Kharafa faces young guns in Ashley T. Cole Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kharafa has won three of the last four runnings of the Ashley T. Cole Stakes but will have to fend off the next generation of budding New York-bred turf-stakes stars in order to win it again Sunday, when the race is run for the 42nd time at Belmont Park.

The $125,000 Cole and the $125,000 John Hettinger for New York-bred females are the undercard features on a nine-race program topped by the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap.

Absent from the entry box for this year’s Cole are familiar foes Lubash (retired), King Kreesa (foot abscess), and Offering Plan (Shadwell Turf Mile). Instead, Kharafa’s competition will come from a trio of 4-year-olds in Get Jets, Call Provision, and Cloontia.

Kharafa, an 8-year-old gelding, appears to be running as fast as ever, recording three consecutive Beyer Speed Figures of 99, but is winless in five starts this year. He comes off a third-place finish behind Get Jets in the West Point at Saratoga, where Kharafa flattened out after launching a bid five furlongs out.

“He can’t make a five-eighths or a half-mile run,” trainer Tim Hills said. “He’s got more of a short, quick run. I think with the pace setup Sunday, he should be able to sit the trip and just kick turning for home.”

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There doesn’t appear to be much pace in the Cole, which has just six runners entered for the turf and will go as race 2. Pat On the Back, who tries turf for the first time, could be the speed. Cloontia, who wheels back in eight days, is another potential pace player.

Get Jets, trained by Tony Dutrow, could be the next big New York-bred turf star. He is 3-2-0 from five turf starts and showed terrific acceleration in the stretch to win the West Point by a half-length over Offering Plan. This will be the first try at 1 1/8 miles for Get Jets.

“I’m not anticipating him having any trouble with that,” Dutrow said. “As a matter of fact, I think he wants it.”

Dutrow hopes Get Jets has the ability to go even farther since he would like to run the horse in the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct at 1 3/8 miles on Nov. 11.

In the Hettinger, Fourstar Crook looks to start a new winning streak after having her eight-race run of success snapped by Bar of Gold in the Yaddo last out. Fourstar Crook’s stablemate Ack Naughty, the improving Barrel of Dreams, and Feeling Bossy look like the major threats.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Ashley T. Cole (Race 2)

Get Jets, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 102-99-98

◗ Rallied from 10 lengths behind a fast pace to win the West Point and likely will have to lay closer Sunday in a race void of pace.

“I think Jets has enough speed to be where [jockey John Velazquez] wants him going a mile and an eighth, especially in a race that lacks speed,” Dutrow said.

Call Provision, by Lemon Drop Kid
Last 3 Beyers: 96-96-91

◗ Is 3 for 3 on turf against New York-breds.

◗ Shortens up to 1 1/8 miles, a distance at which he finished third, beaten a neck, in last year’s Grade 3 Penine Ridge over this course.

Kharafa, by Kitalpha
Last 3 Beyers: 99-99-99

◗ His last win came in this race a year ago, when he sat an up-close fourth behind a pedestrian pace.

◗ Has a record of 8-8-2 from 23 starts over the Belmont turf.

John Hettinger (Race 8)

Fourstar Crook, by Freud
Last 3 Beyers: 94-99-97

◗ Outkicked by Bar of Gold, to whom she was conceding seven pounds, in the Yaddo, ending an eight-race winning streak that included last year’s Hettinger.

“She was a victim of a pace that wasn’t ideal,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She did make a nice run but ran into another horse that got a better trip. It’s turf racing – sooner or later, you’ll get a trip that doesn’t work out. We still think she’s a top-quality mare. Hopefully, she can redeem herself.”

Barrel of Dreams, by Not for Love
Last 3 Beyers: 86-81-72

◗ Looks like the main speed in the nine-horse field and is coming off two front-running victories at Saratoga.

Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex
Last 3 Beyers: 92-95-95

◗ Like her stablemate Fourstar Crook, this one didn’t have a great trip in the Yaddo, finishing fourth.

◗ Was second to Fourstar Crook in the Mount Vernon here in May.