Breakout Opportunity

The G3 Firebreak S. showcases older horses going a mile on the dirt, and Sheikh Hamdan's Tamarkuz (Speightstown) indicated his affinity for the track and trip with a 4 1/2-length handicap score Jan. 22. The lightly raced 5-year-old began his career with trainer Saeed bin Suroor in the UK and was a perfect three-for-three on the all-weather over two seasons, but he showed little in two starts on the Meydan Tapeta last year. His dirt debut was a three-quarter length second going seven furlongs Jan. 8, and he followed up with his most recent score three weeks ago. While he makes a class jump here, there is little that boasts strong recent form to oppose him. Favored on the U.S. morning line is Godolphin's former American runner Romansh (Bernardini), who makes his local debut for new trainer Salem bin Ghadayer. Romansh won a pair of Grade IIIs on the dirt at Aqueduct between 2013 and last year, and he was third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Palace Malice (Curlin) in last year's GI Met Mile. His most recent outing was a third in the GIII Bold Ruler H. at Belmont Oct. 25. Another former American making his local debut is Darwin (Big Brown), a $220,000 FTSAUG yearling turned $1.3 million FTFMAR seales-topper. Darwin broke his maiden at first asking over the Belmont dirt in 2012, but was promptly shipped off to Ballydoyle for his 3-year-old campaign. He won a pair of stakes, one a Group 3, going six and seven on the turf and was beaten just a length when third in last year's G1 Sussex S. He was last seen finishing a well-beaten 13th in the G1 Prix de la Foret Oct. 5.