It’s a long way from the first Saturday in January to the first Saturday in
May, but for eight newly minted three-year-olds, Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000
Jerome at
Aqueduct could serve as a road map to the future.
In its new position on the calendar, where it replaces the Count Fleet, the
Jerome is followed by the Grade 3 Withers on February 2 and the Grade 3 Gotham
on March 2, all leading up to the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 6,
New York’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who took last year’s Count Fleet with eventual
Grade 1 Travers winner Alpha, sends out Darley Stable’s impeccably bred Long
River, an gutsy inner-track maiden winner three weeks ago. The son of A. P. Indy
and 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Round Pond was seventh in his September
debut at Belmont Park, and then finished a game second to Delhomme — later
third in the Grade 2 Remsen — going a mile on October 13.
“It’s a big step up for him, going from a maiden to a Grade 2, but you have
to have some dreams and hopes,” said McLaughlin, who on Saturday also will
saddle favored Asiya in the co-featured $100,000
Busanda
for three-year-old fillies. “He’s got the pedigree to go any distance, and we’re
willing to give him a try.”
Listed at 5-2 on the morning line, Long River will leave from post position 3
with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.
Trainer Doug O’Neill, who won last year’s Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have
Another, is hoping newly acquired Mudflats will take him back to Churchill
Downs. Debuting in the same Belmont race as Long River, in which he finished
fourth, Mudflats next finished third behind Delhomme and Long River and then was
purchased privately by Little Red Feather Racing following his maiden victory on
December 8 at Aqueduct.
“He’s a beautiful looking individual,” said O’Neill of the gelded gray son of
Tapit. “His maiden victory was very impressive, and I love the fact that
(jockey) Junior Alvarado is high on him as well. We’re looking for a strong
performance from him, something we can build on, and hopefully he will be a
first Saturday in May kind of horse.”
Favored at 2-1 is Vyjack, undefeated in two starts at Aqueduct. The son of
Into Mischief scored by 1 3/4 lengths in his debut on November 10, and then
romped home 5 3/4 lengths clear over a sloppy track in the Traskwood overnight
stakes on December 9.
“He’ll be stretching out, going around two turns, and trying the inner track
for the first time,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “It will be a learning
experience for him, and for us. It’s a very competitive race, but he’s been
training very well.”
Testing the waters as he makes his second start on conventional dirt is
Notacatbutallama, runner-up to Smooth Bert in the Damon Runyon for New York-breds
on December 9. The Harlan’s Holiday colt made his first six starts on the turf,
emerging with three victories, two seconds and a fourth-place finish.
“He’s been a very durable two-year-old,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of
Notacatbutallama. “He’s a high-energy kind of colt who seems to bounce out his
races really quickly. We were encouraged by his first race on the dirt. I
thought he got a little lost when he made the lead, and never saw the winner
coming up the rail.
“As a New York-bred, there are a lot of options on the turf this summer. This
is a step up in competition, and how he does could determine whether he will get
a freshening to await those, or remain on this trail.”
Rounding out the field are Siete de Oros, Amerigo Vespucci, Vegas No Show,
and James Jingle.
Immediately preceding the Jerome will be the 40th edition of the Busanda. At
one mile and 70 yards, the race drew a field of six, with Asiya narrowly favored
over the Pletcher-trained Princess of Sylmar and Kiss the Lady, a supplementary
entry from Rodriguez.
“She’s a very nice filly,” said McLaughlin of Asiya, who was third in her
debut on October 11 at Belmont. “Going from a seven-furlong maiden win (on
December 9) to a stakes race going long is a big step, but she’s very talented
and we think she will run well.”
After finishing a disappointing fourth going 5 1/2 furlongs in October at
Penn National, Princess of Sylmar rebounded a month later with a 19-length romp
in a one-mile maiden event and next scored an easy 5 1/4-length win in an
allowance on December 12 at Aqueduct.
“We wanted to take advantage of her being a Pennsylvania-bred, but she won so
convincingly she earned her way to New York,” said Pletcher, who will also
saddle Coconut Shrimp. “The stretch out has helped her a lot.”
Rounding out the field are Ruby Lips, and By Golly Molly.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com