Mr. Buff should move forward in Suburban Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Over his last 20 races, spanning two years, Mr. Buff has only been noncompetitive in the three graded stakes races in which he’s run.

Saturday, the 6-year-old New York-bred millionaire will try again to make the grade when he runs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban Stakes.

Trainer John Kimmel said that while he is running Mr. Buff in the Suburban because he has “nowhere else to go,” he doesn’t see why the horse shouldn’t be competitive in the 1 1/4-mile spot.

“He looks to me like he has the best numbers and he looks like he’s the controlling speed in the race,” Kimmel said.

Mr. Buff is coming off a second-place finish to Funny Guy in the Commentator Stakes. That followed a near four-month layoff and being out of training for one month while on the farm.

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Kimmel is hoping the effort in the Commentator moves him forward.

Junior Alvarado will ride Mr. Buff from post 4 in the Suburban, which goes as the last of 11 races on the card.

From the rail out, the Suburban field, is Tacitus, Parsimony, Forewarned, Mr. Buff, Joevia, Sir Winston, Just Whistle, and Moretti.

Sadler’s Joy gives Manhattan a third try

Sadler’s Joy finished third in the Grade 1 Manhattan in 2018 and second in it last year. His connections hope there is one more step forward Saturday when Sadler’s Joy makes his third start in the $400,000 Manhattan at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Sadler’s Joy, trained by Tom Albertrani for Woodslane Farm, is coming out of a third-place finish in the Tiller Stakes here June 4, where he was beaten two lengths by the loose-on-the-lead Paret.

The Manhattan, from the rail out, is, Instilled Regard, Rockemperor, Cross Border, Sadler’s Joy, Devamani, Channel Maker, Dot Matrix, and Spooky Channel.