Irish Strait has recency edge in Red Bank over comebacking Analyze It

Irish Strait will have to overcome a comebacking Analyze It to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Red Bank for the second time in his career Saturday at Monmouth Park.

“It’s not an easy task,” said Graham Motion, who trains Irish Strait.

Analyze It is making his first start since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November 2018. It was the third Grade 1-placing for the 5-year-old horse, who has been working at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown.

Irish Strait is coming off a third-place finish in the $110,000 Oceanport on Aug. 9 at Monmouth. He’s making his third appearance in the Red Bank, having won the mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up in 2017 and finishing third in it in 2018.

“Look, I love this horse and I’ve always got a lot of confidence in him,” Motion said. “Obviously, Chad’s horse is very tough in there off the layoff. He’s run at a higher level than any of us have.”

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Irish Strait on Saturday will have the benefit of recency. He has an established record over the local course – where he is 4 for 15 and is the picture of consistency as a runner who has finished first, second, or third in 20 of his 31 starts. Regular rider Jorge Vargas Jr. has the mount from post 5 for breeder and owner Isabelle de Tomaso.

“This horse always shows up,” Motion said, “and Jorge has a lot of confidence in him.”

Irish Strait was prominent in the Oceanport, but could get a different kind of trip in the Red Bank. The start will be his second since June 2019.

“It looks like there’s quite a bit of pace,” Motion said. “He doesn’t have to [be on the lead]. He was very fresh last time.”

Irish Strait, who is looking for his fourth stakes win, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91 in the Oceanport.

“I thought he ran great,” Motion said. “He’d been ready to run for about three months, and between COVID and a lack of race options, he didn’t get to run. He was ready to go.”

Analyze It has had success off the bench in the past. He won the Grade 3 Transylvania on yielding ground at Keeneland off a layoff in April 2018. Brown, meanwhile, wins at an outstanding 29 percent clip with runners returning from layoffs of more than 180 days, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form.

Joe Bravo has the mount from the rail for owner William H. Lawrence.

The seven-horse field also includes Abiding Star, a three-time stakes winner, and Spikes Shirl and Share the Ride, who finished a respective second and fourth last out in the Get Serious at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Monmouth.