Promising juveniles clash on turf

After rain was followed by sub-freezing weather early in the week, temperatures will struggle to reach the low 40s Thursday, but that may be enough to keep a pair of interesting one-mile races for 2-year-olds on turf.

Ten juvenile colts and geldings were entered in race 7, a $67,000 optional claimer with preliminary allowance conditions. Stretch-running Zandar breaks from the rail and will be the likely favorite.

Unveiled in a Saratoga turf sprint by trainer Tom Morley, Zandar rallied mildly to finish fifth behind Cyclogenesis, who is 2 for 2 after coming back to win the Laurel Futurity by nearly six lengths.

Zandar then stretched out to seven furlongs for a maiden win on Belmont’s Widener turf course early at the fall meet, and returned closing day for a runner-up finish in the Awad Stakes on yielding turf.

Breaking alongside in post 2 is Moon River, a Virginia-bred colt based at Delaware Park with Jonathan Sheppard. Moon River won a division of the Jamestown Stakes when unveiled at Laurel Park on Sept. 13, the same day Zandar won at Belmont.

Despite being a first-time starter, Moon River was bet down to 3-1 in the Jamestown, and he rallied professionally on the rail to draw clear.

“He trains well, vans well, behaves nicely, and has really been like an older horse from the beginning,” said assistant trainer Keri Vrion. “Mr. Sheppard usually thinks a lot of a horse when he starts one for the first time in a stakes race.”

A surface switch wouldn’t faze Moon River, who was subsequently fourth in an allowance sprint on dirt. He is a half-brother to Her Smile, who won the Prioress on the main track when it was a Grade 1 race in 2011.

Glasgow Gailes, based at Fair Hill with Graham Motion, is scheduled to make his United States debut.

Others shipping in are Artie’s Flight (Delaware Park), It’ll be Fine (Keeneland), and Tazmanian Charlie (Laurel).

KEY CONTENDERS

Zandar (Last 3 Beyers: 78-73-62)

◗ He boasts the top turf Beyer in the field by better than 10 points.

Glasgow Gailes

◗ Motion is 10 for 32 ($4.05 return on investment) with horses making their first start in North America the past two seasons.

Race 2

Fourteen 2-year-old maiden fillies were entered in race 2, but only 10 can start.

The race is headed by Complicated, a Phipps Stable homebred trained by Shug McGaughey who was second by a nose to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lady Eli at Saratoga in her only start.

Pending any late scratches, Complicated will need some racing luck breaking from the outside.

Other contenders include Strict Compliance, a fast-closing second in her debut at Belmont, and Mozambique Gold, who was cross-entered in a maiden race Wednesday at Laurel.