Social Inclusion launches comeback Sunday

Social Inclusion, who has not started since finishing seventh after forcing the pace in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational last summer, will launch his comeback in Sunday’s third race at Gulfstream Park, a one-mile optional claimer.

Social Inclusion, who was sidelined with a tendon issue after the Haskell, will return to the races with trainer Chad Brown, who has had the speedy 4-year-old all winter at Palm Meadows preparing for his comeback. Social Inclusion had been previously trained by Manny Azpurua.

Social Inclusion was an instant sensation when launching his career at Gulfstream last winter, winning his first two starts, including a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in which he defeated the odds-on Honor Code by 10 lengths while setting a track record.

Social Inclusion, a son of Pioneerof the Nile owned by Rontos Racing, finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, third in the Preakness, and third as the even-money favorite behind Bayern in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens before having his 3-year-old campaign come to a premature end after the Haskell.

“He’s doing really well, and we’re excited to get him started,” said Brown. “Any time you’re dealing with a soft-tissue injury such as a tendon, it’s a delicate process bringing them back, and this horse has cooperated beautifully. You have to have a lot of patience with these types of injuries, and it’s been a team effort all the way, one that also includes Dr. [Larry] Bramlage and my entire staff.”

Social Inclusion will race without blinkers for the first time Sunday.

“He’s been relaxed in the morning without them,” said Brown. “And the way this horse has been training, he strikes me as a distance horse, which is why I’m starting him out at a mile. Right now, I’m planning on running him from a mile to a mile and one-eighth. I feel like we’ve done our job as best we can getting him ready, he’s going into the race 100 percent healthy, and all of us at the barn are really anxious to see him run.”