The Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 8, 2024

Our next look at the BEL undercard at SAR takes us to the Metropolitan Handicap, an always entertaining Grade 1 on the dirt that offers a ticket to the BC Dirt Mile in five months. If that wasn’t enough to get excited about, the race also offers a $1,000.000 purse to be split amongst the top four finishers. While the race is called the Metropolitan Handicap, it could also be named the Alpha Ultimo handicap, as the legendary horse won the race three times in four years (2005, 2007, and 2008. He was also second in 2006). The race has grown since then, and more greats of the game have found themselves grabbing the win. So, Profound did so twice, in 2020 and 2021 for Asgar. Sexy Back, for Night Rider Stables, was the winner in 2023. That could have gotten him into the BC Dirt Mile, but the trainer opted for the BC Classic instead, a choice that was proven to be the right one when he won the race! He won’t be here this year, as he hasn’t been the same since that race. Here’s a look at those looking to be the next Metropolitan Handicap winner:

1- Puppy Plex (Jive Inc., ridden by F Geroux)- Ran in the BC Juvenile last fall, but finished towards the rear of the field. He’s been quiet as a three-year-old, despite being entered in multiple KYD preps. In his last race, he was dropped into an optional claimer at CD, the same track he won the Grade 3 Iroquois at last year and picked up the win. Unfortunately for him, this race was moved from BEL to SAR, not CD.

2- Dont Miss It (John Henry, ridden by J Lezcano)- Picked up a big win last month in the Grade 3 Westchester, and when you win a big race for Panionios Racing, that means you’re heading directly to private sales. The gelding was picked up John Henry for $140.000, which is bargain in my opinion. Since the sale, the gelding has worked very well, especially when in a work in company at SA. Now in a barn that we know will be committed to him, the sky may be the limit for him. I won’t be picking him, but I am excited to see him run. He’s the high weight here, carrying 121 pounds.

3- Winter Book (Fractious, ridden by R L Moore)- It will be the first race on the dirt for Winter Book since July, when he appeared in the Haskell. He had been a dirt horse before that, but the transition to the grass was made and he did get some good results for a while, including a win in the Grade 1 HOL Derby. After struggling in the Man O War last month, Fractious has made the call to give him a true test on the main track.

4- Domiano (Fractious, ridden by F Prat)- Ran in two of SAR’s biggest races for three-year-olds last year, and was third in the Dandy before placing fifth in the Travers. More recently, he has won two of his last four, including a NY-bred optional claimer at AQU, and the $150.000 Excelsior, also at the Big A. Last month, he set the early fractions in the Alysheba before being passed by a handful late. I wish this horse would win a little more (in bigger races), but he seems to put in a workmanlike effort in every race.

5- Bourbon Roads (Wood Duck Stables, ridden by Mar Garcia)- The trainer seems to be taking a gamble by entering Bourbon Roads here, as the horse has not won since an allowance at CT last July. That could be okay, but since August, Bourbon Roads has only raced once, and that came last month in an open allowance at WO. He was third of four, but still was a very good effort. To run him here off of that is ambitious, to say the least. I’ve seen crazier scenarios win, though.

6- Quality Road (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- One of the higher weights in the field, carrying 120, but I don’t think weight is that much of a factor in this race, in general. For Quality Road, form is the bigger concern, and we have not seen much of it in his last three races (all Grade 3’s), where he did not beat more than one horse in a single race. That concerns me, because looking back at his history, he’s been a consistent horse so to hit that dry spell is a red flag. This is, after all, the Metropolitan Handicap and not another Grade 3.

7- Duppy Story (Ajm Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- Finished off his five-year-old campaign with three straight wins, which included the $100.000 Robb Stakes at AQU. His graded debut did not go well after that, but it looks like he just needed the race as he responded well by running third in the GP Mile and then ultimately getting a win in the $200.000 Knicks Go from CD last month. Based on speed figures, this is the best he has ever been, and the trainer got all this for just $16.000 in a claimer.

8- Mamba (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Won three races as a three-year-old, highlighted by the $300.000 PRX Dirt Mile in September. Since then, he’s been in three races, but only one of them was a stake. That was last month, where he edged out by Dont Miss It at the wire. Look for him to improve off of that here, as this seems like a great spot for him as he is comfortable at the mile distance. Typically, this is horse that gets out on the lead early, but you never know when the trainer may change things up.

9- Crypto (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- A winner of over $1,000.000 in his career but his best races seem to have come in 2022 that led to him running in the BC Sprint, or in early 2023. In April of last year, he won the Grade 3 OP Mile, but since then, his only victory came in an open allowance at SA in January. Naturally, in a race like this, we’re not going to talk about horses that come into it with several graded wins in a row unless they want a big weight disadvantage, and I do like that Crypto is consistently putting out triple digit SRF’s. Placed fourth last month in the Westchester but was within a length of the winner. Should have a good shot here.

10- Fox Final Time (Spankys Barn, ridden by T Gaffalione)- While running for Spankys Barn, Fox Final Time has mostly been sprinting, but he was used to going long for his prior trainer on a regular basis. The gelding was last seen five weeks ago at the Kona Stakes, but he was a non-factor in that Grade 3. Overall, this is a horse I have a hard time getting excited about. Don’t take that the wrong way, because he’s usually competitive, but when I look at him, I’m just lacking excitement. A win here would change that, massively.

11- Dayton (Pan Farms, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Running in the BC Dirt Mile would be nothing new to him, as he also ran in the race last year. He didn’t cash a check, but was within a length while finishing fifth, which is never any consolation other than to say the horse put in a good effort. Dayton narrowly missed in the Grade 1 Malibu in December, and he has carried his form into 2024, culminating so far by winning the Grade 1 CD at that race track last month. This means he carries 120 pounds while many others are at 118 and 119 and that simply does not concern me. I’m giving him my nod.

12- Twin Rackets (Alydar Stables, ridden by P Husbands)- Winner of the PA Derby last fall, and found his way into the BC Dirt Mile. In that, he did one spot better than Dayton would do, so there was something that went back to the trainer. I also like how he came from behind last month to finish second in the Grade 2 Alysheba. This is definitely a horse that everyone should be watching for in the stretch, but in comparing him to Dayton, at a mile, I like the other a little more, but they are my top two.

13- Nutmeg (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- This horse has only been to the winner’s circle three times in 25 starts, and none of them have come in the stakes that he has been entered into over his career. He’s done a little bit of everything lately, but still can’t get that stake win. Six weeks ago, he was third in the Grade 2 Ali, so he may be able to build on that here. It’s possible he’s in the best form of his career right now, but he needs that big result to show it.

14- Natural Instinct (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- From the outside, Natural Instinct is also looking to pick up his first stake win. He’s won twice in twelve starts, but like Nutmeg, neither are in any of his stake appearances. Natural Instinct has been better when it comes to hitting the board and was second in both the Fleet Sprint Handicap and the Runhappy, each six-furlong Grade 3’s coming into this. He’s been fine running longer.

Prediction: 11-12-9-2

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES