Ny Traffic looks for sweet trip in Chocolate Town Stakes
Ny Traffic hopes for clear sailing in Penn National’s $100,000 Chocolate Town Stakes at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up.
The Chocolate Town shares top billing Friday with the $100,000 Susquehanna Valley for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Both races are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series.
Although known best for missing by a nose to eventual Horse of the Year Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell traveling nine furlongs in 2020, Ny Traffic also is an accomplished sprinter. He’s won his last three sprints by a combined 19 1/4 lengths, including the six-furlong Affirmed Success for New York-breds on April 29 at Belmont Park.
“Since we’ve cut him back, he’s become a much better horse,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “I think 6 1/2 or seven furlongs would be his ideal distance, but the way he won going six last time opens some options.”
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Ny Traffic was supposed to run in the Commentator for New York-breds on May 30, but the race failed to attract enough entries. Wary of running against star sprinter Jackie’s Warrior in the True North at Belmont, Joseph decided on the Chocolate Town.
Trainer Butch Reid calls Beren “the kindest horse, maybe, I’ve been around in the 30 to 40 years I’ve been doing this.” The five-time stakes winner makes his second start of the year after finishing second by a neck in the Page McKenney for Pennsylvania-breds April 25 at Parx Racing.
“I think six is his best distance,” Reid said. “It would be nice if he was forwardly placed.”
Sir Alfred James takes a class drop after finishing fourth in two graded stakes, one of them the Grade 1 Churchill Downs behind Jackie’s Warrior. The Chocolate Town will be his 11th start of 2022.
“He’s coming off a month’s rest, which he hasn’t had in six months,” trainer Lynn Cash said. “I think he can come from off of it, but I would rather see him on the rail and the lead.”
Exculpatory earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Robert Hilton Memorial last summer at Charles Town. He then finished eighth in the Grade 3 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs to complete his 3-year-old campaign.
Exculpatory reportedly underwent surgery over the winter and now returns off the layoff for new trainer Jacqueline Savoye.
“I got him in February and was originally just going to leg him up for [recently retired trainer] Mark Reid,” Savoye said. “It’s really hard coming off a layoff, but [jockey] Carol [Cedeno] breezed him last week and said ‘He’s ready.’ ”
Multiple stakes winner No Cents is listed as a new gelding as he makes his second start following a lengthy layoff. He’s never been out of the exacta.
Dontmesawithme, Studio B, Threes Over Deuces, Jumpmaster, Lost in Newyork, and Pictor complete the field.
◗ Penn National-based Kaylasaurus is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the Susquehanna Valley and has been pointing to this race since winning Laurel Park’s Primonetta on April 23. She’ll face a quality cast that includes fellow stakes winners Fille d’Esprit, Prodigy Doll, Cinnabunny, and Hey Mamaluke. Bold Confection and Deco Strong also are entered.