Litfin's preview: Multiple contenders in feature for 3-year-olds
Wide-open feature
Several 3-year-olds with experience in graded stakes try to get through the first-level allowance condition in the featured eighth race.
Encryption, freshened since giving futile chase to Bayern in the Haskell, breaks from the outside in the one-mile race as he ships in for Kelly Breen, who won three races at Saratoga with his Monmouth Park-based string.
This will be the first one-turn race for Encryption, who figures to vie for favoritism with Surfing U S A, who was third in the Tampa Bay Derby, and lost all chance stumbling badly at the break when returned from a layoff.
Cool Samurai makes his first start since a sixth in the Robert B. Lewis. He may go well off the bench for John Shirreffs, as he was a fast-closing second to Wicked Strong when unveiled at Belmont’s 2013 fall meet.
M J Plus, who has been afflicted with “second-itis” since winning three in a row at Parx Racing last winter, comes off a sharp try against starter allowance foes in his third start for David Jacobson.
Pricey 2-year-olds clash
A field of nine 2-year-old fillies will lead off the late pick four in race 6, a maiden special weight out of the chute headed by two with Unbridled’s Song prominently in their pedigrees.
Cara Marie, an Unbridled’s Song filly who hammered for $460,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September sale, makes her career debut for Tony Dutrow on the heels of some promising workouts at Fair Hill, capped by a bullet five furlongs Aug. 27.
Kinsley, whose broodmare sire is Unbridled’s Song, was a $300,000 purchase at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton sale, and may go favored off a fourth-place finish first time out at Saratoga.
Horse to watch
CLASSIC AUSSIE
Trainer: Joe Orseno
Last race: Sept. 7, 10th
Finish: 3rd by 3 3/4
Beyer: 61
Lightly regarded at 27-1 for her career debut, but rallied after swinging out wide in the upper stretch. Same trainer sent out a 55-1 winner earlier the same day.