Undefeated Unanimous Consent takes next step in Pennine Ridge
ELMONT, N.Y. – Unanimous Consent will seek to remain unbeaten and declare himself a top candidate for next month’s Belmont Derby when he starts as the favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Belmont Park.
Unanimous Consent has already won approval from bettors who wagered on him in a maiden race at Monmouth Park last September, an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs in February, and the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct in April. In the latter two starts, Unanimous Consent had to be hard-ridden to get into contention, but once he leveled off, he put in a determined late run.
“He can be a little lazy,” said Chad Brown, who trains Unanimous Consent for Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables. “He has a good kick when he gets in full gear. That’s just him.”
Unanimous Consent, a son of French Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner Almanzor, has been victorious once at a mile and twice at 1 1/16 miles. The Pennine Ridge is 1 1/8 miles and leads to the Belmont Derby at 1 1/4 miles on July 9.
“I think the longer the better for that horse,” Brown said.
Manny Franco, aboard for the Woodhaven score, has the call from the outside post in what figures to be a six-horse field after the scratch of main-track-only entrant Gilded Age.
Brown also sends out Napoleonic War, a winner of 2 of 3 starts including a nose allowance score here May 5. In between, he finished fourth to Sy Dog in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland.
“That horse is still learning mentally,” said Brown, who trains this son of War Front for Peter Brant. “He has a lot of ability. I expect him to continue to improve.”
Emmanuel and Elizar are wildcards in this field. Emmanuel, a son of More Than Ready trained by Todd Pletcher, unsuccessfully tried to navigate the Kentucky Derby trail, finishing fourth in the Fountain of Youth and third behind Zandon in the Blue Grass.
Emmanuel, who on paper looks like the speed of this field, has worked twice on turf, including an eye-catching move over firm ground Sunday.
Elizar is making his U.S. debut and second career start in this spot. A French-bred son of Dariyan, Elizar was visually impressive rallying from last in an eight-horse field to win a 1 3/16-mile maiden race over the Polytrack at Chantilly last October. He was purchased privately by a group that included Michael Dubb and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stable and was transferred to Christophe Clement.
Clement said he couldn’t find an allowance race at the proper distance for Elizar, so he opted to train him up to this race.
“He was an expensive horse, he was an exciting horse, I’ve been delighted with the way he’s trained,” Clement said. “I think a mile and an eighth is a better distance for him than a mile.”
Limited Liability rallied from last to win a first-level allowance at Keeneland in his 3-year-old debut. Though Shug McGaughey equipped the horse with blinkers two starts back, he prefers when the horse is back early and comes with one run.
Daunt, trained by Robert Ribaudo, comes off a sixth-place finish behind Napoleonic War in his first start off a six-month layoff. He was beaten just a length when third in last November’s Awad Stakes here.
First post for Saturday’s 10-race card is 1 p.m.