Ness wheels Stronsino back quick for cutback in Polynesian
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Stronsino, far from disgraced at 1 1/2 miles two weeks ago, will cut back to a more familiar mile in the $100,000 Polynesian Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park. Trainer Jamie Ness acknowledged the short turnaround, but he is willing to take the chance with his notoriously game 5-year-old gelding.
“Wheeling back a little quick, but I’m a little backed up in that category,” Ness said of his willingness to run horses on short rest. “We’ll cut back in distance and see what happens.”
In his return from a year-long layoff in June, Stronsino won a $56,000 allowance at Laurel before stepping up to stakes company at Parx Racing. He finished a disappointing fourth in the $75,000 Mayor’s Mile before trying the Greenwood Cup.
Despite never having run farther than 1 1/16 miles in his career, Stronsino ran admirably in the $150,000, 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup last month, finishing third by 5 3/4 lengths. He only missed out on second by 1 1/2 lengths behind Parchment Party, a dirt marathon specialist.
“I thought he ran well,” Ness said. “I wish the jock would have rode him a little bit different. I thought he was lone speed, and we took him back. But is what it is, and he had a good showing. It’s always nice to cut back in distance too.”
Trainer Gary Capuano said he is not sure if Shaft’s Bullet will run, which would leave Stronsino and the 6-year-old gelding Mr. Ripple as the only two with a win at a mile in the shortened field of six.
In his last two starts for Tim Kreiser, Mr. Ripple has won by a combined 17 1/4 lengths, including a five-length romp in the $100,000 Governors Day at Delaware Park.
Winterfell, a 5-year-old who has switched between trainers Bob Baffert and Brittany Russell throughout his career, made his Mid-Atlantic return at Colonial Downs in August. He finished third in an allowance behind Caldera, who finished second in the Grade 1 Goodwood at Santa Anita next time out.
Twixt Stakes
Anna’s Promise, the fifth-place finisher in the 2025 Kentucky Oaks, took a long time to return to stakes company as a 4-year-old. Trainer Carlos David said he liked what he saw over the summer, however, and will confidently ship to Laurel for the $100,000 Twixt Stakes on Saturday.
Last year, “we tried to sell her, but the owner didn’t want to give her away for less than $300,000,” David said. “So we bought her back, but it took a little while, because now, she’s competing against older.“
As a 3-year-old, Anna’s Promise only got to run one more time after the Oaks before taking the rest of the season off. After returning in January, she needed five starts to win in allowance company. When she did, David entered her in the $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where she finished fourth at 25-1.
“Chasing the winner the whole way around there, she just got a little tired at the end,” David said. “Going back to one-turn mile, we think she’s going to be sharp.”
The Kentucky-based filly is likely to benefit from class relief while cutting back to a mile at Laurel, but trainer Brittany Russell could pose a challenge with two 4-year-olds in the field of nine fillies and mares. Waveless just missed in the $100,000 Maggie L. Walker at Colonial in July, while Especially is coming off a second-level allowance victory.
Smart Halo Stakes
Several key contenders are expected to scratch from the $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes on Saturday, which could give Welovemollynteddy a winning chance for trainer Lou Linder Jr. The juvenile filly is coming off a 15 1/2-length debut victory at Parx and could be landing in the right stakes field.
“I’d love to have [an allowance condition] for 2-year-olds going seven-eighths,” Linder said. “That would be an ideal for me, but try to find that somewhere. We’ll stay away from the mile in New York for the [six furlongs] here. She’s a little immature mentally, and we’re trying not to fry her brain too much.”
Of the likely defections, the Grade 1-placed filly Harper’s Corner is the most notable, as trainer Cal Lynch will instead run her in the Grade 3 Matron at Belmont.
Trainer Hugh McMahon said Go New York Go, a 20 1/4-length debut winner, will scratch and run in a Laurel allowance on Sunday.
Gary Capuano entered two fillies in the field, but it is possible that neither runs. Written Way will stay at Delaware for the $150,000 White Clay Creek, while Martiniwithatwist was questionable to ship to Maryland on Wednesday.
If all of these fillies scratch, it will cut the field of eight juvenile fillies in half, leaving Welovemollynteddy to scrap with Bellablaze and Piggybunz, last-out maiden winners for Russell.
James F. Lewis III Stakes
Walt’s Motion, denied by a head in his restricted stakes debut last month, will add blinkers and enter open company in the $100,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes on Saturday.
“I’m just hoping [the blinkers] keep him a little more focused on running,” trainer Phillip Capuano said. “His first time out, it looked like he was looking around a little bit. In the stakes last time out, it looked like the horse that beat him was powering through the lane and drew off. When Walt drew alongside that horse, he definitely dug back in, but even on the gallop-out he seemed to be fixated on sticking next to him.”
In the $125,000 First State Dash at Delaware, Walt’s Notion rematched with Strong Suspicion after getting the jump on that rival in his debut. This time, however, the Capuano trainee could not hold him off, coming up short in a photo with an improved 75 Beyer Speed Figure.
Capuano said he considered keeping his colt home for the $150,000 Rocky Run, but he decided to ship to Laurel for another try at six furlongs. The Maryland-bred will be the likely favorite in the field of eight juveniles.
Prince of Peace, a Virginia-bred trained by Robert Bailes, needed four tries to earn his maiden victory but got it done in style at Colonial last month. The gate-to-wire winner pulled clear by three lengths at the end, earning a 70 Beyer.
Russell will switch back to dirt with Harewood, who earned his maiden victory on the surface in August before trying the turf again in the $125,000 Jamestown. He led in the stretch that day before fading to finish third by three-quarters of a length.
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