Near capacity field of 13 to go in Met Mile

The lack of a standout in the older male ranks was reflected when entries
were taken for Monday’s $600,000

Metropolitan H. (G1), the traditional one-mile Memorial Day fixture at
Belmont Park. A field of 13, including a pair of three-year-olds, will line up
with slight favoritism likely to go to SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz), the 118-pound
highweight. A multiple Grade 2 winner for trainer Bennie Stutts Jr., Smooth Air
prevailed in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2), now a one-turn mile, in his most
recent start, but missed his intended prep for the Metropolitan when coming down
with colic prior to last month’s Texas Mile (G3). Paco Lopez will again be in
the saddle.

BRIBON (Fr) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]), a non-threatening fourth in the
Gulfstream Park H., rebounded to take the April 29 Westchester S. (G3), a
course-and-distance prep for Monday’s heat. Making a bold move into the teeth of
a blistering pace around the far turn, Bribon dug in gamely through the stretch
to post a one-length victory under Alan Garcia, who will get a lift aboard the
six-year-old gelding from trainer Robert Ribaudo.

The top three finishers from the May 2 Churchill Downs S. (G2) will lock
horns again. ACCREDIT (E Dubai) led throughout to take the honors in the slop,
just two races after trainer Mike Maker claimed the four-year-old from Kiaran
McLaughlin for $75,000. Churchill Downs runner-up MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian
Charlie) ran his best race since taking the Super Derby (G2) last September,
while THE ROUNDHOUSE (Fusaichi Pegasus) did well to grab show honors after
trailing the field of nine turning for home.

The regally-bred and lightly-raced MR. SIDNEY (Storm Cat) will make just his
second career start on dirt in the Met Mile. Third in his career debut on the
surface, the Bill Mott charge is undefeated in three starts at the distance on
turf. He enters off a half-length score in a moderate renewal of the Maker’s
Mark Mile (G1) over the Keeneland lawn.

Mr. Fantasy is one of two three-year-olds in the Met Mile, along with Imperial Council (Adam Coglianese/NYRA) Though the Met Mile’s history is sprinkled with the occasional three-year-old winner, more often than not it takes a sophomore of championship caliber to upstage the older set. Sword Dancer, Arts and Letters, Conquistador Cielo, Gulch and Holy Bull are among the select few to join the exclusive club in the past half-century, and nearly all had to concede some weight on the scale. This year’s three-year-old representatives, IMPERIAL COUNCIL (Empire Maker) and MR. FANTASY (E Dubai), are entitled to a 14-pound concession under the Jockey Club scale of weights, but will be getting far less from all of their older foes. Mr. Fantasy, who has won three-of-four, should be the more popular of the two following a victory in the Withers S. (G3). Imperial Council, who has a history of leaving his race in the paddock or post parade, was runner-up in the Peter Pan S. (G2) a little more than two weeks ago.

Finishing out the Met Mile field are the multiple Grade 2-placed RILEY TUCKER
(Harlan’s Holiday), who cruised by 6 1/4 lengths in winning a Churchill allowance
on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard; FAMOUS PATRIOT (Repent), who is undefeated
in two starts over a mile at Belmont; READY’S ECHO (More Than Ready), who
finished in a dead heat for third in last year’s Belmont S. (G1) and won his
seasonal debut at Keeneland last month; Carter H. (G1) third-placer DRIVEN BY
SUCCESS (Precise End); and RUNFORTHEDOE (Brz) (Our Emblem), a Group 1 winner in
Argentina who was a distant second in the Oaklawn H. (G2) in his most recent
start.