Klaravich Stable and William H. Lawrences's Flexibility (Bluegrass Cat) had the misfortune of running into one of 2015's top 2-year-olds in the form of Shadwell Stable's Mohaymen (Tapit) in his final two starts last term, but with that one enjoying the Florida sunshine, the Chad Brown trainee gets his turn in the spotlight in Saturday's GIII Jerome S. at Aqueduct.
The $80,000 FTNAUG yearling turned $185,000 FTFMAR juvenile opened his account at first asking, as so many from this barn do, defeating next-out maiden romper Spooked Out (Catienus), and more than held his own against Mohaymen, finishing 1 3/4 lengths second in the GII Nashua S. over the one-turn mile Nov. 4 before prompting a slow pace last time in the nine-furlong GII Remsen S. and completing the exacta, this time 1 1/2 lengths behind the Keeneland September joint-topper Nov. 28.
In 2004, trainer John Servis brought Pennsylvania Nursery winner Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) to the Big A for the first leg of the 3-year-old series, then the Count Fleet S. The chestnut scored that day by five lengths en route to a much-celebrated trip along the Triple Crown trail, and the Servis barn will try to strike again with 2015 PA Nursery hero Bird of Trey. A son of Birdstone, the horse that derailed the Triple Crown dreams of Smarty Jones nearly a dozen years ago, the homebred has not missed the top three in his five starts to date, capped by an impressive victory in the Nursery at Parx Dec. 5. In that seven–furlong test, he chased a pace that was well above par, then sprinted home to score by 7 1/4 lengths. He's nicely bred for this added distance, owns the co-second fastest figure and can give the favorite a tussle with the right trip.
Vorticity (Distorted Humor) wil try to stretch his winning streak to three as he, too, tries a route of ground for the first time. A debut third behind subsequent SW and Saturday's Mucho Macho Man S. favorite Awesome Speed (Awesome Again) at Laurel Oct. 10, the dark bay wired a field of local maidens-with Condo King (Tiz Wonderful) third Nov. 8-before returning to Maryland to annex the Dec. 5 Marylander S.
The turf-bred In Equality (Quality Road) could appeal in vertical wagers. A son of two-time Sovereign Award-winning grass mare Inish Glora (Regal Classic), the bay was off the board in two tries over that surface, but overcame a slow pace to graduate by a neck two-turning over the inner Dec. 13. The shape of the Jerome may work more in his favor Saturday afternoon.
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