Far From Over launches comeback from injury
ELMONT, N.Y. – Far From Over, knocked off the 2015 Triple Crown trail by injury, makes his first start in 16 months on Friday at Belmont Park in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claimer going 1 1/16 miles.
Far From Over, a ridgling by Blame, won both of his starts in the winter of 2014-15 at Aqueduct. He won his debut by a nose Dec. 12, 2014, going a mile and 70 yards over Aqueduct’s inner track. On Feb. 7, 2015, he overcame a stumbling start to rally from last and win the Grade 3 Withers by 1 3/4 lengths over the heavily favored El Kabeir.
Far From Over was training toward the Grade 1 Wood Memorial that April but a week before the race was diagnosed with a hairline fracture of his left hind leg, an injury that required surgery.
It took longer than expected to get Far From Over back to the races, but trainer Todd Pletcher said he has been pleased with what he has seen from the horse in the morning. Far From Over has breezed seven times since April 30, including a bullet five-furlong move in 1:00.05 over the Belmont training track on June 17 in company with Ostrolenka.
“We’ve been training him with some pretty seasoned horses, and he’s been holding his own pretty well,” Pletcher said. “I think he’s as fit as you could have one that’s a big kind of horse and who carries a lot of conditioning.”
Pletcher said he was content to start him off at a mile to 1 1/16 miles. Far From Over will break from the outside post in the seven-horse field under John Velazquez.
Its All Relevant, the lone 3-year-old in the field, looms the major threat. Its All Relevant is coming off a four-length first-level allowance win on May 21, when he beat older males going a mile.
First post Friday is 3:05 p.m. Eastern.
Race 3
KEY CONTENDERS
Its All Relevant, by Hard Spun
Last 3 Beyers: 97-81-61
◗ Equipped with blinkers for the first time, Its All Relevant got a perfect trip, sitting third behind a solid pace before drawing away to win. He ran a mile in 1:35.33 and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. Trainer Dominick Schettino said the “blinkers helped him because he finished much better. Without the blinkers, he stayed at the same pace.”
◗ Has kept some pretty solid company, facing the likes of Gun Runner and Shagaf.
Far From Over, by Blame
Last 2 Beyers: 96-79
◗ Was visually impressive in overcoming a stumbling start to win the Withers 16 months ago.
◗ Was able to beat maidens as a first-time starter going a distance of ground in December 2014.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Far From Over. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 14-7-0-2 with a $4.02 ROI over the past two years on dirt with horses returning from a layoff of 365 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Mills, by Any Given Saturday
Last 3 Beyers: 93-90-95
◗ Ran a decent second at this level last out and figures to be running late under Kendrick Carmouche.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Tizquick. Trainer John Kimmel is 39-9-8-5 with a $2.67 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes on the NYRA circuit with horses returning from a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan