Moreno Looks to String Wins Together

Southern Equine Stable’s Moreno (Ghostzapper) eyes back-to-back wins for the first time since he romped in the 2013 GII Dwyer S. in Santa Anita’s GII Californian S. Saturday. Last term’s GI Whitney S. winner kicked off his 5-year-old season with a runner-up effort to Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 7, and was third as the favorite in the GII New Orleans H. at Fair Grounds Mar. 28. Faced with a significantly easier task last out in the Apr. 18 GII Charles Town Classic when the seemingly unbeatable Shared Belief trailed the field from start to finish due to injury, the Eric Guillot trainee stalked and drew off to a two-length success under veteran pilot Cornelio Velasquez. Somewhat surprisingly, the East Coast-based Velasquez retains the mount here, having never ridden Moreno before his last start. 

Haras Santa Maria de Araras Inc.’s Catch a Flight (Arg) (Giant’s Causeway) defeated Sammy Mandeville (Rock Hard Ten) in a Feb. 14 optional claimer here, and was a solid third in the Big ‘Cap. Group 1-placed in Brazil, the bay became a Stateside graded winner with a 3/4-length score again over Sammy Mandeville in this venue’s GIII Precisionist S. May 2. Precisionist third Motown Men (Decarchy) annexed last Saturday’s restricted Tiznow S. here, while fourth finisher Blue Tone (Birdstone) looks to turn the tables.