Barbara D. Livingston
Neat (No. 6) had a four-race winning streak on turf snapped when he was dull running back on a month’s rest in the American Turf.
Neat will look to rebound from a disappointing performance in the Grade 2 American Turf when he takes on five fellow 3-year-olds in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Manila Stakes scheduled for one mile over Aqueduct’s inner turf course.
Neat, a son of Constitution trained by Rob Atras, had won four consecutive turf races, including the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland, before his seventh-place finish in the American Turf. Atras didn’t have a major excuse for Neat’s effort that day, though it was a month after his career-best effort winning the Transylvania by a nose.
“Maybe we ran him back a little quick off a real big effort,” Atras said. “We almost ran him back in the Penn Mile [on May 31], but I felt like he needed a little more time. His last couple of works seemed to be very sharp. He seems to have really turned the corner. I’m hoping what I see in the morning develops in the afternoon.”
Neat will have eight weeks since his last race. When he won the Transylvania, he was coming off a 69-day layoff following a victory in the Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, a race he won on the front end by 5 1/2 lengths. Neat was one of four next-out winners from the Texas Turf Mile.
Mattingly, coming off a narrow defeat in the Paradise Creek Stakes going six furlongs, is likely to set the pace after breaking from the rail in the Manila. Neat, who will be ridden by Junior Alvarado, will likely be stalking him.
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“He’s got some great tactical speed, I think Junior will be able to work out a nice trip for him,” Atras said.
Move to Gold won the Awad Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Aqueduct last fall. In two stakes starts this year, both at one mile, Move to Gold finished third in the Columbia at Tampa Bay Downs and was beaten a nose by Twirling Point in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park.
“He doesn’t have a lot of early speed, but he’s got a nice late kick,” trainer Chad Brown said. “A mile is a tick short for him, but I like the purse of the race, I like the setup for him, and I like running at Aqueduct where he’s had success.”
Manny Franco rides Move to Gold from post 4.
Please Advise, trained by George Weaver, also has had success at Aqueduct, winning the Atlantic Beach Stakes going six furlongs last November. After finishing second in the English Channel Stakes on May 4 at Gulfstream Park, Please Advise finished sixth in the Grade 3 Penn Mile, a race in which he had to check sharply entering the first turn, then race three wide down the backside. After vying for the lead approaching the top of the stretch, Please Advise faded in the stretch and was beaten 4 1/4 lengths by First World War.
The wild card in the field is Deterministic, a son of Liam’s Map who makes his turf debut for trainer Christophe Clement and owners Vinnie and Teresa Viola, Ken Langone, and Steven Duncker. Deterministic won the Grade 3 Gotham in the slop in March, but could not advance further down the Triple Crown trail with disappointing finishes in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial and Grade 3 Peter Pan, both around two turns on dirt.
Clement worked Deterministic on the turf at Saratoga and liked what he saw enough to proceed to this turf stakes.
“He’s always been working well but he moves especially well on the grass,” Clement said.
Dylan Davis rides Deterministic from post 6.
Drunk On Sake won a maiden $40,000 claiming race in his first start on turf June 6 at Saratoga.
The Manila goes as race 7 on an 11-race card that begins at 12:35 p.m.
Dornoch confirmed for Haskell
Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch returned to the work tab Thursday morning in Saratoga, breezing a half-mile in 48.20 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. It was the fastest of 17 works at the distance.
Afterward, trainer Danny Gargan said Dornoch would most likely make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on July 20 at Monmouth Park, which would set up a Belmont Stakes rematch with Mindframe, who Dornoch beat a half-length and who also is targeting the Haskell.
“I’m gonna run in the Haskell, I don’t want to duck anybody,” Gargan said. “I haven’t ducked anybody all year, why would I start now? He’s training great.”
Gargan said he likes the timing of the Haskell because it’s five weeks from the Belmont Stakes and then five weeks to the Travers Stakes on Aug. 24 at Saratoga.
Gargan was impressed by Dornoch’s work since he did it by himself as opposed to working with another horse, which is typically the case.
“Usually by himself he’s lazy,” Gargan said. “I thought he would go in 50.”
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◗ Kentucky Derby runner-up and Belmont Stakes third-place finisher Sierra Leone is being pointed to the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 27 at Saratoga. Trainer Chad Brown said it’s possible he could train up to the Travers.
“As of right now, I’m pointing to the Jim Dandy,” Brown said Thursday.
Brown also confirmed that recent allowance winner Unmatched Wisdom is being pointed to the $135,000 Curlin Stakes on July 19 at Saratoga.
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