Highland Sky auditions for Bowling Green, Sword Dancer

ELMONT, N.Y. – Had things gone according to plan, Highland Sky would have won an allowance race on Preakness Day at Belmont Park and would have been riding a two-race winning streak into last Saturday’s Grade 1 Manhattan here, or next month’s Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park.

Things didn’t go according to plan for Highland Sky, who had an eventful trip in that May 20 race and ended up finishing third as the 3-5 favorite.

On Thursday, Highland Sky will start a new plan as he heads a field of seven in a third-level allowance race going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont. If things go right this time, Highland Sky could be heading to races such as the Bowling Green on July 29 and the Sword Dancer on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

Highland Sky was beaten a neck by European import Deauville in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby here last July at 1 1/4 miles. Physical issues sidelined him for the remainder of 2016. He came off the bench with a second-level allowance win at Gulfstream on Feb. 25.

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Away for three months, in part because rainy weather forced to him miss a few races, he appeared to be in a good spot May 20. Under Paco Lopez, Highland Sky beat the gate, getting out a length in front of his competition. Highland Sky does not want to race on the lead, so Lopez took him back and got him to the inside.

The problem there was that Highland Sky prefers to race outside of horses. He was bottled up until deep stretch, where he split horses but still was beaten a neck by longshot Backsideofthemoon.

“Why he dropped down to the rail, I don’t know,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He runs his best races on the outside.”

Tagg is making a switch to Javier Castellano on Thursday.

Fire Away, who finished a neck in front of Highland Sky in that May 20 race, is back. Street Fashion, Gold Shield, Red Rifle, Arties Silver Mine, and Mark My Style complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Highland Sky, by Sky Mesa
Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-93

◗ Ran a very good race the last time he competed at 1 1/4 miles here in last summer’s Belmont Derby, losing by a neck to the Irish import Deauville.

“I think he’s a talented horse, but that was against 3-year-olds,” Tagg said. “The Bowling Green and Sword Dancer are hefty aspirations.”

Fire Away, by War Front
Last 3 Beyers: 96-90-89

◗ Raced too close to the pace two starts back in a Keeneland allowance and lost a bob to Backsideofthemoon in an allowance here last out.

“Been wanting to get him stretched out, and this is a good way to do it,” trainer Shug McGaughey said.

◗ Last year, Fire Away had two wins and a half-length defeat when second from three starts at 10 or 11 furlongs.

Street Fashion, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 88-88-94

◗ Came off a seven-month layoff in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 20 and finished ninth of 12.

“I didn’t have him quite as fit as I thought I did, so this would seem to be a logical spot,” trainer Graham Motion said.