Hard to go past Call Paul in Pennsylvania Nursery

After two attempts to stretch Call Paul out to a mile against graded company, the plan Saturday is to regroup in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx Racing.

Call Paul has faded in the stretch of the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct and the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont in his two most recent races but will be a very short price to get back on track while shortening up a furlong against nine Pennsylvania-bred rivals in the Nursery.

A $210,000 purchase by Michael Dubb at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale at Timonium, Md., in May, Call Paul won twice sprinting to begin his career.

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He defeated eventual Grade 1 Hopeful winner Mind Control by 2 1/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs at Delaware Park in his debut. A son of Maryland sire Friesan Fire, Call Paul then went wire to wire to win the Grade 2 Saratoga Special at 6 1/2 furlongs by a length.

The cutback in distance and class relief Saturday should provide Call Paul with a valuable confidence builder. Trevor McCarthy takes over the mount for trainer Jason Servis, who will have a busy day on multiple fronts.

Servis has starters Saturday in the Cigar Mile and Go for Wand at Aqueduct, three Claiming Crown races at Gulfstream Park, and in the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs.

Splicethemainbrace, who is stabled at Parx with Butch Reid, and Aspect, who is stabled at Delaware Park with Tim Ritchey, are Call Paul’s top challengers.

After making his first four starts for his breeder, the Swilcan Stable of Thomas McGrath, Splicethemainbrace is now co-owned by Cash Is King Stable of Chuck Zacney. McGrath raced Splicethemainbrace’s sire, Poseidon’s Warrior, who scored a 36-1 upset in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga in 2012.

Splicethemainbrace has a win and three seconds. His losses have come to the promising 2-year-olds Factor It In and Wildwood Vacation. Factor It In is 2 for 4 and Wildwood Vacation is undefeated in two starts.

Splicethemainbrace earned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure for his neck defeat to Wildwood Vacation in an allowance last time out and will have to run a few points faster to stay with Call Paul. Edwin Rivera will be aboard for the first time.

Aspect, a $7,000 purchase by Ritchey as a yearling last December, won a maiden race at Delaware Park in his debut and then finished third, beaten a neck as the favorite, in the Strike Your Colors there. He comes into the Pennsylvania Nursery off a 13-week break.

Andrew Wolfsont is Aspect’s new rider.