Post Time puts win streak on the line in Westchester

Post Time will be moving back to the distance that produced his best career Beyer Speed Figure on Friday, when he seeks to win his fifth consecutive stakes race in the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet.

The offering for 4-year-olds and up at a one-turn mile drew seven runners, including Charge It, a Grade 2 winner making his first start since running fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November.

The Westchester shares a card with the Grade 3, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf. The field of five is led by Grade 1 winner McKulick.

Post Time has built his stakes streak in consecutive starts, all at seven furlongs, with the exception of the Jennings in January. He won the one-turn mile race at Laurel by more than six lengths and put up a career-high Beyer of 104.

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“He ran a mile one time at home,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He loved it, so we hope that that’s the same case on Friday.”

Russell said the one-mile distance was one of the reasons Post Time was targeted for the Westchester. The added ground might lend itself to a comfortable kind of trip for the son of Frosted, who will break from post 4 under Sheldon Russell.

“He’s going to sit a trip,” Brittany Russell said. “Going a mile, it just depends on kind of what the pace scenario ends up being. He’s the kind of horse he was getting the job done going seven-eighths. But he kind of likes to settle in and get into a rhythm, and that’s what we want to see him do – get into a rhythm and make his run.”

Post Time comes off a neck win in the Grade 2 Carter on April 6 at Aqueduct. He ended up making his bid from the middle of the track after the pacesetter drifted out through the stretch run. It was a significant win for Post Time.

“I like that he got the job done,” Russell said. “Good horses overcome things. He gets carried out, but he runs and he gets the job done.

“I also like that he shipped. He acted professional. He ran hard.”

It was the first road trip during the horse’s streak, and the success in New York is another reason Russell said Post Time is returning from his Maryland base for the Westchester.

Post Time, who races for Hillwood Stable, began his streak in November in the City of Laurel. He then won the Jennings and Grade 3 General George before shipping for the Carter. Russell has seen Post Time develop during his streak.

“I do think a lot of it is mental maturity,” she said, “because he’s able to get on a van and handle himself with class and run well. And he knows what his job is. Those were always question marks with this horse.

“It’s a different story when you’re a horse for course. Was he a horse for the course? Was it he just likes being home, walking out of his stall? It’s nice to know that it seems like things have come together mentally. He’s always trained well. He’s a talent, so we knew that part of it was there.”

Charge It flashed his talent at 3, when he won the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont by 23 lengths. He’s now 5 and has trained sharply for his first start of the year. Charge It’s last four works have been bullets, all at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. Kendrick Carmouche has the mount from post 7 for Whisper Hill Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher.

Sheepshead Bay

McKulick is the one to beat in the Sheepshead Bay after starting her 5-year-old season with a win in the Grade 3 Orchid on March 30 at Gulfstream Park. It was the fifth graded stakes win for the mare, who returns to a surface over which she is 2 for 2. Manny Franco has the mount from post 4 for Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown.

La Mehana was third in the Orchid and has reason to move forward in what will be both her second start since September and her second race in North America. She was Group 1-placed two starts ago at Longchamp, when third in the Royallieu. Vincent Cheminaud has the mount from post 5 for LSU Stables and trainer Christophe Clement. Clement also sends out Grade 2 winner Parnac, who is making her first start since October.

Star Fortress is moving back to the marathon ranks and seems like one who will make good use of the added ground as a winner over 1 1/4 miles. In November, she won the Grade 3 Cardinal at 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs with a field-best Beyer of 104.

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