Spirit of St Louis joins the fray in West Point Handicap

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The $200,000 West Point Handicap has five horses in it who have spent the last couple of years knocking heads against each other in the stakes races restricted to New York-breds on the New York circuit.

And then there’s Spirit of St Louis.

The newcomer to the fight, 4-year-old Spirit of St Louis is riding a two-race win streak into the West Point, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Saratoga turf. Both prior victories were on the turf, and they followed two decent starts earlier this year on the dirt, including a maiden win at first asking that earned a gaudy 91 Beyer Speed Figure going one mile in the slop.

Spirit of St Louis, a Medaglia d’Oro gelding, is trained by Chad Brown, whose reputation for developing grass horses needs no padding. He’s owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn.

Even in the event of the race being moved to the main track, it’s likely Spirit of St Louis goes to the post the favorite. Players searching for a second choice are likely to land on City Man, the 6-year-old Mucho Macho Man horse who has been a wrecking ball through the New York-bred stakes series for four years. From his 10 wins, five were against fellow New York-breds, including a victory in the 2021 edition of the West Point.

However, trainer Christophe Clemente is not certain that City Man will make the starting gate. The West Point is one of those rare races on the calendar still run as a handicap, and City Man, who took the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park, was assigned high weight of 126 pounds. That means giving eight pounds to Spirit of St Louis, and at least four pounds to everyone else.

Although Clement said the horse is currently “doing well,” he also had a minor physical issue crop up after winning the Kingston Stakes in his last start May 29 at Belmont.

“He had a small issue after his last race, so we gave him some time,” Clement said. “I’m not sure it’s smart to run [carrying] that much weight.”

For City Man’s owner, Dean Reeves, the withdrawal of City Man would mean less competition for his other horse in the West Point, Dakota Gold, a 4-year-old Freud colt who has posted good Beyers while running through the Kingston and Hudson Valley against New York-breds and the Lure against restricted company in his last three starts. He won the Hudson Valley while finishing in the money in the others. Danny Gargan trains, and Flavien Prat will be aboard.

Somelikeithotbrown, a 7-year-old winner of $1.7 million, is in the field, but has not been at the top of his form of late. Jerry the Nipper and Ocala Dream, both good earners as well, also have shown up for most of the recent races in the division. A bettor could make a case for any of them at the right prices.

Yaddo Handicap

Whatlovelookslike is riding a three-race win streak coming into the $200,000 Yaddo, and it’s an impressive one. She’s won all three going away, at three different distances, and on firm, good, and yielding turf. She cuts back from an open allowance at 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/16 in the restricted Yaddo.

Todd Pletcher trains her for owner Barry Schwartz, with Prat aboard. She’ll break from the outside of the eight-horse field, where the hope is that she can sit off the flank of the pacesetter.

But that’s the tricky part of the Yaddo. None of the eight entrants have a strong history of setting the pace.

She’s Dancing may be most likely to go to the front, given that she blitzed through fractions of 22.86 seconds, 45.58, and 1:09.14 in her last race, her first start on turf after 16 starts on dirt or synthetic tracks. She won that mile and 70-yard race at Penn National by 9 1/2 lengths, earning a lifetime-best Beyer of 89, a purse of $17,340, and a spot in the Yaddo.

The closers are all to the outside of She’s Dancing. Runaway Rumor and Golden Rocket will try to chase down the front-runner and Whatlovelookslike, but don’t forget Spungie on the rail. She’s coming off an eight-month layoff, but could benefit from a forwardly placed position along the rail if Junior Alvarado can find room.

– additional reporting by David Grening