Rising Stars Clash in Discovery

Although Tom Albertrani will be busy saddling a pair of runners at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in California Saturday, he also will have a very realistic chance to win the GIII Discovery H. for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct for a second consecutive year with his promising gelding Three Alarm Fire (Pyro). 

Albertrani won the Discovery last year with Romansh (Bernardini), an effort that served as a springboard to a 2014 campaign competing at the highest level of the handicap division. While many of the entrants in this year’s edition are lightly raced and relatively inexperienced, the opportunity knocks for the winner to establish themselves as a factor as an older horse going forward. Three Alarm Fire was a runner-up in his July 11 bow at Belmont but quickly progressed to graduate in his second start going seven furlongs at Saratoga on the Aug. 23 Travers undercard. Most recently, the chestnut stretched out to 1 1/16 miles Oct. 1 in a comfortable win against first-level allowance company–an effort that earned him the TDN Rising Star and one that was validated when runner-up GSP Encryption (Exchange Rate) returned to win at the same level Oct. 23. 

“He’s been doing very well. It’s a step up for him going in to the race, but we’re optimistic that he will be able to handle it,” Albertrani said. “He’s been training great since [the last race].” 

While his trainee comfortably navigated the added distance last out, Albertrani acknowledged that the transition to two turns is always a question.

“He’s a horse who has shown a lot of potential, and you never know what to expect until you try two turns, but we’re optimistic.” The New York-based conditioner continued, “He obviously has the speed, and my only concern is that he is able to relax a little bit.” With regular pilot Joel Rosario scheduled to ride at Santa Anita Saturday, Three Alarm Fire will have the services of Manuel Franco in the Discovery. 

Just seven days after Three Alarm Fire won at Belmont, Discovery morning-line favorite and fellow TDN Rising Star Bay of Plenty (Medaglia d’Oro) returned from a five-month layoff to notch an impressive front-running score in a one-mile allowance race. A winner of three consecutive races, Bay of Plenty easily handled a field that included GI Kentucky Derby participant Vinceremos (Pioneerof the Nile) and punched his ticket to this stakes debut this afternoon. The Godolphin-owned colt figures to be a major pace factor as he stretches out to his first start beyond 1 1/16 miles for the first time. 

Noble Moon (Malibu Moon) will break from the rail in the Discovery, and may well be the most-proven and versatile runner at the graded stakes level. Conditioned by Leah Gyrmati, the bay was a closing fourth behind The Big Beast (Yes It’s True) in the GI King’s Bishop S. over seven furlongs Aug. 23, then followed with a fourth-place effort behind Bayern (Offlee Wild) in the Sept. 20 GII Pennsylvania Derby, finishing behind three runners who are competing in the Breeders’ Cup. Noble Moon’s last win came in the GII Jerome S. over the Aqueduct inner track in February.