World of Trouble Carter Handicap highweight

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – For all the brilliance he’s shown winning six of his first 10 starts, World of Trouble has yet to win a graded stakes.

His connections hope to rectify that Saturday when World of Trouble will start as the probable favorite in the $400,000 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. The Carter, at seven furlongs, is the first Grade 1 race to be run on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2019.

World of Trouble, a son of Kantharos who debuted in a $25,000 claimer when trained by Kathleen O’Connell, is a five-time stakes winner for trainer Jason Servis, having won three stakes on dirt and two on turf. He was beaten a neck by Stormy Liberal in last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

In his last two starts, both on sloppy tracks, World of Trouble won the Marion County Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa in December and the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, which was transferred to the dirt due to rain, in January.

World of Trouble has not run on a fast dirt track since he finished fourth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont last June 9. That was actually a pretty solid effort since he was pressing a half-mile in 43.68 seconds.

“That was ridiculous,” Servis said.

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Though some speed figures suggest he’s better on turf, World of Trouble has won two seven-furlong dirt stakes, each by 13 3/4 lengths. Typically, he’s on the lead in his races and figures to be there or sitting just off Skyler’s Scramjet on Saturday.

World of Trouble, despite not having won a graded race, is the 121-pound highweight. He will break from post 8 under Manny Franco.

“I don’t think my horse has to be on the lead,” Servis said. “He’s got a great post. I think Manny can do whatever he wants from out there.”

Vino Rosso, last year’s Wood Memorial winner, came off a 6 1/2-month layoff to win the Stymie Stakes going a one-turn mile here March 9. That made him 3 for 3 over Aqueduct’s main track, including a maiden victory as a 2-year-old at the Carter distance of seven furlongs.

“When he ran a mile last time it was sharp enough to suggest seven-eighths would be fine,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Carter three times, including last year with Army Mule.

There is not a lot of depth to this year’s Carter field. Aside from Vino Rosso, the only other graded winner is Skyler’s Scramjet, who won the Grade 3 Tom Fool in 2018 before finishing fourth in the Carter. He has lost his last six starts. – from off the pac

Michelle Nevin, the trainer of Skyler’s Scramjet, also sends out Honor Up, who has won three consecutive races from off the pace, two of them New York-bred stakes.

Identity Politics is still eligible for a first-level allowance win, but he did finish second to McKinzie in the Grade 1 Malibu last Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. McKinzie will be favored in Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

Jose Ortiz rides Identity Politics for trainer Chad Brown.

Sir Ballantine is coming off a second-level allowance win and is 3 for 7 at Aqueduct. Life in Shambles, also trained by Servis, was second in the Grade 3 Tom Fool last out. Timber Ghost makes his graded stakes debut for trainer Jimmy Jerkens and the Stronach Stables.

The Carter, which is race 9, is the second leg of the Cross Country Pick 5 wager, which includes the Wood Memorial as well as the Madison, Ashland, and Blue Grass from Keeneland.