Stan the Man to scratch from De Francis Dash, run in Kelso Handicap

ELMONY, N.Y. – Stan the Man was entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Pimlico, but will instead run in the Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park, trainer John Terranova said Wednesday.

Stan the Man joins a short field for the Kelso that includes Grade 1 winners Code of Honor and Complexity as well as Endorsed and Mo Don’t No, who will scratch from Friday’s Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland to run here.

Stan the Man is coming off a victory in the Tale of the Cat Stakes going six furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 20. His two highest Beyer Speed Figures came in one-turn mile races, including a neck loss to Nicodemus in the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont in 2019.

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“In light of the fact it was coming up a bit of a short field and he’s run well over this track, everybody felt it was the better move to just stay home,” said Terranova, who trains Stan the Man for Long Lake Stable.

Eric Cancel will ride Stan the Man, who gets in with 117 pounds, seven less than highweight Code of Honor, the 2019 Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner. Complexity, the 2018 Champagne winner, is in with 118, as is Endorsed, runner-up to Code of Honor in this year’s Westchester. Mo Don’t No, sixth in the Charles Town Classic last out, is in with 116.

In other Saturday stakes:

◗ The 3-year-old filly Frank’s Rockette was supplemented to the Grade 3, $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong race in which she figures to be favored over Royal Charlotte, Bronx Beauty, Honor Way, Pacific Gale, and Bertranda.

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◗ Public Sector, an impressive debut winner at Saratoga, heads a field of eight 2-year-olds entered in the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim Stakes, scheduled for 1 1/16-miles on turf.

Public Sector is trained by Chad Brown, who last year won the Pilgrim with Structor, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Others entered in the Pilgrim are American Monarch, Fire At Will, It’s a Gamble, Nathan Detroit, Shawdyshawdyshawdy, Step Dancer, and Zippy Baby.