Manila right spot for Public Sector; Annex trying to rebound

ELMONT, N.Y. – Public Sector will look to build off a solid allowance victory last out while Annex will try to regain his turf stakes-winning form of earlier this year in Sunday’s $100,000 Manila Stakes for 3-year-olds scheduled for a mile on Belmont Park’s Widener turf course.

The Manila, the undercard feature on a 10-race program that includes the Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes, drew a field of eight, but not all are expected to start.

Like the King is cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park and would run there if that race stayed on the grass, according to trainer Wesley Ward. Ridin With Biden, who has yet to race on turf, was cross-entered in Monday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes, which drew only a field of five.

Public Sector, a son of Kingman trained by Chad Brown for Seth Klarman, won his debut at Saratoga and was second to Fire At Will in the Grade 2 Pilgrim here in October. Public Sector got bounced around early when he finished 12th behind Fire At Will in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

After running second in a first-level allowance here May 2, Public Sector overcame post 10 to win that condition over yielding turf on June 4. Brown chose this race over next weekend’s $1 million Belmont Derby.

“We’ll keep him at this distance, which is probably the right move,” Brown said. “He doesn’t want to go a mile and a quarter, at least not right now.”

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Brown liked the way Public Sector ran in his one-mile allowance win. That race was a backup plan after the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on May 30 here was rained off the turf.

“I thought he ran really well,” Brown said.

Public Sector will have Flavien Prat aboard from post 2.

Annex, trained by Bill Mott, won the Palm Beach and Cutler Bay over firm turf at Gulfstream Park during the winter. He was beaten 5 1/2 lengths when eighth as the favorite in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill on Derby Day.

Annex finished fourth of five in the off-the-turf Penn Mile on May 28 at Penn National.

He shows a series of solid workouts at Saratoga.

It’s a Gamble won the off-the-turf Jersey Derby for trainer Kelly Breen on May 28.

It’s a Gamble is a two-time winner on turf, including a debut victory going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga last August. Joel Rosario was aboard that day and will get back on him for the first time since on Sunday.

“He’s in form, he’s sharp, he’s training really well,” Breen said.

Breen is running It’s a Gamble one race before he starts Firenze Fire in the Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud. Both are homebreds for owner/breeder Ron Lombardi.

“That’s pretty cool,” Breen said.

Original and Straw Into Gold look to be the speed of the Manila field.

◗ Following Monday’s Fourth of July program, there will be three consecutive dark days before the Belmont meet wraps up with a three-day week Friday through Sunday.