Engage getting year started in Bay Shore Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Engage, the winner of the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont last October, makes his 2018 debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

Trainer Chad Brown shut Engage down following the Futurity, his second win from three starts at 2. Engage, a son of Into Mischief, has had eight workouts at the Palm Meadows training center leading up to his return.

“He’s doing really well,” Brown said. “He’s got to overcome a layoff going seven in a tough race. It’ll be a challenge, but I feel it’s a good race to get his season started in.”

The Bay Shore also drew National Flag, a son of Speightstown who is coming off a sharp first-level allowance win at Gulfstream Park on March 2 for trainer Todd Pletcher. Others entered include Jimmy Winkfield Stakes winner A Different Style, Aqua Bel Sar, Aveenu Malcainu, I’m an Ocala Dude, and Justaholic.