Sage Valley returns from long layoff in sprint feature

Tucked into the race 9 spot on Laurel Park’s Friday card is a $55,000, no-conditions allowance race for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. The race pits multiple stakes winner Sage Valley against King Henry, who most recently finished second to Bern Identity in the $100,000 Dave’s Friend Stakes.

Sage Valley, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, will be making his first start of the year. As a 4-year-old last year, he won two Grade 3 stakes, the Maryland Sprint Handicap on Preakness Day and the James Marvin at Saratoga.

Rodriguez has put nine works into Sage Valley at Saratoga and Aqueduct.

“He’s training good, and we’ve been looking for a race for him,” Rodriguez said. “You have to race them when they are sound and ready to run. He’s been off since December, so I didn’t want to put him in any tougher than I had to.”

Rodriguez and owner Michael Dubb claimed Sage Valley for $50,000 out of his second career start in February 2012. He has since won 5 of 12 starts and more than $320,000. Sage Valley won the Maryland Million Sprint following a seven-month layoff, but he’d better have his running shoes on Friday.

King Henry gave Bern Identity fits on the lead in the Dave’s Friend before coming up a length short late. Bern Identity is 3 for 3 for trainer Kelly Breen this year and will be among the favorites in the Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland on Friday.

King Henry, a 6-year-old gelding, is trained by Tim Kreiser, the runaway leader in the Penn National trainer standings. Kreiser has won 73 races at Penn this year, while runner-up Murray Rojas has won 35.

Kreiser claimed King Henry for $15,000 in January 2013 at Penn National on behalf of Ronald Ulrich. King Henry has started 24 times since and apparently thrived on the activity, winning eight races and more than $250,000.

King Henry looks to have the best early speed in this lineup and could be tough to reel in if he shakes free under jockey Horacio Karamanos.

Hardened Wildcat, owned and bred by the New Farm of Ebby Novak, will be making his first start for trainer Ben Perkins Jr. after having been previously trained by Chad Brown and Breen.

Hardened Wildcat will be making his first start since March 29 at Gulfstream Park. A winner of 4 of 14 starts and $310,000, Hardened Wildcat finished second to Sage Valley in the Maryland Sprint Handicap last year.