I Want Revenge faces six in Suburban return

I Want Revenge, seen taking the 2009 Gotham, will make his long-awaited return in the Suburban (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Following a 15-month absence, 2009 Wood Memorial (G1) winner I WANT REVENGE
(Stephen Got Even) will resume his racing career in Saturday’s $300,000
Suburban
H. (G2) at Belmont Park. He’ll make his first start for Richard Dutrow in
the 1 1/8-mile event and has been installed as the 119-pound highweight over six
rivals.

Following a pair of stakes placings on synthetic tracks in California, I Want
Revenge switched to dirt and established himself as an early favorite for the
2009 Kentucky Derby (G1) with impressive wins in the Gotham S. (G3) and Wood
Memorial. Following an 8 1/2-length romp in the former, the nearly black colt
overcame a tardy start and troubled trip to post a remarkable 1 1/2-length score
in the Wood. I Want Revenge was established as the morning-line Kentucky Derby
favorite when entries where taken, but wound up being scratched the morning of
the race after being diagnosed with an ankle injury. He underwent surgery to
repair ligament damage last year and was shipped to Dutrow’s stable in April.

The four-year-old colt has recorded 10 workouts in preparation for his
return, including a recent six-furlong breeze in 1:11 at Aqueduct. Regular
jockey Joe Talamo will be on hand to ride the IEAH colorbearer, who breaks from
post 4.

REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor) is a serious threat in his 2010 bow. Winner of
the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) last spring, the Godolphin colt received a freshening
following an eighth in the Kentucky Derby and returned in September with a
stellar performance in the Super Derby (G2), registering a convincing 1
1/4-length victory over Blame (Arch) that netted him a 106 BRIS Speed rating.
His connections decided to ship to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Classic
(G1) despite the fact that the colt had run poorly in his only previous attempt
over a synthetic track and Regal Ransom understandably faded to eighth in the
stretch.