Gold for the King needs running shoes in Times Square

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Gold for the King, who won two stakes as a 2-year-old in 2016, makes his 3-year-old debut in a strong renewal of the $100,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series on Sunday at Aqueduct.

Gold for the King faces the speedy stakes winner Bavaro, the in-form T Loves a Fight, and the Florida-bred but New York-sired Reason to Soar in the 6 1/2-furlong Times Square.

At 2, Gold for the King went 3 for 6, with victories in the New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes and the Notebook over Aqueduct’s main track. He hasn’t run since finishing second as the 1-5 favorite to Bavaro in a New York Stallion Series race on Dec. 17.

“Bavaro might be a nice horse, but inside speed was a big factor that day,” said Charlton Baker, the trainer of Gold for the King.

Over the last three years, Baker is 12 for 48 with a $2.02 ROI in dirt sprints with horses returning from a layoff of 61 to 180 days. Gold for the King shows two bullet five-furlong workouts for his first start in 127 days.

“He’s been working good; he’s always been a good work horse,” Baker said. “There’s speed in there. He can lay right off it, and the post is perfect.”

Gold for the King breaks from post 7 in the eight-horse field under Joel Rosario.

When Bavaro defeated Gold for the King in December, he earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. But Bavaro has been terrible in two subsequent starts. Perhaps he didn’t want to go two turns when he finished last of four in the Gander Stakes in January. In the Jimmy Winkfield on Feb. 20, he set the pace for the opening half-mile before backing up to last.

Bavaro could get pace pressure from Reason to Soar and Italian Syndicate, who are drawn in posts 1 and 2.

T Loves a Fight, trained by Mike Hushion, has won three consecutive races. He is coming back just 15 days after winning a first-level allowance race on April 8.

“It’s a concern,” Hushion said. “We did the best we could to get him a little bit fresh with short rest. This race can be very weak some years. Not this year.”