Stakes plans for Seymourdini, Matt King Coal

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Seymourdini, who came off a lengthy layoff to win a first-level allowance race here Friday, could make his next start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens, a seven-furlong race on the June 11 Belmont Stakes undercard, trainer Linda Rice said.

Seymourdini ran some fast early fractions in his one-mile allowance win but had enough left to hold off Voluntario to win by a head. Seymourdini, in his first start since Nov. 22, put up fractions of 22.84 seconds, 45.70, and 1:09.63 and ran a mile in 1:35.62. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.

“I was happy that he won,” Rice said. “He ran awfully fast early. I would have preferred to start him off going seven-eighths. I’m really happy he got through that.”

Rice said Seymourdini could be considered for the Peter Pan, but she seemed to prefer cutting him back in distance at this stage.

“I think if they went a half in 47, he could get the mile and an eighth,” Rice said. “He’s a really talented horse. I can see us running seven-eighths and sitting off the pace.”

Meanwhile, Rice said she might run Matt King Coal next in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard. Matt King Coal finished fourth in the Wood Memorial after dueling early with Outwork, who held off Trojan Nation to win.

Regarding the Wood Memorial, Rice said she was disappointed in the result. She believes that the fast early fractions had more to do with the fourth-place finish than did the muddy track.

“He looked empty at the quarter pole,” Rice said. “I was surprised he only got beat 2 1/2 lengths.”