Statebred sprint stakes have open-company quality

New York-breds have faced open company with increased frequency and success in recent years, as evidenced by the sizeable contingent headed from the Empire State to the Breeders’ Cup. Several statebred stalwarts who have turned in creditable efforts against top company figure prominently in Saturday’s two $150,000 sprint stakes on Empire Showcase Day – the Hudson Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, and the Iroquois Stakes for fillies and mares. Both are at 6 1/2 furlongs.

The multiple stakes winner and millionaire Weekend Hideaway is looking to improve on his finish in the Hudson last year. He finished a creditable third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes to Joking and Stallwalkin’ Dude and then was second by a half-length in the Hudson to Breakin the Fever. This year, Weekend Hideaway comes into the Hudson off a fifth-place finish in the Vosburgh. The top two finishers, Takaful and El Deal, are bound for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Weekend Hideaway’s only victory this season came in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont, where he defeated Diversify by a nose. Diversify recently won the Jockey Club Gold Cup and is possible for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

After Manny Franco was aboard for the Vosburgh, regular rider Luis Saez gets back aboard Weekend Hideaway for trainer Phil Serpe on Saturday.

The talented 3-year-old T Loves a Fight, the winner of the Mike Lee Stakes this year, is coming off an allowance victory at Belmont, besting Weekend Hideaway by 1 3/4 lengths, with Celtic Chaos, another prominent contender in the Hudson, in third. T Loves a Fight earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95, tied for the top last-out number in this field with Ostrolenka.

Celtic Chaos has defeated some of his Hudson foes this year, having bested Eye Luv Lulu in the Affirmed Success Stakes at Belmont and Ostrolenka in the John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga, rallying from near the back of the pack both times. He then finished third behind T Loves a Fight in that salty allowance and fourth in the Vosburgh.

“He’s a horse that likes to be comfortable at the beginning, and he gives you a really good kick at the end,” regular rider Eric Cancel said.

Pat On the Back briefly appeared in graded stakes company on the Kentucky Derby trail over the winter before heading back to statebred company and defeating Gold for the King in the Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes. He then attempted to stretch out again, unsuccessfully, and now cuts back to a sprint.

Iroquois a rematch from 2016

Quezon and Wonderment ran one-two in the 2016 Iroquois, and they are rematched in this year’s running. Each is coming off a solid effort.

Quezon romped by 5 1/4 lengths in last year’s Iroquois after finishing second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Eclipse Award finalist Paulassilverlining, in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Stakes.

Trained by Bobby Ribaudo, Quezon is winless since then but enters this race on a similar pattern, having finished third, again beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Gallant Bloom to Highway Star and Carina Mia. Both Highway Star and Carina Mia are bound for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Quezon earned a Beyer of 93 in the Gallant Bloom, the top last-out figure in this field.

Wonderment has won two of her last three outings, most recently taking the Arctic Queen Stakes at Finger Lakes by a nose. The Ken McPeek trainee picks up Javier Castellano for the Iroquois.

Picco Uno has won five of her last six outings, all in sprints. Her only loss in that span came when stretched out to a mile. Following a freshening of about three months, she rebounded to win the Union Avenue Stakes at Saratoga over Quezon and Absatootly. She comes into the Iroquois off another two-month break.

“She definitely benefited from the time off,” trainer Jason Servis said.

Cozzy Spring, a 3-year-old making her stakes debut, has won four of her last five starts.