Looks like Kharafa and Lubash again in Mohawk

ELMONT, N.Y. – The gang will not all be there in the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for New York-breds on Saturday at Belmont Park.

King Kreesa, who won this race in 2013, has been turned out for the year after finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland, trainer David Donk said. He is expected back in 2016.

That will leave familiar foes Kharafa and Lubash to duke it out in the Mohawk. Kharafa beat Lubash by 1 1/4 lengths in this race last year and most recently beat him again in the Ashley T. Cole here Sept. 29.

Lubash will be running in the Mohawk for the fifth consecutive year. He finished second in it in 2011, 2013, and 2014 and was fourth in 2012.

The others entered are Iron Power, Notacatbutallama, Orino, Birchwood Road, Front, With Exultation, and Runaway Posse.

Ticonderoga: Sister act

Full sisters Invading Humor and Distorted Beauty will face each other for the first time in Saturday’s $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Distorted Beauty, 4, is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl on Oct. 3. Before that, she won a third-level allowance race against open company. Distorted Beauty has not faced restricted company since winning an allowance race Aug. 14, 2014.

Invading Humor, 5, won the Mt. Vernon here in May but has finished eighth in her last two starts.

They’ll both have to catch Discreet Marq, last year’s Ticonderoga winner, who is coming off a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the Yaddo on Aug. 29 at Saratoga.

The others entered are Mah Jong Maddnes, Neck of the Moon, Swear By It, Bay Dawn, Old Harbor, Selenite, Graceful Gal, The Tea Cups, and Unbelievable Dream.

In other Saturday stakes:

◗ Sudden Surprise, undefeated in three starts, and Get Jets, who finished a neck behind Sudden Surprise in the Bertram F. Bongard here Sept. 27, head the field for the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-old New York-breds going a mile.

◗ She’s All Ready, third in the Grade 1 Frizette, drops back into New York-bred company and figures to be a strong favorite in the $200,000 Maid of the Mist for juvenile fillies, also at a mile.