Havana tries to regain luster
ELMONT, N.Y. – It’s a bit unusual for a Grade 1-winning 2-year-old to still be eligible for his second-level allowance condition. Such is the case for Havana, the 2013 Champagne winner, who returns from 13-month layoff Thursday in a seven-furlong allowance at Belmont Park.
The $85,000 race is also for horses that have never won three races or who are entered to be claimed for a $62,500 price tag.
Little has gone right for Havana since his neck victory over Honor Code in October 2013. He lost a two-length lead in the stretch of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and ended up second to New Year’s Day.
At 3, Havana finished third as part of a 1-4 favored entry in the Gold Fever Stakes and then finished 11th in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 7, 2014.
During the course of last fall and winter, Havana twice put in back-to-back workouts only to have trainer Todd Pletcher stop on him. He worked once on March 21, but didn’t breeze again for a month. Starting April 22, Havana has strung together eight workouts including a five-furlong move in 1:00.80 from the gate on June 27.
Classy Class, the lone 3-year-old in the field, is dropping into allowance company after running fourth in this year’s Woody Stephens. Two starts back, he won a first-level allowance race going 1 1/16 miles around one turn at Belmont.
Among the veterans in with a chance are Doc Almon, an eight-time winner who won two races in 15 days at Monmouth and Delaware Park, and Praetereo, an eight-time winner who won first time off the claim for Bruce Levine.
KEY CONTENDERS
Havana (Last 3 Beyers: 71-90-86)
◗ Still trying to replicate his 2-year-old form when he won his debut at Saratoga in near track-record time and the Champagne on this track over Honor Code.
◗ His best results have come when put on the lead.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Havana. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 14-2-0-3 with a $1.05 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints following a layoff of 365 days or more. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR: Over last three years, Pletcher is 23 for 92 in dirt sprints with horses returning from a layoff of greater than 180 days. At this meet, Pletcher has won with Catron (411 days) and Buckskin Doll (573 days) off such a layoff.
Classy Class (Last 3 Beyers: 82-90-81)
◗ After futilely chasing the Kentucky Derby dream, he dominated a first-level allowance field at Belmont on Derby Day before running a flat fourth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin noted that Classy Class ran 30 feet farther than the winner in the Woody Stephens.
◗ Classy Class drew post 9 for this spot. McLaughlin was hoping for an inside draw “to cover him up.”
◗ Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. replaces Cornelio Velasquez, who rides Doc Almon.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Classy Class. Last win came May 2 at Belmont. The horses he beat in that race have gone 7-0-0-1 in races since. - Mike Hogan
Doc Almon (Last 3 Beyers: 99-90-83)
◗ Won his third-level allowance condition at Monmouth handily and then came back 15 days later to win in a similar spot at Delaware Park when offered for a $50,000 claiming price. Won in a spot similar to this going six furlongs over Aqueduct’s inner track in March.
◗ He is eligible to be claimed for $62,500.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Praetereo. Trainer Bruce Levine is 11-4-1-1 with a $4.11 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on dirt following a win. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Warrior's Crown. Trainer Bill Mott is 32-10-6-2 with a $3.21 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints in the third start following a layoff. – Mike Hogan