Cigar Mile Runners Return in Hal's Hope

Matrooh (Distorted Humor) and Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro), third and fourth respectively behind Tonalist (Tapit) in the GI Cigar Mile H. Nov. 28, will be back at it in Saturday's GIII Hal's Hope S. at Gulfstream Park. The former, a half-brother to MGSW Rule (Roman Ruler) and a close relative to Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), really came on last fall. He earned a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure in Belmont's seven-furlong GIII Bold Ruler H. Oct. 31, and was beaten just a half-length by Eclipse finalist Tonalist last time at the Big A. “He ran terrific in the Cigar Mile,” said trainer Chad Brown. “I was very proud of his effort. He's trained well since being transferred to South Florida and I'm looking forward to running him in the Hal's Hope.” Mshawish, who annexed the GII Fort Lauderdale S. a year ago before adding the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. in February and finishing third in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, returns to the main track for the second straight time. A close fifth in a key renewal of Saratoga's GII Fourstardave H. Aug. 15, he was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile before running creditably and looking like a winner until late in the Cigar Mile, which was his first try on conventional dirt. “He loves the turf here, but at the same time he's trained so well on the dirt that we finally had to give it a try,” conditioner Todd Pletcher said of the Al Shaqab colorbearer. “In the Cigar Mile, I thought at the eighth pole that he was going to win and he just kind of flattened out a little bit. We have to get a line on it and see how he likes the dirt here.” Valid was a close fourth in this event last season before annexing the track-and-trip GIII Fred Hooper S. Feb. 7. He added the GIII Phillip Iselin S. at Monmouth in August, and the Groomstick S. here Sept. 26. Fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Oct. 30, he returned to winning ways in the Harlan's Holiday S. here Dec. 12. 'TDN Rising Star' Mr. Jordan (Kantharos) was third.