Jerry Durant's Holy Boss (Street Boss) seeks his fourth-consecutive win but must navigate an additional sixteenth of a mile and deal with speed to his inside in Saturday's GII Amsterdam S. at Saratoga. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 10 1/4-length debut drubbing at Churchill in September, the Steve Asmussen pupil finished off the board in the following month's GI Champagne S. and again back under the Twin Spires in optional claiming company in November. Second on seasonal debut at Oaklawn in January, he returned to his best after a short freshening, reeling off back-to-back wins in Hot Springs–including the Apr. 10 Bachelor S.–before beating Victory Is Sweet (Congrats) by two lengths with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in Pimlico's Chick Lang S. May 16. Holy Boss and Victory Is Sweet were flattered when third finisher Gimme Da Lute (Midnight Lute) went on to annex the GIII Affirmed S. and GII Los Alamitos Derby, and fifth-place Hebbronville (Majesticperfection) took an Ellis optional claimer before last week's GIII Jersey Shore S. Victory Is Sweet returned to score himself in a Belmont allowance June 27, and figures to be showing the way early.
Bob LaPenta's March (Blame) will be among those coming late. He upended Aqueduct's GIII Bay Shore S. on the cut back Apr. 4, and scored a second-straight seven-furlong win in Belmont's GII Woody Stephens S. June 6. “He came out of the Woody Stephens in good shape and he's had steady works since,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He's been really sharp, particularly lately. It's a little bit of a cutback to 6 1/2 [furlongs], but I think he can handle it. I'd rather run him at seven, but this is the race that's available and hopefully the sixteenth less won't affect him too much. I suppose a lot will depend on the pace, if the pace is quick enough, he should be able to get up in time at 6 1/2 if he's good enough and, if not, the timing of the race should still serve as a prep for the [Aug. 29 GI] King's Bishop.” Barbados (Speightstown), winner of Gulfstream's Spectacular Bid S. and GIII Hutcheson S. in January, ran out of real estate and settled for second last time in the GIII Carry Back S. back in Hallandale July 5.
Requite (Warrior's Reward), a sharp, well-bet debut winner here last August, hit the bench after a distant fourth-place run in the local GI Hopeful S. Sept. 1. He came back to take a Gulfstream allowance May 9, and added that venue's Big Cypress H. June 7 over subsequent Carry Back winner Grand Bili (City Zip).
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