The Manhattan (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
SAR- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Turf
June 8, 2024
Manhattan is being moved upstate this weekend, as the 21st edition of this Grade 1 turf stake is held at SAR as a part of the BEL racing festival. This means a slight change in the distance, as it will lose one-sixteenth of a mile from its traditional length. We can deal with that and will enjoy the purse increase back to $1,000.000. It had been at this amount previously, but for the last three years, it was just $750.000. Last year’s winner was a gelding from Night Rider Stables named Ziccio, and he will be looking to defend his crown here in this race. It’s a tough task for him, but he beat the likes of King Que Niagra in this race before, so he can do it again. There are fourteen heading to the starting gate. Let’s take a look at who’ll be running:
1- Fire And Ice (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- The veteran six-year-old gelding will make his 34th career start here in the Manhattan. He has not won much, but two of his four victories have come in his last seven races but none of these wins are in any of the stakes that he has been entered into. In March, he just missed in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap, losing the head bob at the wire. Overall, he’s been second quite a bit. I feel he is at his best right now, but I am not ready to pick him to win the Manhattan.
2- Albaquirky (Santan Stables, ridden by F Geroux)- Rain is starting to move out of the forecast for Saturday, so hopefully that trend continues. Running on a wet track is something that Albaquirky is used to, with his last four races being on yielding turf or worse. He handles it well, winning the Kilroe Mile and then running second last month in the Forester Turf Classic. He doesn’t have to have it wet though, as before that stretch began, he was doing just fine on dry surfaces. He’s never run this long, but it should suit his style.
3- House Of Games (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Dettori)- Ran well in overnights for his previous trainer, but Spankys Barn had bigger plans when he picked the gelding up for $45.000 in private sales. Ran third on debut in his new silks in the $200.000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic for CA-breds in January, then this April, he would win the Grade 2 Elkhorn at KEE. Last month, he was fourth on short rest in the Man O War. We’re just beginning to see how good this one really can be.
4- King Que Niagra (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- We’ve been able to see how good this one can be for quite a while now. King Que Niagra is certainly one of the best active horses in the game right now, if not the best. He’s been good at the Spa as well, with two wins in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. It was last year’s win in that race that really caught the attention of everyone, as a four-race winning streak began there that would also include the BC Turf. This year, he won the Pegasus World Cup Turf. The Forester Turf Classic wasn’t his best, but even then, he was still fourth. He likes it at SAR so look for a big one.
5- Bigmikesbluedress (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Back in November, this colt showed that he could win a big race when he captured the Grade 2 Hill Prince at AQU. We’ve been waiting to see that version of him again. Three sevens in a row might be good on a slot machine, but when it comes to your past performances, it does not create a lot of optimism that you are about to break through. Maybe he will, but I can’t pick him to do so.
6- Wimbledon (Night Rider Stables, ridden by J Rosario)- It’s been an eventful career for Wimbledon, as he has made 37 starts while passing through many barns in the claiming ranks. Night Rider Stables acquired him in August 2022 with an $18.000 claim and has done a great job bringing him forward. Five of his 14 wins have come for the trainer, with none being bigger than the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at the very end of last year. He fizzled out last month in the Forester Turf Classic, but he’s more than capable of bouncing back from that.
7- Gallant (Royalty Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Last month was a struggle for Gallant in the Forester Turf Classic, as he was beaten by six lengths. He’s been good on off tracks, so we can’t just dismiss that for being on soft turf. Gallant has his bad races at times, but he was on a good stretch of form heading into it. Due to that, I think it’s safe to write that one off not because of the rain, but just as one of those things that can happen. I wonder if we’ll see a tactical adjustment on him to go back to being a frontrunner instead of a closer.
8- Penal Hockey Party (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- He’s made a name for himself by going about a mile, having run in the BC Mile for the last two years. Penal Hockey Party was second in that race last year, but he has been fine running this type of distance as well. Last summer, he won at ten furlongs in the AP Million at CNL, which topped of a three-race winning streak for him. That was around the time of the Manhattan last year, but he took June off. Was fourth in the SF Mile last time out.
9- Killer Instinct (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Speaking of the AP Million last year, Killer Instinct was also in that race and got his picture taken at the wire with Penal Hockey Party. He would opt for the BC Turf last fall, and nearly got the win there, but was second in a tight photo in that race as well. He’s run four times since then, with one win, coming in the Grade 2 Pan American at GP in late March, and he was third in the Man O War at AQU last month.
10- Ziccio (Night Rider Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- Won the Manhattan last year and earned a career high 103 SRF in the process. After the victory, he ran third in both the United Nations and the Sword Dancer then won the Grade 2 Henry Championship at SA. He would fare well in the BC Turf a month later, however. As a five-year-old this year, he’s race three times with one win, coming in his last start which was the Grade 2 Whittingham Stakes. Now, while the site of the race has changed, Ziccio can become the first horse to win the Manhattan twice.
11- Energizer Party (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- As a three-year-old, Energizer Party was outstanding, winning over $1,000.000 on the year. Taking the Rebel went a long way in that, but he still won four races that year. This year, we have not seen him much, with only two starts and none at the stake level. Perhaps the trainer lost confidence in him at some point, or maybe others just passed him by in his own stable, but after winning an optional claimer last time out, Energizer Party returns for this big test.
12-Master Of Disguise (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- You can count on Master Of Disguise to run well every time he is out on the track, and we should not expect anything less than that here although it is the first time he has run in a Grade 1. Last month, he won the now Grade 2 Man O War at AQU, making him two-for-two on the year. He’s hit the board in his last six races and consistently earns triple digit SRF’s. He’s usually on or near the lead early but the Man O War did represent a change from that.
13- Grand Opening (Riggins Racing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Grand Opening passed through a lot of barns early in his career, and many of them are probably wishing they held on to him. Riggins Racing has taken him to a new level since buying him for $20.000 in early 2023 and the gelding is now closing in on $2,000.000 in career earnings. He’s already over $800.000 this year, thanks in part to winning the Forester Turf Classic last time out as well as running second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. He should be right there again, but he’s not used to starting from an outside post like this.
14- Oh Brother (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Saez)- It’s been about a year since Oh Brother was picked up in the auction by Spankys Barn, for $45.010, and it has certainly worked out. This always was a graded stake horse, but with Spankys Barn, Oh Brother picked up his biggest win, the Pattison Canadian International at WO with a wire-to-wire effort. While he has not won since then, he’s been competitive in most races and was third in the Forester Turf Classic last month.
Prediction: 4-13-12-2
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
