Marriedtothemusic looks for fifth win of year in George Barker Stakes

Marriedtothemusic, a four-time winner already this season, will seek to transfer his good form downstate when he visits Finger Lakes for the first time as the favorite in Monday’s $50,000 George Barker Stakes for New York-bred sprinters.

A consistent 4-year-old colt who has been part of the exacta in 10 of 11 starts, Marriedtothemusic comes into the six-furlong Barker seeking his third straight win since Linda Rice took over his training following the death of Dominic Galluscio.

In his first start for Rice, Marriedtothemusic dominated open company in a first-level allowance at Belmont Park. He followed up by winning the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes for statebreds by a head as the 1-2 favorite three weeks ago.

The two most intriguing challengers may be I’m Stoked and Bug Juice, both of whom train at Belmont.

I’m Stoked will be making his stakes debut and his first start since late March for trainer Mike Hushion, who has recorded two wins and a second, all in stakes, with the limited number of horses he has shipped to Finger Lakes. I’m Stoked prepped for his comeback with a bullet five-furlong workout in 59.20 seconds last Tuesday.

Bug Juice will be returning to Finger Lakes for the first time in nearly four years. As a 2-year-old in 2010, Bug Juice won the Aspirant Stakes by seven lengths and the New York Breeders’ Futurity by 10 lengths. Overall, he is 11 for 30 lifetime. Bug Juice, cross-entered in a turf sprint on Monday’s card at Belmont, was no match for Marriedtothemusic when they met May 2.

The field also includes Sundae On Sunday, the close runner-up in last year’s Barker. He will be making his first start since October. A year ago, Sundae On Sunday was returning from a five-month freshening when he missed by three-quarters of a length in the Barker.