” Brown said. “Might be a case where he just needed a race.”
Master Piece, a Chilean import, made his U.S. debut in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic last fall at Belmont and finished fourth. Away until April, he scored a sharp Keeneland allowance win going 1 1/8 miles.
“I didn’t start him off right last year, but we put him away, the horse came back, and trained super,” Brown said. “He didn’t beat an all-star group last time, but he did it the right way. I was super impressed with his last quarter-mile. I think he’s a live longshot.”
Javier Castellano rides Master Piece, Jose Ortiz is on Rockemperor. Eric Cancel has the mount on Tribhuvan, and Flavien Prat rides Domestic Spending, Brown’s leading chance.
Four-year-old Domestic Spending has won five of six starts, finishing third last summer at Saratoga in the Hall of Fame Stakes after falling too far behind a slow pace. Domestic Spending, by Kingman, probably doesn’t want the turf course to be especially wet, but on suitable ground has a wicked turn of foot to go with elite athleticism. In the Turf Classic, he sliced between horses in upper stretch, finished faster than Colonel Liam, and might have won outright had Smooth Like Strait not pushed out Colonel Liam several paths in the final half-furlong, forcing Prat to steer Domestic Spending farther outside.
“He came out of it in good shape, eased back into his schedule, and has filled his tank back up for another big effort,” Brown said. “To see his absolute best, I’d prefer the ground not to be any less than good.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher also prefers firmer footing for Colonel Liam, a beast of a 4-year-old. Colonel Liam won the Pegasus World Cup Turf in January and the Muniz Memorial in March before the Turf Classic. Colonel Liam tries 1 1/4 miles for the first time while making his Belmont debut. Given his size and strong-galloping style, he should like the circumstances. He’s won five of six turf starts, racing on smaller courses with tighter turns. Colonel Liam can do better than in the Turf Classic, where he was rated inside and behind a horse by Irad Ortiz Jr., throwing his head early before settling. Colonel Liam can’t match the turn of foot Domestic Spending and Gufo possess, but he’s drawn outside, a good spot for a clean, stalking trip.
“I think Irad felt he took a little too much hold last time,” Pletcher said. “That might have compromised him.”
Gufo, another 4-year-old, won the Belmont Derby going 1 1/4 miles last summer. He finished his 2020 campaign with an onrushing third in Domestic Spending’s Hollywood Derby win, and just missed getting up May 8 in the Man o’ War, his first start this season. Gufo settles near the back and does all his best work in the homestretch.
“A mile and a quarter is fine, and I think there’s pace in the race, which is very good,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “It’s a top-class race, but I would not trade with anyone.”
Gufo carries just 118 pounds, six fewer than Domestic Dispute and Colonel Liam and four fewer than Channel Cat, who set a fast pace and somehow hung on to win the Man o’ War.
“Channel Cat did it the hard way last time,” said trainer Jack Sisterson. “He looks as good going into this race as he did into the last one. There’s more pace, but he deserves a chance in the Manhattan.”
Whoever wins the Manhattan deserves to be called one of the best grass horses in America.