Suffolk: Victor Laszlo back with Massachusetts-breds for Rise Jim

He hasn’t found the winner’s circle in almost a year, but now that Victor Laszlo is back competing against his fellow Massachusetts-breds, he looms as the heavy favorite in Saturday’s $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes at Suffolk Downs.

After capturing the $50,000 Last Dance Stakes for statebreds last August, Victor Laszlo competed in open allowance/optional claiming company for the rest of the season. This year, the 5-year-old Victor Laszlo made his first start July 1 at Suffolk after an eight-month layoff and closed strongly to get third despite a troubled trip under Tammi Piermarini. He has another date with the track’s leading rider Saturday.

Adahai, who will shoulder co-high weight of 124 with Victor Laszlo, is also making his second start after being idle since last October and the 8-year-old gelding figures to move forward from that effort. The winner of last season’s $50,000 African Prince against statebreds, Adahai is ideally suited to the six- furlong distance and the main track, although he will have to break from the far outside in the 12-horse field under regular rider David Amiss.

Dreamed a Dream is the only filly in the field and although she beat the boys by a determined nose in the $50,000 John Kirby and captured the Louise Kimball for the same purse against 3-year-old fillies last year, she’s making her first start of the season.

Trained by Bobby Raymond, Dreamed a Dream shows a solid pattern of works and turned in a bullet of 49 seconds for four furlongs in her last breeze. Jill Jellison will be back in the irons.

The Rise Jim kicks off Suffolk’s schedule of eight stakes, which are all restricted to Mass-breds.