Paradise Creek distance suits A Lot, Croninthebarbarian
ELMONT, N.Y. – Belmont Park offers 3-year-old turf horses two stakes options in the next week, one going seven furlongs, the other at 1 1/8 miles.
Given how they performed at 1 1/16 miles last out, it’s not surprising that the connections of A Lot and Croninthebarbarian opted for Saturday’s $100,000 Paradise Creek Stakes at seven furlongs as opposed to next Saturday’s $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
A Lot and Croninthebarbarian head a field of six in the Paradise Creek, carded as the eighth of nine races.
A Lot and Croninthebarbarian finished three-quarters of a length apart when second and third in the Dania Beach Stakes going 7 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 3. From there, A Lot won a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream, while Croninthebarbarian finished third in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes at a mile, and eighth – with significant trouble – in the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream on March 7.
Since the Palm Beach, Croninthebarbarian has been transferred from the barn of Garry Simms to that of Chad Brown.
Bridget’s Big Luvy, who served as American Pharoah’s target in the Arkansas Derby, will try turf for the first time in the Paradise Creek. Completing the field for turf are Enjoy the Show, gelded since winning a maiden race at Gulfstream on Dec. 31, Alex the Terror, and St. Louie.
Key contenders
A Lot (Last 3 Beyers: 86-85-79)
◗ He had a two-length lead in midstretch of the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on Derby Day only to get run down by Divisidero.
“He had a pretty good trip,” trainer Bill Mott said. “Johnny [Velazquez] thought he might have went to the lead a little too soon. I think he’s best suited to seven furlongs to a mile.”
Croninthebarbarian (Last 3 Beyers: 69-76-77)
◗ He had a very tough trip in the Grade 3 Palm Beach. He was forced to steady entering the far turn, shuffled back to last, and then had to slam on the brakes when attempting to rally up the rail. Still, he was beaten only four lengths.
◗ Over the last three years, Brown is 24 for 76 with horses making their first start for him on turf. He is 2 for 7 in non-graded stakes.
◗ He carries top weight of 122 pounds, conceding four pounds to A Lot, and breaks from post 3 under Javier Castellano.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Croninthebarbarian. Trainer Chad Brown is 12-1-3-2 with a $0.37 ROI over the past five years in turf sprints in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Bridget’s Big Luvy (Last 3 Beyers: 74-87-38)
◗ He tries turf for the first time after going 2 for 6 on dirt, including a victory in the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel in March.
◗ He has worked twice on turf at Belmont Park under jockey Rajiv Maragh.
◗ Trainer Jeremiah Englehart noted that Bridget’s Big Luvy would come back from his dirt works with a high temperature but said he came back from his turf works with a normal temperature.
“I thought his comfort level over it was perfect,” Englehart said. “I always thought he might handle the turf, and if he does take to it, I think he’s got a big shot in there.”
◗ Englehart is removing the blinkers in an attempt to get the speedy colt to relax.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Bridget’s Big Luvy. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is 8-2-1-3 with a $8.42 ROI over the past two years in turf sprints with Rajiv Maragh aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan