Mr. Buff may be sitting on a big race

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred Mr. Buff will look to defeat open company rivals for a second time in his career when he runs in a first-level allowance race going seven furlongs that serves as Friday’s feature race on Aqueduct’s nine-race card.

A gelding by Friend Or Foe, Mr. Buff won an open starter allowance over Aqueduct’s main track in April by 1 3/4 lengths over Toga Challenger, who came back to win his next two starts before finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga.

Mr. Buff came out of that race with a chip in a knee that needed to be surgically removed. In two starts since returning, Mr. Buff was beaten a nose by Sudden Surprise in a second-level New York-bred allowance before coming back 24 days later to clear that allowance condition on Oct. 15, winning a seven-furlong race by a half-length with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. Mr. Buff will have had nearly seven weeks to recover from that career-best effort.

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“He had two hard races back to back off a little bit of a layoff,” trainer John Kimmel said. “I think he’s sitting on a good race.”

Kimmel did say that Mr. Buff “is a little bit on the nervous side,” and he hopes the colt handles the van ride from Belmont to Aqueduct without incident.

The regally bred 3-year-old Westwood is trying winners for the first time following a maiden victory here on Nov. 5. A son of Bernardini out of the champion mare Ashado, Westwood finished second in his career debut in September 2016 before being sidelined with what trainer Kiaran McLaughlin describe as “a clubby foot.” He returned in October to finish third in a maiden race at Parx, and both he and the runner-up came back to win their next start.

“He had a weird foot, kind of a clubby foot,” McLaughlin said. “We thought after listening to Dr. [Larry] Bramlage, we decided to give him some time and hoped that it helped him, and it seems to have helped him.”

Forest Blue, a five-time winner who just missed in this condition on Nov. 10, and Battle of Evermore, who returns from a year layoff as a new gelding, are other possibilities in this spot.

KEY CONTENDERS

Mr. Buff, by Friend Or Foe
Last 3 Beyers: 91-88-87

◗ Though he won his last race on the front end, Kimmel said he wouldn’t mind having something to follow. Westwood or Main Road could be the target.

“I think he’s better with something to chase,” Kimmel said.

Forest Blue, by Tale of Ekati
Last 3 Beyers: 89-92-88

◗ In his first start for Robertino Diodoro and on this circuit, he chased but could not catch front-running winner Phi Beta Express in a six-furlong race in this same condition.

◗ Has a win and two seconds going seven furlongs.