Wynn Time question mark off layoff in Lightning Jet

STICKNEY, Ill. – When Hotshot Anna returned from a nine-month layoff this past June in the Chicago Handicap, her owner and trainer, Hugh Robertson, didn’t hesitate to say he thought his horse was a vulnerable favorite. Hotshot Anna ran fine that day but, as Robertson predicted, got a little tired in the end. She finished second as the 3-5 favorite.

So, let’s not treat lightly Robertson’s comments regarding Wynn Time’s comeback race Saturday at Hawthorne in the $50,000 Lightning Jet Handicap. Wynn Time hasn’t raced since Jan. 19, when he won his third stakes race of the 2018-2019 Fair Grounds season. On raw dirt form, he’s a total standout in the Illinois-bred Lightning Jet, a six-furlong dirt sprint, but whether Wynn Time can produce his standard performance is a different question.

“He’s older now and he’s had a lot of time off,” said Robertson. “He’ll probably come up short. I’m just not sure.”

Wynn Time’s knees have given him trouble and Robertson, who trains the 5-year-old gelding for owner-breeder John Mentz, said Wynn Time now has had two operations on each of his knees.

“He’s training as good as he ever has, but it takes a toll when you go into the knees that many times,” Robertson said.

Another concern for Robertson: Frigid temperatures and snow early this week kept Hawthorne-based horses from training a couple days, not ideal for a horse who already figured to be amped up after such a long layoff.

Wynn Time totes top weight of 124 pounds, one more than rail-drawn Richiesinthehouse, who was curiously made the 5-2 morning-line favorite over Wynn Time, who’s listed at an implausible 3-1. Richiesinthehouse has turned into a strong sprinter over synthetic surfaces but finished 11th, beaten 20 lengths, in his lone start on dirt, albeit in Grade 3 company last fall. Trainer Larry Rivelli said Wednesday he has a Woodbine stakes in mind for Richiesinthehouse later this month and that he would “see how the track is the next few days” before fully committing Richiesinthehouse to racing Saturday.

Devileye finished second in the 2017 Lightning Jet and can post an upset in Saturday’s renewal while making just his third start in 2019. Various minor setbacks delayed Devileye’s seasonal debut until Oct. 19, and he got nothing out of a two-turn turf start in his comeback run.

“It’s been just a brutal year for him, but he’s doing good and ready to run, finally,” said trainer Michele Boyce.

Cookie Monster, a close second to the sharp 3-year-old sprinter Dugout here Nov. 2 in his first start since April, also stands a decent chance if the two highweights fail to produce something close to their best.