Scratch of So High alters Man o' War pace scenario
ELMONT, N.Y. - If Yibir or Gufo is to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War at Belmont Park, they are likely going to have to run down a talented loose-on-the-lead runner in Abaan.
The Man o’ War drew only a field of six but scratched down to a field of five with the defection of So High Saturday morning. While So High, who finished fifth in this race last year at 90-1, figured to be a rank outsider again Saturday, his presence in the field seemed to assure that expected pacesetter Abaan would have some company up front.
Now, Abaan, who will be ridden by Luis Saez, looks like he could dictate terms in the 1 3/8-mile race. Abaan, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Todd Pletcher, has been successful in the past when able to get loose on the lead as he won the H. Allen Jerkens at Gulfstream Park in December in front-running fashion. He was a close up second when he won the Grade 3 William McKnight in January.
Highland Chief, one of two in this field sent out by Graham Motion, has shown pace in Europe. He broke poorly in his U.S. debut, a second-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles at Aqueduct in April. Motion said he expects both Highland Chief and Easter to break better Saturday than the did in their most recent starts.
Whether that’s good enough to keep Abaan company up front remains to be seen. Whether Abaan is good enough to beat Grade 1 winners like Yibir, the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, and Gufo, the Sword Dancer winner, also remains to be seen.
Yibir, who will be ridden by William Buick, has a very potent late kick, one he showed winning the Jockey Club Derby here last fall as well as the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar in November. There was not much pace in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March when Yibir tried to rally from last and had to go about nine wide in the lane to find clear sailing. He fell a neck shy of Shayryar.
Gufo was able to overcome a slow pace when he won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby here in the fall of 2020. He made an early to move to gain contention when able to run by Abaan in the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream on April 2.
The Man o’ War may only have five horses in it, but it could turn out to be a rather fascinating race.