Full Field Set for Remsen

Unlike many years when the GII Remsen S. can be narrowed down to a matchup between two or three highly regarded win contenders, the 2014 renewal of the nine-furlong test appears to be a wide-open affair. 

Kiaran McLaughlin is one of five trainers who will send out multiple entrants in the 14-horse field, including the 3-1 morning line favorite, Godolphin Racing LLC’s Frosted (Tapit). Runner-up in a pair of maiden events sprinting at Saratoga Aug. 23 and Belmont Sept. 20, the grey broke through with a 5 1/4-length romp when extended to one mile at Aqueduct Oct. 30. Frosted, the third foal to race out of GSW Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister), will add Lasix while departing from the far outside post today. McLaughlin will also saddle Cheyenne Stables LLC’s Classy Class (Discreetly Mine), a $250,000 OBSMAR purchase who won his debut with a convincing four-length score going 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont Oct. 25. The colt has three swift works in the interim, including a bullet five-furlong move in 1:00.60 at Belmont Nov. 22. 

“For Classy Class, it’s a lot to ask to go from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, but most of the horses in there have only won once,” observed McLaughlin’s assistant, Art Magnusson. “He’s a very nice colt, and if we’re going to run, he couldn’t be training any better.” 

The lone entrant with multiple victories is Eric Fein and Christopher McKenna’s Ostrolenka (Musket Man). Conditioned by Todd Pletcher, the New York-bred was a non-threatening seventh in his Saratoga debut Aug. 31, but followed with a dominant maiden romp going one mile at Belmont Sept. 28. The colt returned at the same distance to register a 2 1/2-length win as the odds-on favorite in the state-bred restricted Sleepy Hollow S. at Belmont Oct. 18. 

Ostrolenka will be joined in the starting gate by stablemate Royal Burgh (Street Sense), who gained experience around two turns with a hard-fought debut victory going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland Oct. 22. 

Harold Lerner LLC’s The Truth or Else (Yes It’s True), a son of MGSW Lakenheath (Colonial Affair), enters as a 20-1 outsider on the morning line, but owns a pair of third-place finishes in graded stakes in the wakes of Daredevil (More Than Ready) and Blofeld (Quality Road). The Ken McPeek trainee has raced without Lasix in all six of his starts.