Laccario ships from Germany for Joe Hirsch Stakes; will remain in U.S.
ELMONT, N.Y. – While Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Joe Hirsch Stakes has several familiar names in it, there is one stranger in the field who may be worth a look.
Laccario, the Group 1 German Derby winner of 2019, is slated to make his U.S. debut in the Joe Hirsch, a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes that tops a five-stakes program on Saturday’s 10-race Belmont Park card.
Laccario, trained in Germany by Andreas Wohler, will be making just the second start of his 4-year-old season, owing to an infection that sidelined him earlier this spring. In his lone start this year, Laccario finished last of seven in the Group 1 Preis von Europa going 1 1/2 miles at Cologne. That was his first start in 10 months.
“He was boxed in and he needed to run after such a long break,” Wohler said Wednesday from Germany. “He got a little tired.”
Last year as a 3-year-old, Laccario won 4 of 6 starts, including the German Derby and a Group 2 race before that.
Wohler said owner Manfred Ostermann felt the horse could potentially fare better in the U.S. in part because he doesn’t like soft ground. Laccario will stay in the U.S. with Graham Motion following the Joe Hirsch.
Wohler, who won the Grade 3 Belmont Gold Cup in 2017 with Red Cardinal, expects an improved effort from Laccario on Saturday.
“He’s in good shape, I’m really happy with him,” Wohler said. “It’s hard to compare form, but he is in good form.”
Dylan Davis is named to ride Laccario.
A field of seven was entered Wednesday for the Joe Hirsch. Channel Maker, who won it in 2018 and was the runner-up in 2019, will be making his fourth straight appearance in the Joe Hirsch. Sadler’s Joy, third in the race last race year, is also making his fourth straight Joe Hirsch appearance.
Trainer Chad Brown will send out the Irish-bred Rockemperor, beaten a neck in the Manhattan here on July 4, and Master Piece, a Chilean-bred who will be making his first start in this country. Cross Border and Highland Sky complete the field.