Mr. Buff to stay home for Commentator

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mr. Buff, who reeled off four consecutive victories in races run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns before a ninth-place finish in the New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on March 23, will cut back to a one-turn mile for the $200,000 Commentator Stakes here on May 27, trainer John Kimmel said Friday.

The last time Mr. Buff ran in a one-turn race, he finished third behind Pat On the Back in the Empire Classic here last fall. Pat On the Back is pointing to the Met Mile.

Kimmel had thought about running Mr. Buff in next Friday’s Pimlico Special, but opted to keep him with New York-breds even if it means shortening him in distance.

“I get to run against New York-breds and I don’t have to go anywhere,” Kimmel said. “He’d still be a question mark at a mile and a quarter. I think it might be a smarter move to stay home.”

Kimmel still doesn’t know what went wrong in the New Orleans race, but he was happy with Mr. Buff’s half-mile breeze in 48.48 seconds on Thursday.