Masen heavy favorite in Seek Again Stakes
The five older horses set to start Sunday in the $100,000 Seek Again at Belmont Park are all approaching the one-mile turf race at different stages of their careers.
Masen made a splash in his North American debut, running second by a nose to Shirl’s Speight in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland for a Beyer Speed Figure of 104.
Field Pass is looking for the eighth stakes win of his career, and if he notches it Sunday, the veteran would go over $1 million in earnings.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost is an up-and-coming sort as a 4-year-old half-brother to Sadler’s Joy, a Grade 1 winner of $2.6 million.
Duke of Hazzard is a Group 2 winner making his first start since September.
Mandate was scratched from a Friday allowance at Pimlico in favor of the Seek Again.
Masen should start as a strong favorite off his Maker’s Mark effort April 15. He was always prominent over a turf course rated good. The start was his first out since October.
Masen is a Juddmonte Farms homebred by Kingman. His three wins to date have come at seven furlongs on turf, including the Knockaire Stakes in his 3-year-old finale at Leopardstown in Ireland.
The Maker’s Mark was his first start for trainer Chad Brown, who is winning races at a 38 percent clip this meet at Belmont. Manny Franco has the mount from post 5.
Field Pass is a winner of 8 of 25 starts and has earned $948,142. The 5-year-old is a graded winner on both turf and synthetic surfaces and throughout his career has raced for Three Diamonds Farm and been trained by Mike Maker.
Field Pass, who will break from the rail under Dylan Davis, was third last out in the $95,000 Henry Clark at a mile on turf on April 23 at Laurel Park. He stalked the pace and could get a similar trip Sunday. The Grade 2 winner will be making the third start of his form cycle.
Duke of Hazzard, who had been based in Europe, last raced in Canada when he was a close sixth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. The race has seen two of its starters return in their next outs to win graded stakes. Avie’s Flatter, who was ninth, came back to take the Grade 2 Nearctic at Woodbine, and Change of Control, who was 10th, returned to win the Grade 3 Franklin County at Keeneland.
Duke of Hazzard, who earned a Beyer of 95 in the Woodbine Mile, was a Group 2 winner at this distance earlier in his career. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 2 for trainer Wesley Ward.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost is looking for his first stakes win after running second in the Grade 3 Appleton at about a mile on turf April 2 at Gulfstream Park. The horse was beaten just a half-length under Jose Ortiz, who will again be aboard from post 3.
Tom Albertrani trains Wolfie’s Dynaghost for his breeder, Woodslane Farm. They are the same team that campaigned Sadler’s Joy.
Mandate was second in the Henry Clark and is one who can take advantage if the pace is hot Sunday. Andrew Wolfsont has the mount for trainer Robert Johnston.