Enigmatic Mr. Buff horse to beat in Shipman on card that includes $187K pick six carryover
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Which Mr. Buff will show up for Wednesday’s $100,000 Evan Shipman Handicap at Saratoga? The one who began the season with a pair of stakes victories and a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Westchester against open company? Or the one who finished a distant fifth as the odds-on favorite returning with statebreds in the Commentator in his most recent start?
Those are the key questions when it comes to assessing the first of two stakes events on a 10-race card that also includes the $120,000 Mahony Stakes, for 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, along with a pick six carryover of $187,640.
Mr. Buff has been among the leaders of the New York-bred handicap division for the past several seasons while also having had a good deal of success during that same period venturing out of statebred company, as he did earlier this season. His only poor efforts a year ago came in prestigious races such as the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, Grade 1 Whitney, and Grade 2 Suburban.
But after his disappointing showing, albeit over a muddy track, in the Commentator on May 31 at Belmont Park, there are some who suggest that at the age of 7, Mr. Buff just may not be the horse he used to be.
“I have to believe he just didn’t care for the muddy track last time out,” said John Kimmel, who trains the homebred Mr. Buff for owners Chester and Mary Broman. “He was doing pretty well going into the last race and has done very well coming out. I just think that now that he’s an older horse, he’s also a smarter horse who when catching a track he’s not happy with is going to take care of himself. That’s one of the reasons he’s lasted so long.”
Kimmel said Mr. Buff has trained forwardly for the 1 1/8-mile Evan Shipman, for which he has been assigned high weight of 124 pounds and will concede six pounds to each of his four rivals.
“I can’t find any reason to believe he won’t give us a good performance on Wednesday,” said Kimmel. “If he doesn’t, then we might have to consider whether he’s just gotten to that point in his career.”
Mr. Buff has always been at his best when on the lead, and while there is plenty of speed signed on for the Evan Shipman, Kimmel is making no bones about strategy for the likely favorite.
“I think he has more tactical speed than anybody if he decides to use it and I think if anyone tries to run with us early, it just might be their undoing,” Kimmel advised. “The weight should not be an issue. He’s a big horse and he’s carried weight before.”
Another big question regarding the Evan Shipman, one that might not be answered until the morning of the race, is whether Danny California will wheel back on just three days’ rest off a 1 1/4-length allowance victory against open, high-level allowance company on Saturday for which he earned a career-best 96 Beyer.
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Sunday he was leaning toward starting Danny California, who finished a distant second behind Bankit in the Commentator, despite the quick turnaround.
“When I worked for [Richard] Dutrow he did it all the time and said horses always run well off short rest,” said Rodriguez.
Completing the lineup are Sea Foam, claimed out of a statebred allowance win for $45,000 on July 30 and who has futilely chased Mr. Buff on many occasions over the past several seasons; Three Jokers, a winner of his last two starts; and Winston’s Chance.
Jaxon Traveler leads Mahony
Jaxon Traveler, third against a strong field in the Grade 3 Quick Call here four weeks earlier in his turf debut, looms the horse to beat dropping in against somewhat softer competition in the Mahony. The versatile Jaxon Traveler was also graded stakes-placed earlier this season on dirt in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico.
Trainer Wesley Ward will send out a pair of key contenders – Into the Sunrise, a stakes winner at the distance last month at Ellis Park, and Arrest Me Red, a winner of two of four starts at two when with trainer Arnaud Delacour. He’ll make his 3-year-old debut and first start for Ward on Wednesday.
Momos, runner-up in the My Frenchman over a yielding course at Monmouth Park, also looms a major player in a field that also includes Fauci, Sky’s Not Falling, Rebel Posse, and Awesome Gerry.
Ward also entered Fire Sword, but for the main track only.