Jay Gatsby faces strong cast in Knickerbocker Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jay Gatsby will try to put two frustrating defeats behind him Monday when he heads a field of nine in a wide-open renewal of the Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes, the featured event on a 10-race Columbus Day program at Belmont Park.

After winning a high-class allowance race here in June, Jay Gatsby participated in two stakes at Saratoga, running too good to lose either one. In the Lure, he was beaten a nose by Shining Copper in a race where Ectot finished fourth. Ectot upset Flintshire in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic here on Oct. 1.

On Sept. 5, Jay Gatsby was beaten a neck by Ring Weekend in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch, in which Jay Gatsby got squeezed between horses in deep stretch as a course record was set for 1 1/16 miles.

“His last two races were terrific,” said Jimmy Jerkens, who trains Jay Gatsby for Joe Allen.

In the Knickerbocker, Jay Gatsby meets a solid field of stakes runners, including Heart to Heart, who returns from a four-month layoff for trainer Brian Lynch. Heart to Heart is most effective when able to get loose on the lead, a situation that is possible Monday.

“He’s run at a mile and an eighth before,” Lynch told track publicity. “It’s probably a little farther than he wants to run, but if he’s left alone on the lead, he can be very dangerous,”

Tale of Fancy could put some pressure on Heart to Heart early.

Trainer Chad Brown entered three horses in the Knickerbocker but might not run all of them. Takeover Target prefers soft turf, and Brown said, “If it’s very firm on Monday, I won’t run the horse.”

March is making his second start off a lengthy layoff. He was training toward the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in February when he got injured and needed time off. March returned in an allowance race at Saratoga on Aug. 22, finishing third, beaten a head.

“He’s shown the ability to handle the mile and an eighth in the Hollywood Derby,” said Brown, referring to his head loss to Chiropractor in that race last fall. “It looks like a logical spot. He’s been training good.”

Mr Maybe, who won the John’s Call Stakes at 1 5/8 miles at Saratoga in August, was a supplemental nominee to this race. Brown said he and the horse’s owners were considering next weekend’s $1 million Canadian International but felt that race was coming up too tough.

Brown said with the right amount of pace, Mr Maybe “has enough quality to make a good run here.”

Can’thelpbelieving, the winner of the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger; Blacktype, the winner of the Grade 2 Commonwealth Turf Cup; and War Dancer, the winner of the PTHA President’s Cup, complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Jay Gatsby, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 103-103-100

◗ Three starts back, he won an allowance race here that produced subsequent stakes winners Long On Value, Blacktype, and Taghleeb.

◗ In the Lure at Saratoga, he broke slowly, was wide throughout, and just got beat a nose by Shining Copper, losing a bob at the wire.

◗ Gets seven pounds from graded stakes winners Blacktype, Heart to Heart, Takeover Target, and Can’thelpbelieving.

March, by Blame
Last 3 Beyers: 98-98-88

◗ A graded stakes winner on dirt, he seems equally adept on turf, as his head loss with a troubled trip in last year’s Hollywood Derby attests.

◗ Ran well in his return from a nine-month layoff when beaten a head at Saratoga on Aug. 22.

Heart to Heart, by English Channel
Last 3 Beyers: 93-105-104

◗ Started a three-race winning streak last fall in the River City Handicap at Churchill Downs, where he was able to dictate things on the front end.

◗ Was beaten by three subsequent stakes winners – Midnight Storm, Tourist, and Twentytwentyvision – when he finished fourth in the Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on June 4.