Win Win Win tests turf breeding in Manila Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – As happens every year, the 3-year-olds who participated in the Triple Crown scatter for the second half of the year. Some head to Monmouth for the Haskell. Others to Saratoga for the Jim Dandy. Then there are those that try other derbies in Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Some, like Win Win Win, change surfaces. Win Win Win, 10th in the Kentucky Derby and seventh in the Preakness, will try turf for the first time in Thursday’s $100,000 Manila Stakes for 3-year-olds going a mile at Belmont Park.

With Thursday being July 4, first post will be 1:30 p.m. rather than 3:05, which had been the case the last eight Thursdays.

Win Win Win is the son of the Japanese-bred Hat Trick out of the Smarty Jones mare Miss Smarty Pants. Miss Smarty Pants is a half-sister to Unbridled Humor, who won five races on turf, including the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont. Deeper in the family is Ops Smile, who won the Grade 1 Manhattan here, and two-time turf stakes winner Icy Warning.

“With that pedigree, it’s something I’ve got to try and now might be as good a time as any to try it,” said Michael Trombetta, trainer of Win Win Win.

For his last three workouts, Win Win Win has twice breezed over the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill and even shipped to Laurel to get a breeze over the turf.

“He seemed to handle that well,” Trombetta said.

Trombetta also likes the cutback to a mile. Win Win Win set a track record winning the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa in March.

Fog of War makes his second start of the year in the Manila Stakes. Fog of War won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes last fall at Woodbine as part of a 2-for-2 juvenile campaign. In his 3-year-old debut, he finished sixth of seven as the favorite in the Paradise Creek Stakes going seven furlongs on May 25 at Belmont. Trainer Chad Brown is equipping Fog of War with blinkers for this start.

“We put the blinkers on him, and he seems to be training a lot sharper, more consistent,” Brown said. “That said, he probably needed the last race as well. He was off so long, so some of that improvement in his works could be because he has a race under his belt, but the blinkers give me the feel they’re a part of it as well.”

Casa Creed began his career on dirt, but when transferred to turf won the Kitten’s Joy Stakes and was second in two other stakes, including the Grade 2 Penn Mile last out.

Pole Setter won the Paradise Creek in front-running fashion and is back in this spot as the potential main speed.

Trainer Todd Pletcher entered Clint Maroon here, though he was holding out hope that on Wednesday he would be able to enter him in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby. He needs one horse to defect from the preference list to get into that race.

Current, Ian Glass, and Gentleman Joe complete the field.