Mother Goose field coming up light

A year ago, Untapable was the queen of the Mother Goose. Entering off a big win in the Kentucky Oaks, she defeated four rivals by more than nine lengths at a nickel on the dollar.

The scenario for this Saturday’s Mother Goose is different, as Larry Jones is tentatively pointing Oaks winner Lovely Maria to the July 11 Delaware Oaks. But while the Grade 1 Mother Goose won’t have a standout, it is not likely to have a large field either.

As of early this week, a field of six or seven was expected for the $300,000, 1 1/16-mile race. The top players figure to include Eskenformoney, Danessa Deluxe, and the lightly raced runners Munasara and Embellish the Lace.

Eskenformoney, trained by Todd Pletcher, is coming off a 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. Off a bit slowly in the race, she was moving well along the rail in the stretch when she was bumped, losing her momentum. Prior to the Oaks, she had finished second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and third, beaten a half-length, in the Grade 2 Davona Dale.

Danessa Deluxe finished third in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and has since been fourth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan for trainer Jorge Navarro.

Munasara, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, is 2 for 2 in her career, having won a Gulfstream maiden race and a Belmont optional-claiming race. Embellish the Lace, trained by Tony Dutrow, is coming off a blowout victory in an optional-claiming race at Pimlico.

Others expected for the Mother Goose are Chide, trained by Al Stall Jr., and Pleasant Tales, trained by Dallas Stewart. Money’soncharlotte, trained by Kelly Breen, and Include Betty, trained by Tom Proctor, are possible for the race.

Trainer John Kimmel said he was “75-25” leaning against running his New York-bred standout Bar of Gold, who finished sixth in the Grade 1 Acorn on Belmont Stakes Day after a nightmare trip.

“It cycles back just a little too quick for us,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel said Bar of Gold could make her next start in the Delaware Oaks.