Mohaymen (Tapit), a rallying fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby, is one of several possible headliners in a wide-open renewal of the prestigious GI Ketel One King's Bishop S. at Saratoga Saturday.
The four-time graded winner cuts back in distance to seven furlongs after a puzzling fourth-place finish as the 7-5 chalk in the GII Jim Dandy S. at the Spa July 30, the traditional local prep for the GI Travers S. After huddling with Shadwell general manager Rick Nichols, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin decided to turn back Mohaymen, a $2.2-million KEESEP yearling purchase, to one turn for the first time since a winning effort in Aqueduct's GII Nashua S. during his 2-year-old season.
“It's huge, and if he wins it, it's off the charts,” McLaughlin said. “He's won four Grade II's and to win a [seven-furlong] Grade I is huge as a stallion.”
McLaughlin continued, “He never takes a deep breath; he never gets tired. So, once they're fit, they're fit, but he's unusual in that regard. He's clean-winded. He's a fit racehorse.”
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be represented by a pair of speedy 'TDN Rising Stars.'
The streaking Drefong (Gio Ponti), drawn widest of all in post 13, makes his stakes debut. The 4-1 morning-line favorite earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure in a smart $62,500 optional claiming win going 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita most recently July 4 and has been firing plenty of bullets at Del Mar since.
Stablemate Jazzy Times (Discreetly Mine) will also make his first stakes attempt for Baffert off a blowout win in an optional tagger at Del Mar July 31. The blinkers come off the $460,000 OBSMAR graduate here.
The lightly raced Summer Revolution (Summer Bird) heads to the deep end after earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors at second asking following a razor sharp first-level allowance win over course and distance Aug. 6.
“At least he's run over the track already and had a pretty good race, so that was a plus right there,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “If he runs the way he did then, I don't think those horses can compete with him, but to come back and run again the same way is going to be hard and it's in a different class. Class means a lot. I'm going to find out, that's for sure.”
Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), second in the GII Louisiana Derby in March, makes his first start since launching from the clouds to impressively capture the GII Woody Stephens S. at Belmont June 11. Fish Trappe Road (Trappe Shot), a very game second after racing on top of a hot pace that day, returned to capture Belmont's July 9 GIII Dwyer S. over Economic Model (Flatter).
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