Social Inclusion out to prove himself in Woody Stephens Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – With all the intrigue and decision making regarding where he would run next finally behind him, Social Inclusion will try to go out and prove he is indeed one of the top 3-year-olds in the country when he takes on a dozen rivals in Saturday’s $500,000 Woody Stephens.

After more than a week of speculation, owner Ron Sanchez finally decided to forego the Belmont Stakes and give the extremely talented but still somewhat-immature Social Inclusion a more reasonable assignment, turning him back to seven furlongs for the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes on Saturday. Social Inclusion brings some imposing credentials into the race, having finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and third in the Preakness in his last two starts. The lightly raced son of Pioneerof the Nile also earned a 110 Beyer Speed Figure, still the best by any 3-year-old in the country this year, when trouncing Honor Code in an allowance race late this winter at Gulfstream Park.[bc_video_id:326586:]

“It’s a good spot for us,” Sanchez said. “We wanted him to draw an outside post. He should be close up, but he doesn’t need the lead to win. He’s doing so much better now than before he ran in the Preakness. He lost six days of training prior to his last start. We have a good rider who knows this track. All we need now is a good break and good luck.”

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Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard Social Inclusion for the first time in the Woody Stephens.

The pace should be honest with Bayern, Favorite Tale, and Pure Sensation in the lineup.

Bayern also exits the Preakness but was never a factor in the race after encountering early trouble. He has crossed the finish line first in all three previous one-turn starts, although was disqualified and placed second behind Embellishing Bob following an apparent nose triumph in the one-mile Derby Trial.

A sharp pace could play into the hands of Havana and Coup de Grace.

Havana will be making his second start since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, having run third behind Favorite Tale and Pure Sensation in the six-furlong Gold Fever Stakes on May 4.

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“We think he needed the race,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Hopefully with a race under his belt and three works since, he’ll be ready to fire, and seven furlongs should suit him really well.”

Coup de Grace is perfect in three starts around one turn, his lone setback in four career outings coming in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull. He bounced back 10 weeks later by overcoming a rough trip to post a well-deserved nose victory Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Bay Shore.

“This race came up way tougher than I thought it would when I circled it six weeks ago,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He’ll need a big move forward in numbers, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him.”