Remsen has no real standout among nine

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With dominant Nashua winner Independence Hall bypassing the race and impressive maiden winner Country Grammer sidelined by a temperature, Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes looks like a wide-open affair.

A field of nine was entered with only Cleon Jones having won a stakes. The field includes two horses – Chase Tracker and Alpha Sixty Six – who were entered for the main track only in Friday’s Central Park Stakes, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Forza Di Oro could be the right one in the Remsen. In his debut, Forza Di Oro dwelt at the start, spotting the field five lengths, yet made a strong rally to come within a half-length of the lead at the eighth pole. He settled for second, 4 1/4 lengths behind Ajaaweed, who is in this field.

On Oct. 26, Forza Di Oro came back to win his maiden by three-quarters of a length. A bit headstrong early and stuck behind three horses around the far turn, Forza Di Oro won in hand after Junior Alvarado got him into the clear in upper stretch.

“I thought it was very impressive. It looked like he did it all on the bridle,” said Bill Mott, trainer of Forza Di Oro and a two-time Remsen winner with Court Vision and To Honor and Serve. “I don’t think he ever let him off the bridle. I also don’t think he ever touched him with the whip.”

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Cleon Jones, a New York-bred son of Tale of the Cat, has run five times this year. He won the Bertram F. Bongard at Belmont in September and then was beaten a head by stablemate Captain Bombastic in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes going a one-turn mile on Oct. 19. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said that Cleon Jones was suffering from stomach ulcers leading up to the Sleepy Hollow.

“I was actually surprised he ran as good as he did,” Englehart said. “We’ve been treating him for those and he’s been working well. He seems to always run to the competition. Hopefully, he’ll continue to do that.

Shotski, a son of Blame, ships in from Laurel for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer. Shotski finished fourth in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27. He finished three-quarters of a length behind third-place finisher Silver Prospector, who came back to win last Saturday’s Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

In the Street Sense, Shotski appeared to be backing up in the stretch, only to get emboldened when Silver Prospector came up inside of him.

“He’s a very laid-back horse,” O’Dwyer said. “He’s quite lazy, but he’s still a big baby, his head is not fully in the game yet. He’s a real grinder. The more you ask him, the more he’ll give you. I’m hoping to see a better, different horse this time.”

Todd Pletcher has both Chase Tracker and Alpha Sixty Six in the Remsen. Both were entered for the main track only in Friday’s Central Park and would fit in either spot.

Ajaaweed, Informative, Prince James, and Amends complete the field.