Mr. Buff playing the heavy in Commentator

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mr. Buff will be the heavy favorite in more ways than one in Friday’s $100,000 Commentator Stakes for New York-breds at Belmont Park.

Having won his last five stakes versus statebreds – including the Haynesfield by 20 lengths in February – Mr. Buff will have to carry 127 pounds, spotting 3 to 11 pounds to eight rivals in the one-turn mile race.

“If there’s any horse that can carry it, it’s him,” trainer John Kimmel said Wednesday. “He’s a big, heavy, 17-hand monster. Hopefully, it won’t affect him.”

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Mr. Buff will be running off a 111-day layoff, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic that shutdown racing on the New York Racing Association circuit for 80 days. The last time Mr. Buff had a layoff of this significance was in 2017 when he had 173 days between starts. That day, he finished second in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance.

“From what my staff tells me, as I’ve been down in Florida, he’s doing great,” Kimmel said, adding that jockey Junior Alvarado “breezed him twice and said he feels terrific too. From the feedback from the people that have been with him for most of his career, he’s doing terrific.

“It’s a little stiffer race,” Kimmel added. “He drew a little better [post 7], so he can see how things set up inside of him.”

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Mr. Buff is a front-runner and it’s unclear who in this field could prompt him early.

The last New York-bred stakes Mr. Buff failed to win was last year’s Commentator when he was beaten three-quarters of a length when third to Pat On the Back, who is making his third straight appearance in the Commentator. In each of the past two years, Pat On the Back – who was beaten a nose by Diversify in 2018 – had a race before the Commentator. This year, he is coming in off a 188-day layoff.

“He’s doing well, his feet have been good, it’s just a matter of how ready he’s going to be to go the distance,” said Jeremiah Englehart, trainer of Pat On the Back.

Funny Guy and Bankit, separated by a head in last year’s Albany Stakes at Saratoga, are in this field. Funny Guy, trained by John Terranova, has not run since he finished sixth in last September’s Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

“Based on how he’s trained he looks like he’s a lot stronger as a 4-year-old now,” Terranova said. “He’s coming back like he’s progressed.”

Funny Guy gets in with 119 pounds under Joel Rosario.

Bankit, trained by Steve Asmussen, ran five times at Oaklawn Park including an allowance on May 2 in which he was beaten just a half-length by Endorsed, who last Saturday ran a strong second in the Grade 3 Westchester.

Leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Bankit from the rail.

Honor Up won the 2019 Haynesfield going a mile. Stakes-winning sprinters Build to Suit and My Boy Tate will attempt to stretch out to a mile. Whistling Birds completes the field.