Remsen distance suits Avery Island

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Before the connections of Avery Island could get discouraged after the colt finished seventh as the favorite in his career debut, jockey Joe Bravo jumped off the horse with some words of encouragement.

“He said, ‘Don’t worry, he wants to go farther,’ ” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said, noting the debut was at six furlongs.

Bravo has proven to be correct as Avery Island came back with open-lengths victories in a maiden race going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont and the Grade 2 Nashua going a mile on Nov. 5. Saturday. Avery Island gets to run 1 1/8 miles for the first time when he starts as the likely favorite in the Grade 2, $200,000 Remsen Stakes for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Avery Island has the pedigree and the physical make-up to suggest this distance should be in his wheelhouse. He is by 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the dam Kinda Spicy, who ran only twice but won both starts, including one at 1 1/8 miles. Her dam, Isola Piu Bella, was a Group 1 winner at 1 1/4 miles in Chile and won multiple graded stakes going 1 1/8 miles in the U.S.

“He’s a really big colt, big stride,” said McLaughlin, who in 2015 won the Nashua and Remsen with Mohaymen. “We think the mile and an eighth is for us.”

Avery Island drew post 3 in a field of 10 entered in the Remsen. Two of his more intriguing rivals are Catholic Boy and Alkhaatam.

Catholic Boy makes his first start on dirt after winning two of three races on turf and running fourth, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He was sent to New York directly from Southern California and has worked twice over the Belmont Park training track.

“Obviously, the big question is the surface switch, but he’s done everything right in the morning to give us confidence to try,” said trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Alkhaatam, a son of Tapit, finished third in his only race, a one-turn mile maiden race at Belmont on Oct. 25. His trainer, Chad Brown, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with the maiden Good Magic and believes Alkhaatam, like Good Magic, wants every bit of the nine furlongs.

“He ran really well to run a mile first time out and nearly win,” Brown said. “We always thought a lot of this horse. We took our time getting him there. I’m excited about not only this race but his future. I think he has a chance to be a really top 3-year-old next year. He’s a very talented horse. He has a wonderful mind.”

Tap Rap Strike, another son of Tapit, comes off a maiden win going two turns at Parx on Oct. 14 when, according to his trainer, John Servis, he only ran the last sixteenth of a mile.

“I think the light’s flickering – I don’t think it’s completely on yet,” said Servis, who won this race in 2004 with Rockport Harbor.

Biblical, a third son of Tapit entered in this field, finished third to Avery Island in a maiden race and came back to win a 1 1/8-mile maiden race over this track two weeks ago.

KEY CONTENDERS

Avery Island, by Street Sense

Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-51

◗ Drew off convincingly in the final sixteenth when winning the Nashua by 4 3/4 lengths.

◗ Worked a best-of-91 half-mile in 47.50 seconds on Nov. 24, his lone work in between races.

Alkhaatam, by Tapit

Beyer: 79

◗ Ran like a horse who would appreciate more ground when third, beaten three-quarters of a length in a one-mile maiden race at Belmont on Oct. 25.

◗ Finished well and galloped out strong when besting the older horse Ekhtibaar in five-furlong drill in 1:00.38 at Belmont on Oct. 25.

Catholic Boy, by More Than Ready

Last 3 Beyers: 83-76-63

◗ If he can transfer his turf form to the dirt, he will be a factor, as he most certainly will handle the nine furlongs of this race.