Small Bear a major player in Curlin Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – This week, the 3-year-old males will be in the spotlight, with the highlight being Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming facing Preakness winner Cloud Computing in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy.

On Friday, seven lesser-accomplished 3-year-olds will try to earn a shot in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 26 when they run in the $100,000 Curlin Stakes, for those who have not won a graded stakes at longer than a mile in 2017.

You’re to Blame, the runner-up to West Coast in the Easy Goer Stakes, likely will be favored in the Curlin, run at 1 1/8 miles.

One horse who is improving ahead of the Curlin is Small Bear, a gelding by Macho Uno owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells and trained by Gary Sciacca. Small Bear is coming off his most impressive race to date, a 6 3/4-length victory in a second-level allowance race at Belmont Park on June 24. That race was originally scheduled for the turf but was transferred to the dirt because of inclement weather. It was run over a fast track.

After breaking poorly, Small Bear was last early. He split horses leaving the three-furlong pole, maneuvered three wide at the quarter pole, and drew clear under Dylan Davis.

“I was really impressed with his last race,” Sciacca said. “That’s why I decided to put him in there.”

During the winter, Small Bear won twice around two turns, a maiden race over Aqueduct’s inner track and a first-level allowance at Parx.

In the Curlin, Small Bear will break from post 3 under Davis. The remainder of the field comprises Everybodyluvsrudy, Outplay, Hemsworth, Thirst for Victory, and Perfect Partner.

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