Manhattan Not to Be Eclipsed

The hard-knocking Twilight Eclipse (Purim), fresh off his first Grade I win, looks to be the favorite to get it done again Saturday afternoon in Belmont's GI Knob Creek Manhattan S. The consistent West Point Thoroughbreds colorbearer hasn't been out of the trifecta in his last seven starts–finishing behind champion Main Sequence (Aldebaran) in five of those efforts–and most recently took home the hardware in the GI Man o' War S. going 1 3/8 miles over this course May 9. 

“We're coming back and trying to go two-for-two in Grade Is with Twilight Eclipse,” said trainer Tom Albertrani. “That's the hope and the plan. He came out of that last race in top form and has had a nice couple of works since. He looks so much stronger this year. This is the best I've really seen him look as far as his weight and his muscle tone. Maybe he's just a late maturing horse. He may be at a disadvantage with the cut back in distance, but I am still very confident after watching this horse train since the Man o' War because I see all of the signs from him that he's at the top of his game.” 
West Coast shipper Finnegan's Wake (Powerscourt {GB}) also enters the Manhattan off a Grade I victory, his coming in Churchill's Woodford Reserve Turf Classic May 2. The Peter Miller trainee wrapped up his 5-year-old season with a win in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar Nov. 27 and annexed the GII San Gabriel S. Jan. 3 to kick off 2014. The bay was second in the 1 1/2-mile GII San Louis Ray S. at Santa Anita Mar. 21 before cutting back to 1 1/8 miles in the Turf Classic. “He's in his moment right now,” Miller noted. “This is a very tough race, but it is very similar to the race he just won with many of the same horses in it.” 

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will look for his first Manhattan win when he sends out War Dancer (War Front). Previously trained by Kenny McPeek, War Dancer has made two starts for his new conditioner. He was third in a rained-off allowance at Keeneland Apr. 4 and, after setting the pace in the Man o' War, was caught by Twilight Eclipse just before the wire to finish second by a neck. “His last race was a good effort,” Mott offered. “He ran a winning race, but just got beat. We're happy with him. He's coming into the race very well.” 

Trainer Chad Brown, who took last year's edition with the Ramseys' Real Solution (Kitten's Joy), will send out a trio in hopes of repeating that accomplishment. The Ramseys have two entered in Hyper (Kitten's Joy) and Big Blue Kitten(Kitten's Joy). The former returned off a year and a half layoff to complete the Man o' War trifecta, while the latter began his 7-year-old season with a win in the GII Fort Marcy S. May 2. Slumber (GB) (Cacique {Ire}), who most recently finished fifth in the Turf Classic, rounds out the Brown triumvirate. 

Todd Pletcher enters two here in General A Rod (Roman Ruler) and Jack Milton (War Front). Jack Milton, winner of the GI Maker's 46 Mile Apr. 10, was second last out in the Turf Classic. General A Rod was transferred to the Pletcher stable in the spring and tallied a win in the Challenger S. at Tampa Mar. 7 and finished fifth in the GII Charles Town Classic Apr. 15. This will be the colt's turf debut. “It made sense from a pedigree standpoint and we liked the way he breezed on the grass, so that's when the decision was made,” said Pletcher, who is also taking blinkers off General A Rod. “I'm pleased with how both of them are coming up to the race. They're showing me all of the signs you want to see.”