Engage (Into Mischief), off since a 3 1/2-length win at third asking in Belmont's six-furlong GIII Futurity S. Oct. 14, returns in Saturday's GIII Bay Shore S. on the GII Wood Memorial S. undercard. The $550,000 OBSMAR graduate worked four furlongs in :49 3/5 (19/54) at trainer Chad Brown's Palm Meadows base Mar. 31.
The lone blemish in Engage's three-start career came at the hands of National Flag (Speightstown) after those two bumped repeatedly down the stretch at Saratoga Aug. 5. Fifth in the GI Hopeful S., National Flag resurfaced from the bench in style with a sharp optional claiming win at the Bay Shore distance of seven furlongs at Gulfstream Mar. 2.
“He's been successful at this distance and eventually we will stretch him out,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We just felt like this was his second race of the year and he's already proven that he can win at this distance. So, rather than trying to stretch him all the way out to a mile and an eighth [in the Wood Memorial], we'd just stick with what we know he does well and then go from there.”
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