Vekoma gets green light to run in Met Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. – Vekoma, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap here on June 6, will run back in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, trainer George Weaver said Friday.

While the Carter is the natural progression to the Met Mile, Vekoma ran such a huge race in the Carter that Weaver wanted to wait a few weeks before committing to the race. On Thursday, over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga, Vekoma worked five furlongs in 1:02.70 in company with stakes-winning filly Up in Smoke, who is targeting Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

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“He got what he needed, galloped out well and all that,” Weaver said. “We’ll plan on entering. That horse is feeling fine, he’s happy, eating well, moving well. We’re well aware of the bounce theory, but the horse seems to be doing well. We want to give him a shot.”

Vekoma, a 4-year-old son of Candy Ride, is 2 for 2 this year with a victory in the Sir Shackleton at Gulfstream on March 28 followed by a 7 1/4-length romp in the slop in the Carter on June 6. He earned a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure for the Carter.

“Ideally, I’d like to have six weeks between races instead of four,” Weaver said. “Hell, we ask Derby horses to run two weeks back in the Preakness and a lot of them jump up and run fine.”

Vekoma is one of eight horses considered definite for the Met Mile, entries for which will be taken on Wednesday. Expected to join Vekoma in the Met are Code of Honor and Endorsed, the one-two finishers from the Grade 3 Westchester on the same day as the Carter, as well as Hog Creek Hustle, McKinzie, Mr Freeze, Network Effect, and Warrior’s Charge. Mr. Money and Everfast are possible.

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On Friday at Belmont, Network Effect worked a half-mile in 48.55 seconds with a final quarter of 23.16, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.53, according to DRF clocker Mike Welsch. Network Effect went in company with Build to Suit.

Network Effect finished second to Vekoma in the Carter.

“I think he earned a right to go into the Met Mile,” Chad Brown, trainer of Network Effect, said earlier this week. “He caught a wet track he didn’t really care for, although that’s no excuse. He was clearly second best to Vekoma on any type of track that day. I think on a dry track, going a mile – which is what the horse wants to do – we might as well take a shot.”