The Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1)- $1,250.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 11, 2016
The starting gate will be full for the 12th running of The Metropolitan Handicap, the second highest paying race of the day at BEL, beaten only by the final jewel of the TC that will immediately follow this race. Several in the field have experienced running in the BEL themselves, such as A One, who you will recall was the runner up in the race last year. It will be the third year that the race’s purse will be $1,250.000 as it was increased from $750.000 in 2013 to make sure the best talent in the world has enough incentive to choose this race. In the early days of the race, one the greatest horses of all time, Alpha Ultimo made the Metropolitan Handicap his personal stomping ground. That legendary horse won this race three times (2005, 2007, and 2008). In 2006, he finished second. That kind of dynasty is about as good as it can get. Oh, and by the way, he was third in 2009, too. There are no Alpha Ultimo’s in this field, but there is plenty of talent. As one could probably guess, Alpha Ultimo’s trainer, Jerry Garcia Racing has won the race more then anyone with three wins, however Sanny Village can tie him in this race. If Sanny did win, it would be his third straight win in this race, but in any event, I think we all can agree that it’s simply good to see Sanny saddling virtual horses again. Jockey-wise, R J Albarado is the man for the race, having three wins himself. It’s a great race! We know you’re excited about the BEL which will follow this one, but don’t let this one pass by in its shadows. Here is our full field!
#1- Clouseau (Wolfs Den, ridden by M E Smith)- Back in November, not many people may have noticed when Wolfs Den was the only to put in a $6.250 claim for this gelding in a small field at GG. For the trainer, it is a claim that has paid a great dividend, as he has earned $161.000 this year. Clouseau hasn’t won a stake yet, but he’s the board a couple times in them. The highlight thus far would be when he finished as the runner up to Generals Companion in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at FG in late March. Regular rider M E Smith will be aboard again, but it looks like Clouseau will be a longshot here, though perhaps not at the 999+/1 odds he was at in the Grade 2 Dixie last month.
#2- Gma Is My Hero (Aer Stables, ridden by J Rosario)- As a three year old, Aer Stables put the Power Vest colt in some high profile races, such as the Grade 1 BG Stakes or Grade 2 Peter Pan, but he never had anything to show for it. After breaking his maiden at 2, Gma Is My Hero was actually winless in 2015 until winning a TAM allowance in December. That race, and a runner up at PRX in an allowance were the only times he hit the board at three despite the aggressive placement. This year, he’s won an allowance, but more importantly may have regained some confidence, as he has been much better in the two graded attempts including the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at AQU, where he was third in each. He meets the toughest field he’s seen this year, but he is clearly on the path to redemption right now.
#3- Secret King (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- After winning the Grade 3 Coolmore Lexington, Secret King was acquired by Mb Stables in private sales for a solid $400.000 price tag. He has gone on to win four out of the seven races he has run in for his current trainer, highlighted by a win in the Grade 2 Obrien Stakes at DMR in August, which allowed him to get into the BC Dirt Mile field. That race would be a disappointment, but the Zariba Ruler colt has bounced back well and won the two races he has been in since. However, neither were in stakes. So despite his obvious successes, Secret King probably needs to hit the board, if not win, here to make that initial private sales investment pay off, when you factor in the nomination fees that have gone into it. He’ll be rested and ready to go.
#4- Milestone (Mcl Stables, ridden by C P DeCarlo)- This seven year old has had a very lightly raced career when you consider his age. He didn’t break his maiden until he was four due to that light schedule, and it took a wise $7.500 claim from Mcl Stables last summer to get this horse out to the race track and start fulfilling its potential. Last month, it all paid off for the new trainer as Milestone was victorious in the Grade 3 Westchester right here at BEL, beating the likes of Unsuited in the process, earning an SRF of 102 in the process. He is on the upswing, and while he has never faced this type of competition before, it is going to be very interesting to see how he stacks up against them. Mcl Stables has done a superb job with him.
#5- Mass Debatable (Maverick Racing, ridden by E J Wilson)- The trainer will be hoping that the Crazy Beat colt can get back to the form he was in prior to the last two races, where he was simply not good. Go back before those races, and you can clearly see how good Mass Debatable can be. Last November, he would win the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes and earn a 101 SRF while doing so. He had a strong 2015, where overall he had four wins and two seconds in his eight starts, en route to a little over $320.000 in earnings for the year. One possibility for the disappointing results in his last two races could be that he was carrying a little more weight then he had been used too (though the ideal lumbo should suggest that would not be an issue), and we know how a little thing like that in our virtual world can be a big thing on the track. He goes back here to carrying a more comfortable weight.
#6- Sqawilther (Australia Wide, ridden by M Mena)- Afer being acquired by Australia Wide via private sales, Sqawilther has won four of his nine races. The majority of these wins were going seven furlongs, but his biggest win to date was going just a little longer then what we will be doing on Saturday when he captured the Grade 3 Razorback at OP, topping the likes of Milestone and Im Too Confident in the process. His last two efforts have seen him not hit the board, but he was only a length back in each, and in both races, I like the way he was coming on at the end. He’s capable, but there seems to be others in here a little more appealing.
#7- Stranger (Sanny Village, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- The trainer looks to win his third consecutive Metropolitan Handicap, having won the race with A Mighty Mehsod and Mister Major the last two years. When it comes to racing in New York, Stranger is not a stranger at all, as he regularly appeared on the statebred circuit for Night Mare Racing, finishing off his career with that trainer with three wins a row in statebred stakes. Sanny Village picked him up in the September auction for $450.010 and elevated his career to the graded level. In the three races since the sale, he has a pair of second place finishes. Stranger was last seen out on the west coast beating a couple of BC Classic winners in Niagra and Viking Shield in the SA Handicap, though was second to Greek Poet. That was in March, about 90 days ago, so you will want to take the layoff into consideration.
#8- Port On The Horizon (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J L Ortiz)- It was a highly successful season for what was always seen as one of the best three year olds in the game last year including being here for the BEL and placing 5th. After all the TC fanfare was over, Port On The Horizon continued to run well, and would win the LA Derby (at Los Alamitos) in his next start, and then get a win in the $1,000.000 PA-Derby in mid-September. This sent him to the BC Classic, and he just narrowly missed out on becoming a champion of that great race. He was second, and within a neck of the race winning Viking Shield. In 2016, he has continued to run real well, with a win in three starts. That victory came in the $250.000 SSM Classic. As much as I really like this horse, I am not sure if this race is a little too short for him.
#9- A One (Eastern Equine, ridden by R J Albarado)- While Port On The Horizon was one of the top three year olds in the game last year, A One was the best of the crop. After winning the PRK last year, he was here on BEL day, and would narrowly miss his second TC jewel with a second place finish. That would end up being his last race for Sanny Village, as he would be sold to Eastern Equine via private sales for $1,400.000 in late June. With his new trainer, he has simply continued where he left off, taking two of the biggest races of the SAR meet, the Grade 2 Dandy and Grade 1 Travers before running third in the BC Classic. It’s been more of the same this year after a late December win in the Grade 1 Malibu, as he won a CT Classic in April that was simply, stacked with strong contenders. Aboard for the ride is regular jockey R J Albarado, who knows how to get it done here. A win would be his fourth in the stake’s history. If you want to have a concern about A One, it is the weight he carries, but he has shown a remarkable ability to not be affected by it so far, that I am not going to worry about it here. As is usually the case, A One is the horse to beat.
#10- Silver Strike (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J Talamo)- The Poet Laureate gelding has never faced anywhere near the level of competition he sees today, so hopefully he doesn’t know who is in the starting gate next to him, or he might be star struck. Since being purchased in the December auction for just $8.290, Silver Strike has won one of his three races, and looked good in that TAM allowance. He made his stake debut in his last race, which was also his turf debut, while going six furlongs and placed sixth in the McKay Turf Sprint. The trainer must have some good clues in private works about being ready to take on this crowd as otherwise I can’t see him being a factor. The weight issue can help against the likes of A One, perhaps, but rivals like Secret King are carrying the same weight.
#11- Impending Decision (Night Rider Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This will be the second attempt at the Metropolitan Handicap for the seven year old gelding; he was tenth last year. It seems as though he will be better this year, and is on a good run with three wins in his last six starts. Among those victories were the Grade 3 Hals Hope, and the Grade 3 General George Stakes. Most recently, he was third in the $500.000 Grade 2 CD, where he earned a career high SRF of 103. He comes into this race better then how he was coming into it last year, and while there are a few in here that seem a little better, Impending Decision could have a things go his way with a break or two in the race.
#12- West Northwest (Grimley, ridden by J J Castellano)- The six year old gelding saw his career get off to a relatively slow start, but it would start to come to life last year for Choppy Inc. After dismantling a pair of rivals by ten lengths in an AP optional claimer, he would be on the shelf a little bit and become picked up by Grimley in the September auction for $46.460. Two races later, he was off to AQU, and in a race that featured the likes of Niagra and Team Nebraska, it would be West Northwest was the victorious one in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap. If anyone was doubting him still after that race, he followed it up with a close second to Salt Lake City in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap. His most recent race saw him finish third in a loaded CT Classic (Grade 2) field. Note that the 121 pounds he carries is topped only by A One.
#13- Spotted Cat (Blushing Meadows, ridden by J R Velazquez)- His presence in this field is not necessarily a surprise, but it is probably safe to say that several were not expecting to run against him in this race when they entered. Spotted Cat had a strong three year old campaign that saw him be able to qualify for the KYD, thanks in large part to early season derby prep wins. After the derby, he has mostly been on the grass, though did return to the main track for the running of the BC Dirt Mile. He would end up 8th in that race, and it would be back to the grass again. The payday of this race (and potentially the lower weight allowance then he would have on the turf) sends him back to the dirt again, and the conditions of this race do seem promising for him. As long as the outside post does not prove to be a drastic hindrance, Spotted Cat has a good chance to end up in the winner’s circle.
#14- Rock Boat (Night Rider Stables, ridden by P Lopez)– On the outside, we have the second entry from Night Rider Stables, and he could end up being our sleeper in this field. In his last seven starts, six of them have ended up with a trip to the winner’s circle after the race. That run began modestly in a $15.000 claimer, in which Night Rider claimed him from RNP Stables, and ends with his most recent win, which was in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes at WO. He’s never raced against this type of competition, but he has earned the right to try, and you have to like the fact that he knows how to win. Traditionally, Rock Boat likes to go right out to the lead, but with stablemate Impending Decision having a similar preferred style, Night Rider may need to call an audible with one of them.
Prediction: 9-8-11-13
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
