Fort Marcy J

Five of Saturday’s 11-horse field in the $100,000 Fort Marcy H. (G3) are
listed as main-track only entrants, a move that will likely pay off with rain
predicted to start falling in the early morning hours and throughout the day.
With this in mind, we’re going to take a chance and pick this event for the
dirt.

BAILERO (Arg) (Roy) heads the main-track only horses, having scored in an
optional claimer on Aqueduct’s inner dirt last out for trainer Richard Dutrow.
The dark bay horse earned a nice 104 BRIS Speed rating for that run, as well as
a 104 BRIS E2 Pace figure and a 100 BRIS Late Pace rating. Though he’s never
raced at Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile distance, Bailero finished third in a
nine-furlong test two back and does own experience winning on off tracks
(4-2-1-0). With Edgar Prado aboard, we’ll take the seven-year-old veteran to
come out on top here.

SABRE D’ARGENT (Kris S.) is our top choice if this race stays on the turf,
and could also challenge for it all if moved to the dirt. The Tom
Albertrani-trained six-year-old captured the Rose of Lancaster S. (Eng-G3) and
Fairway S. in England before coming stateside. He made his U.S. debut in an
optional claimer that was taken off the turf at Tampa Bay Downs and run over a
wet fast track. Never far back, he made up a lot of ground in the stretch to
record a two-length victory in the 8 1/2-furlong test. Returning to the turf
last out, the dark bay was fifth in the 1 1/2-mile Pan American H. (G3). The
cutback in distance and possibility of a wet track increases Sabre d’Argent’s
chances for the win even more.

WATCHMON (Maria’s Mon) posted his first stakes victory in last year’s Jamaica
H. (G3), which was taken off Belmont Park’s turf and moved to the sloppy, sealed
main track. That was also his last win, but the gray four-year-old has continued
to earn competitive numbers and has been working well of late, getting a bullet
five furlongs at Belmont in :59 2/5. Yet another main-track only entrant,
Watchmon could be tough in the top three.

HAPPY HUNTING (Seeking the Gold) will only go if the race is moved to the
dirt. The five-year-old chestnut had a four-race win streak broken when fifth in
the Carter H. (G1) last out and captured the Aqueduct H. (G3) prior to that one
over Aqueduct’s inner dirt. He’ll be a threat in the exotics and possibly for
the win. BAHAMA JOHN (Saint Ballado) is our sleeper in this field. Listed for
the main track, the James Jerkens charge will be making his stakes bow here, but
has finished off the board only three times from 13 lifetime starts. The
chestnut owns the numbers to challenge for it all and could go off at a good
price on Saturday.

FOREVERNESS (Island Whirl) was a one-paced fourth in the Mohawk H. two back
and, though his Speed numbers aren’t quite as high as we’d like them to be,
the seven-year-old gelding could still earn a place in the gimmicks under Eibar
Coa. BIG BOOSTER (Accelerator) is one of the turf runners but has never run on
an off surface before. He could show up in the bottom of the exotics if it
remains on the green. KENNEL UP (Joyeux Danseur) will only go on the dirt and
could grab part with a career-best effort.

ECCLESIASTIC (Pulpit) owns lower numbers than we like so we’ll let him beat
us. Both PA PA DA (Incurable) and CHARIMOUNT (Charismatic) look out of their
class in this one, turf or dirt. We can’t recommend.