Walden eyeing Manhattan for Rhetorical

Rhetorical came out of his brilliant May 2 victory in the Grade 1 Turf Classic so well that connections tentatively plan to run him back June 6 in the $1 million Manhattan at Saratoga.

The Turf Classic marked Rhetorical’s first try over a distance as long as 1 1/8 miles, and for the first time in his nine-start career, he led. Rather than posing a challenge, the new circumstances elevated Rhetorical to a 3 1/4-length score and a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s had his second day back galloping. I just watched him get back in the barn and he looks great,” trainer Will Walden said Friday morning.

Ultimately, a Manhattan start hinges on upcoming workouts, but all signs so far are positive. With the way Rhetorical finished off the Turf Classic, another half-furlong in the Manhattan won’t trouble him. Rhetorical won the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland in October, but now Walden wonders how far the gelding might go.

“I don’t know what kind of distance limits he has,” Walden said.

◗ Nitrogen, champion 3-year-old filly of 2025, had her first work Thursday since finishing second by 4 1/2 lengths to Claret Beret as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 11 at Oaklawn. Nitrogen breezed a half-mile at Keeneland in 49.80 seconds and, trainer Mark Casse said, will run next in the Ogden Phipps on June 5 at Saratoga.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.