Looking to ‘Gun’ Them Down in the Woodbine Mile

With two-time defending GI Ricoh Woodine Mile S. hero Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) opting to make his return in last month’s GII Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga, an automatic berth to the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile appears to be fairly wide open in this year’s renewal Sunday. 

Gary Barber, Quintessential Racing Florida and Horse’n Around Racing Stable’s Kaigun (Northern Afleet), slightly favored at 5-2 on the morning-line, has shown signs of breaking through to the next level this term. The chestnut came within 3/4 of a length of upsetting the aforementioned reigning two-time Horse of the Year in Keeneland’s GI Maker’s 46 Mile S. Apr. 11 and led in the stretch before giving way late when second in the GI Manhattan S. on the GI Belmont S. undercard. A close, but disappointing fifth as the slight 3-1 favorite in the United Nation S. at Monmouth Park July 6, Kaigun got back on track with a come-from-behind win in Woodbine’s GII Play the King S. going seven furlongs Aug. 10.

“I was worried about cutting him back from a mile and three-eighths to seven-eighths [for the Play the King],” trainer Mark Casse commented. “I thought he was very impressive. I think probably he might be a better miler, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. He can do anything.” 

The ultra consistent Grand Arch (Arch), no worse than third in 15 career starts, has posted an impressive record of 7-3-1-3 over this course. The GII King Edward S. winner, owned by Jim and Susan Hill, was a game second to Seek Again (Speightstown) in a thrilling renewal of the GII Fourstardave H. at Saratoga last time Aug. 9. Jack Milton (War Front) completed the trifecta that day. 

“He is just the absolute model of consistency,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “[The Fourstardave] was a tough one to lose. He gave everything he had and fought right to the wire. That’s what you love to see in a horse, one that won’t give up at any point. And he was just superb in the King Edward, too. The bigger the race, the bigger the effort you get from him.” 

Jack Milton, third in last term’s GI Secretariat S. and GI Jamaica H., was a sharp winner of Belmont’s GIII Poker S. May 26. A close fifth in Santa Anita’s GI Shoemaker Mile S. June 14, he came within a length of getting the money last time in the Fourstardave.

The speedy sophomore Bobby’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) takes on older horses for the first time after getting reeled in late in Saratoga’s GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. Aug. 8. The Penn Mile S. hero was a well-beaten eighth when stretched to 10 furlongs in the GI Belmont Derby July 5. 

“A mile, mile and a sixteenth is his limit,” trainer Chad Brown admitted. “He’s a nice horse to be around, but it’s been a little frustrating at times. Hopefully, there’s a race out there that has his name on it when we get him back to the right distance. He’s a very talented horse.”