Litfin's preview: 2-year-olds get their start

Better late than never

It took a while, but the first 2-year-old race of the season in New York kicks off the Sunday program. By comparison, the eventual juvenile champion of 2012, Shanghai Bobby, was unveiled in the circuit’s first baby race April 19 at Aqueduct’s spring meet.

Naturally, Shanghai Bobby’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, sends out the 8-5 morning line favorite, Daredevil, a More Than Ready colt who is a half-brother to Albertus Maximus, a versatile sort who won the Breeders’ Cup “Dirt” Mile on synthetic and the Donn Handicap on actual dirt.

Other fashionable pedigrees in the opener belong to Francis Freud, a New York-bred full brother to Grade 1 winner Franny Freud; Richie’s Trix, whose dam has produced the stakes-winning turf miler Trix in the City; and Big Trouble, a Fair Hill-based newcomer by Tiz Wonderful, who has proven to be an excellent young debut sire.

Turf-fest

After the babies, there are only two more dirt races on the card – a six-furlong maiden special weight for fillies and mares (race 3) and a one-mile $16,000 claimer for older males (race 7).

Thirteen Arrows, freshened after being cooked in a speed duel at 3-5 second time out, is the one to beat in race 3, assuming the Indian Charlie filly runs back to her initial outing for Chad Brown.

Seeker and Springcourt, who ran one-two for $20,000 a week ago Friday, quickly meet up for a rematch in race 7. Springcourt had to chase a loose-on-the-lead Seeker last time but gets a more favorable pace scenario (at least on paper) with additional speed types Amber Coast, Meeker Avenue, and Street Thug breaking right outside Seeker today.

Everything else on a stakes-less Sunday is scheduled for the grass, including a pair of allowance races for New York-breds on the inner course (races 4 and 6) and a preliminary allowance on the Widener turf (race 8).

McIlroy, who has run his way through claiming conditions with three straight wins for Brown, gets a class check in race 8, where his chief opposition may come in the form of Stableford, who was a fine second in his U.S. debut.

Adirondack Dancer and Majestic Jess make their first starts of the year, following productive campaigns in 2013.

Harpoon and Los Borrachos, ninth and 10th respectively in the Wood Memorial, try the grass for the first time.