Kelso Handicap may have trouble filling
ELMONT, N.Y. – The specter of Life Is Good and the availability of similar races around the same time period will likely leave next Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park with at best a short field.
As of Friday, only Life Is Good and Mo Mosa were considered definite for the Kelso, a one-turn mile race that could be used as a stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Life Is Good suffered his first defeat in four career starts when he was beaten a neck by Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Aug. 28. It was his first start in five months and first for trainer Todd Pletcher. Mo Mosa, trained by Mike Maker, is coming off a seventh in the Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar.
There were 15 horses nominated to the Kelso, but several appear to be targeting other races.
Phat Man and Roadster are entered in Saturday’s Polynesian Stakes, a one-turn mile race at Laurel. Silver State, the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner, is pointing to the $200,000 Parx Dirt Mile, also run next Saturday. West Will Power, second to Code of Honor in the Iselin on Aug. 21 at Monmouth, also is likely for the Parx race.
In addition to the Polynesian and Parx Dirt Mile, there is the Grade 3, $300,000 Ack Ack going a one-turn mile Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs.
Independence Hall is under consideration for the Kelso and Ack Ack, according to Aron Wellman, head of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which owns the horse. The Woodward and Lukas Classic also are being considered for Independence Hall.
Speaker’s Corner is likely for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Speaker’s Corner is trained by Bill Mott, as is Tacitus, who has not run since finishing seventh in the Saudi Cup in February. Tacitus returned to the work tab on Wednesday, working a half-mile in 48.18 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. He was off the work tab for a month due to a bruised foot.
In addition to Life Is Good, Pletcher has four others nominated to the Kelso, though Dr Post is expected to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward on Oct 2. His other nominees are En Wye Cee, Following Sea, and Mind Control.
Chance It, third in the Grade 1 Forego, is unlikely, said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who wanted to work the horse in New York on Sunday before making a final decision.
Weights for the Kelso are assigned on Sunday, so any supplemental nominations would have to be made by then.