Litfin's preview: Wise Dan returns in Bernard Baruch
Wise Dan returns
Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who underwent colic surgery soon after winning the Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard, returns to the races in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch, which is race 5 and the first of four graded stakes on a 12-race program, along with the Prioress (8th), Forego (10th), and Woodward (11th).
Wise Dan carries top weight of 127 pounds and gives his opponents, including $1.4 million earner Boisterous, anywhere from eight to 13 pounds.
“I’m thinking how lucky we are to get him back to the races, have him out here breezing, getting the chance to get him back in a race, and then we’ll go from there,” said trainer Charlie LoPresti.
Miss Behaviour and Sweet Whiskey: Round 3
Miss Behaviour and Sweet Whiskey, who have been close together in two prior meetings, loom the most logical contenders in the Grade 2, $300,000 Prioress.
Miss Behaviour won the Matron by a length over Sweet Whiskey last fall, and beat her again by a half-length when they were second and fifth in the Test here four weeks ago.
Miss Behaviour should appreciate the cut-back to six furlongs, where she is perfect from three starts.
Moving to a post in the middle of the field may help Sweet Whiskey, who broke from post 2 in the Test and wound up in a bit tight quarters along the rail in the stretch.
Southern Honey (99), Tea Time (94), and Princess Violet (93) can factor if able to rebound to their penultimate Beyer Figures.
Clearly Now and Palace top Forego
Clearly Now, who has had a designed freshening since winning the Belmont Sprint Championship in track-record time, will be a slight favorite over Palace in the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego.
The seven-furlong Forego drew a field of 10 older sprinters, but Falling Sky will be scratched after getting loose during training hours Thursday and getting some minor scrapes.
The Forego is the second leg of a $500,000 guaranteed late pick four on races 9-12.
Moreno the one to catch in Woodward
Moreno, who led them a merry chase in the Whitney Handicap, is the one to catch four weeks later in the Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward Stakes.
Under the allowance conditions, Moreno picks up five pounds off the Whitney and carries 122, giving two pounds to main threats Itsmyluckyday and Zivo.
Itsmyluckyday breaks from the rail with blinkers on, and the Whitney runner-up may provide more pace pressure in the rematch.
Zivo, freshened since running down Moreno in the Suburban Handicap on July 5, shoots for his seventh straight victory for Chad Brown.
Also adding blinkers is Norumbega, who won the Brooklyn in a career-best performance before coming up empty in the Suburban. The homebred colt by Tiznow garnered his maiden victory at Saratoga as a 2-year-old in 2012, and won a preliminary allowance here last year.
Horse to watch
SCENARIO ANALYSIS
Trainer: Mike Maker
Last race: Aug. 28, 8th
Finish: 6th by 5
Beyer: 71
Broke through the gate and ran off briefly prior to the start, came away alertly after being reloaded but was taken in hand, and raced wide throughout first start off a claim and two-month layoff.