Remsen (G3) third-placer Drum Roll Please will seek his first stakes victory when he lines up for Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S. at Aqueduct. The one-turn mile event is the first of four Road to the Kentucky Derby series qualifiers this year at Aqueduct, offering points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers, and only five will line up for the Jerome.
Javier Castellano retains the mount on Drum Roll Please, who will make his second stakes appearance and cut back in trip after rallying to finish behind Dornoch and Sierra Leone in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen on Dec. 2. Runner-up to subsequent Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Locked three starts back, Drum Roll Please broke his maiden convincingly over a mile at Aqueduct in his next outing.
Brad Cox trains the chestnut colt by Hard Spun.
El Grande O, the top New York-bred two-year-old last season, will try open rivals again following a fine win in the restricted Sleepy Hollow S. in late October. The multiple stakes victor finished second versus open rivals in the off-the-turf Skidmore S. at Saratoga and sixth in the Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct, and El Grande O figures to show speed with Kendrick Carmouche. Linda Rice trains the Take Charge Indy colt.
Regalo invades from Laurel Park for Brittany Russell following convincing wins over maiden special weight and entry-level allowance rivals. By Maximus Mischief, who finished second among first-crop sires by progeny earnings in 2023, Regalo will make his first stakes attempt with regular rider Sheldon Russell.
Sweet Soddy J will stretch back to a mile following a six-length upset in the Heft S. at Laurel Park, and runaway Keeneland maiden scorer Khanate, sixth in a highly rated allowance at Churchill Downs last out, completes the field.
