George W. Barker draws plenty of familiar faces

Familiar names will line up for the first stakes race of the Finger Lakes season when older New York-breds sprint six furlongs in Monday’s $50,000 George W. Barker. The eight-race Memorial Day program has a first post of 1:15 p.m.

A number of entrants in this year’s Barker have contested previous editions of the race. Flying Emperor was second by a neck in the 2021 edition, won the Barker in 2022, and was second by a head last year. Writer’s Regret was second to Flying Emperor in 2022 and finished third last year. Lady’s Golden Guy, a multiple stakes winner at Finger Lakes, was fourth in both the 2022 and 2023 editions.

If Flying Emperor will try to round back into form in his second start since moving to Jeremiah Englehart’s barn. The gelding, who ended last year finishing second to Barker foe Allure of Money in the Leon Reed Memorial in October, was fifth in an allowance/optional-claiming race going 4 1/2 furlongs on May 6 at Finger Lakes. That race should serve as a good tightener, and he emerged from it to fire a bullet work.

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Tra Lad won that allowance, surging past Lady’s Golden Guy to win by two lengths in his first team-up with Sofia Vives, a finalist for the Eclipse Award apprentice jockey title last year. Vives will be aboard the gelding, who possesses good tactical versatility, again on Monday.

Jak N Burny, who won four of six starts last year, is the narrow 3-1 favorite on the morning line over Allure of Money, at 7-2. Both will be making their first starts of the year.

Allure of Money is a multiple stakes winner at Finger Lakes, having won the Tin Cup Chalice Stakes in 2022 and the New York Derby and Reed Memorial last year.

Jak N Burny was fourth in the Reed in his stakes debut behind Allure of Money, Flying Emperor, and Lady’s Golden Guy. He wrapped up the year with an allowance win, and then was second in a allowance/optional claimer to Barker entrant The Institute on a sloppy, sealed track – the only time he has hit the board on a wet track.

Allure of Money is perfect in two tries on wet tracks. There is a 60 percent chance of rain in Farmington, N.Y., on Monday.

Shipsational has serious back class, as a multiple New York-bred stakes winner on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2021. He was multiple graded stakes-placed at Tampa Bay in early 2022.

Shipsational is seeking his first win in well over two years, but on May 20 turned in an improved effort when second in an allowance while making his first local outing.

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