Mind Your Biscuits has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite and will break from the rail in Saturday’s $1.2 million Metropolitan H. (G1). And to his immediate outside will be 3-year-old Bolt d’Oro, who steps up to face elders in the prestigious one-mile test and is listed as the 4-1 second choice.
The Met Mile is one of nine stakes races on a dynamite Belmont Stakes undercard and features a salty cast of 11.
Last seen winning the March 31 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) for the second consecutive year, Mind Your Biscuits has earned more than $3.7 million from a 21-race campaign and the 5-year-old chestnut will spot rivals four-to-eight pounds as the 122-pound highweight. A New York-bred son of Posse, the Chad Summers-trained horse has compiled a total of five stakes, including a convincing tally in the Belmont Sprint (G2) in his lone appearance over the track last season, but Mind Your Biscuits will be seeking his first victory at a one-mile distance. Joel Rosario retains the assignment.
A multiple Grade 1-winning juvenile, Bolt d’Oro entered 2018 as a leading Kentucky Derby contender and won his first start via disqualification in the San Felipe (G2). He followed with a non-threatening second to Justify in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and owner/trainer Mick Ruis elected to cut him back in distance following a weakening 12th in the Kentucky Derby. His BRIS Speed numbers make him a serious contender and Florent Geroux takes over the reins on the Medaglia d’Oro colt. Sophomores had success decades ago in the Met Mile, accounting for five wins between 1981-1996, and Bolt d’Oro gets in with a 114-pound impost.
Bee Jersey is next on the morning line at 5-1 following a sharp 5 ½-length score in the May 6 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star that netted a 106 BRIS Speed rating. A 4-year-old son of Jersey Town, the chestnut has really come on for Steve Asmussen, recording authoritative wire-to-wire victories in his last three outings, and Bee Jersey will show speed from post 10 with Ricardo Santana Jr.
Multiple Grade 3 victor Awesome Slew missed by only a neck in third in the May 5 Churchill Downs (G3), experiencing a less-than-favorable trip as he traveled extremely wide and altered course in the stretch drive, and the 5-year-old appears to relish the one-turn mile distance, posting a nice win in the Ack Ack (G3) in his last attempt. He could be poised for a top performance in the third start off the layoff for Mark Casse and John Velazquez will guide the early 6-1 fourth choice.
Limousine Liberal proved to be a game winner of the aforementioned Churchill Downs and the 6-year-old gelding will test his mettle at a one-mile trip for the first time. He’s been thriving over the last 12 months for conditioner Ben Colebrook, logging a 5-1-2 mark while competing exclusively versus stakes foes in the last eight starts, and Javier Castellano picks up the mount on the versatile runner.
Warrior’s Club enters on the upswing for D. Wayne Lukas, recording a game win in the Commonwealth (G3) two back and a head second in the Churchill Downs, and the 4-year-old colt is receiving little respect at 20-1 on the morning line. He’s a candidate to make his presence felt from just off the pace with Luis Saez.
Multiple Grade 2 winner Good Samaritan will be running late; the only question is the mile. Both dirt wins have come at 9-furlongs and he’s never tried the distance on the main track. The Bill Mott trainee possesses commendable BRIS numbers and adds the services of Jose Ortiz. Ransom the Moon invades from California for Phil d’Amato following a runner-up effort in the Kona Gold (G2). That marked the first start of the year for the Grade 2-winning sprinter and Ransom the Moon will try to improve off the comebacker with Flavien Prat.
Grade 2 hero McCraken opened his 4-year-old season with an allowance tally on the May 5 undercard and the one-mile trip could be a good fit for the late-running son of Ghostzapper. Brian Hernandez will be up for Ian Wilkes. Grade 3 winner One Liner should appreciate the cut back following a runner-up effort in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special (G3) and gains a new rider in Irad Ortiz. He’s trained by two-time Met Mile winner Todd Pletcher. Discreet Lover, who is listed at 50-1 following a fourth in the Pimlico Special, completes the field.
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