Mubtaahij could give Frosted a tussle in Woodward

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Frosted will have eight challengers when he seeks his third straight Grade 1 victory in Saturday’s $600,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga, and his biggest threat may come from his own barn.

Mubtaahij, who joined trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s barn following his second-place finish in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March, was among the horses entered against Frosted in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward.

The Woodward is one of four stakes on a 12-race Saturday card at Saratoga that includes the Grade 1 Spinaway, Grade 3 Saranac, and Grade 3 Glens Falls.

Frosted finished fifth in the Dubai World Cup, 1 3/4 lengths behind Mubtaahij, then trained by Mike De Kock.

While Frosted has come back to the U.S. to post eye-catching victories in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Whitney, Mubtaahij finished third under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 9.

“He ran well last time,” McLaughlin said. “Irad thought he could improve second time on him this year. He rode him last year, too, but he thought he learned a little something about him last time.”

Ortiz said he felt that in the Suburban, he might have waited too long to ask Mubtaahij to run.

“He was so good, and then I waited, and when I asked him, he was one-paced, so I want to be closer to let him do his thing earlier,” Ortiz said.

Mubtaahij drew the outside in a nine-horse field entered Wednesday for the Woodward. Frosted, who will be ridden by Joel Rosario, will break from post 3.

Inside of Frosted will be Shaman Ghost and Breaking Lucky. Immediately outside of Frosted will be Bradester – the primary speed in the field – Catholic Cowboy, Samraat, Tale of Verve, Tapin Mojo, and then Mubtaahij.

McLaughlin decided to run Frosted back in the Whitney in part because he thought the 60 days between the Woodward and the Breeders’ Cup was a good fit, though McLaughlin said he hasn’t ruled out running Frosted back on the weekend of Oct. 8 in either the Jockey Club Gold Cup or the Kelso.

Comfort, who finished second to Frosted in the Whitney, was not among those entered in the Woodward. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he will be pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Oct. 8.

“We feel like the horse runs really well at Belmont, and the Jockey Club might provide us with our best opportunity,” Pletcher said.