Unitarian goes long in two-mile H. Allen Jerkens
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Allen Jerkens has won 3,856 races during his legendary career but never one carded at two miles on turf. But those are the conditions of the race named to honor the Hall of Fame trainer Saturday at Gulfstream Park, a $75,000 overnight stakes that lured a field of 11 long-distance grass specialists.
Jerkens, 85, did register his first career stakes victory with War Command going 2 1/16 miles on dirt in the 1955 Display Handicap.
Two miles is uncharted territory for every member of the Jerkens lineup except Reflecting, who tried the distance once, finishing third while beaten a length last spring in the Belmont Gold Cup. Reflecting has made five starts at 1 1/2 miles, winning once, an allowance race at Keeneland in 2013. He finished fourth going 12 furlongs Sept. 27 in the Laurel Turf Cup in his most recent start.
Unitarian may prove the one to beat, having shown an affinity for three turns during his 2014 campaign. Unitarian, whose biggest victory came last April at Keeneland going 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 2 Elkhorn, was hung extremely wide around the final turn when finishing fourth, beaten three lengths, in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Handicap at 1 1/2 miles here Dec. 27. Trainer Todd Pletcher will take the blinkers off Unitarian for his 2015 debut.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Unitarian. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 19-4-4-1 with a $3.57 ROI over the past year in turf routes of 12 furlongs and longer.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Turkish also is a proven commodity at distances of 1 1/2 miles and beyond. He closed out his 2014 season by winning a 1 5/8-mile allowance race by 11 widening lengths, a race trainer Tino Attard used as a prep for Turkish’s game neck decision over Royal Blessing when sent 14 furlongs in the Grade 3 Valedictory. Both those victories came at Woodbine.
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Key contenders
Unitarian (Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-84)
* Trainer Todd Pletcher has started just one horse at a distance of two miles or beyond over the past five years, according to Daily Racing Form Formulator. That was Charming Kitten, who defeated Irish Mission to win the Belmont Gold Cup by one length in June.
Reflecting (Last 3 Beyers: 90-92-88)
* The son of Elusive Quality will attempt to snap a 12-race losing streak in the Jerkens, his last victory coming in the spring of 2013 at Keeneland.
* While Reflecting is the only horse Shug McGaughey has started going as far as two miles over the last five years, the trainer has run four at 1 5/8 miles during the same period, winning the 13-furlong Johns Call with Tricky Hat last summer at Saratoga.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Reflecting. Trainer Shug McGaughey is 12-7-3-1 with a $4.35 ROI over the past five years in turf routes of 12 furlongs or longer followed by a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Turkish (Last 3 Beyers: 86-80-80)
* Luis Saez will replace regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has been aboard Turkish in each of his last eight starts, including his victory in the Valedictory.
Buck Benny (Last 3 Beyers: 81-91-73)
* Lightly raced gelding could prove a viable longshot at the distance, being by Dynaformer, who has produced more than twice as many winners of races carded at three turns and beyond as the sires of the other 10 members of the Jerkens field combined.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Buck Benny and No. 9 Tattenham. Trainer Graham Motion is 23-7-4-2 with a $4.58 ROI over the past five years in turf routes of 12 furlongs or longer in the second start after a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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