Genesee Valley Breeders' field in flux

The $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes on Monday at Finger Lakes has a field of eight, but that figure is expected to change by race day as three horses in the field are cross-entered in the $100,000 Evan Shipman the same day at Saratoga.

The Genesee Valley is a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old and up New York-breds. The Shipman, which targets the same division, will be run at 1 1/8 miles.

Linda Rice has cross-entered Papa Shot in the two Monday stakes. On Friday, Rice said she and owner Barry Schwartz had not yet discussed their options, and where Papa Shot would run was “undecided.”

Rice did say she would like to get a win for Papa Shot, who is 0 for his last 10 despite turning in a number of solid efforts. She added that the Saratoga race looked like it had come up tough.

Papa Shot has raced well in his last two starts while in for a $62,500 claiming tag against second-level optional-claiming company. Two starts ago, in late June, he closed resolutely to finish second, beaten a half-length by Realm, who returned to win the restricted Alydar Stakes at Saratoga.

Most recently, Papa Shot tried hard in a third-place effort over a sloppy track at Saratoga to be third to Flowers for Lisa and Uncle Mojo, who ran one-two around the track.

Gary Sciacca has cross-entered Hit It Once More in both stakes. He also has entered Testosterstone, who has not raced since February, in the Genesee Valley.

On Friday, Sciacca said Hit It Once More would probably run in the Shipman. He said there was a Wednesday optional-claiming race at Saratoga for Testosterstone and his status for the Genesee Valley would not be determined until Saratoga entries were taken Saturday.

If both horses ultimately end up at Finger Lakes, they would race as a coupled entry for Yellow Moon Stable. Hit It Once More, the stronger part of the entry, finished third in the Saginaw Stakes last time out.

Testosterone’s recent layoff is his first since 2015.

“We gave him a little breather,” Sciacca said. “He’s doing good.”

Finger Lakes-based horseman Ronnie Breed said Friday he was leaning toward returning Winston’s Chance to Saratoga for the Shipman. Winston’s Chance won a statebred second-level optional claimer going seven furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths at Saratoga on Aug. 5.

“I think he’s capable in both races,” Breed said of the Shipman and Genesee Valley.

Broadway Bay is 3 for 4 since moving to the barn of Jeffrey Englehart in the spring. Broadway Bay has won three two-turn allowance races at the Finger Lakes meet for Englehart, who owns him.

This will be the first stakes start for Broadway Bay, who at age 7 has a 16-for-48 record.