The Manhattan (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
BEL- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the turf
June 8, 2019

We will be treated to some of the best turf runners in the game on Saturday as the Grade 1 Manhattan takes place for the 16th time. The race has been won by many of the greats, including Dogma, as well as arguably the best horse in the game never to win a BC race, Spanish Showboat. We’ll be treated to watching last year’s winner, The Joker, take on the reigning BC Turf champion, Early Retirement, and a resurgent Lunar Blaze, against many other top notch participants and hopeful underdogs. It has been a good race for Mb Stables, as the trainer has won three times since 2012, though the crown is currently worn by turf king, Maxmillion Farm. The gate is nearly full, so let’s meet the field!

#1- Winter Solstice (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- He is one of five horses in the field that ran in the Forester Turf Classic last month on KYD day at CD. Those five horses took five of the six spots, but none of them beat Winter Solstice, who won the race. It was an impressive effort, too, as he came from well off the pace to get the win on soft turf. What will be different about this race is that a dry track is likely, but that will be fine with Winter Solstice, who has been on excellent form since last November, in particular.

#2- Thats Fazzt (Estero Farms, ridden by F Pennington)- The Zafza gelding has been most successful thus far running at or near a mile. This got him into the BC Mile last fall, thanks to running second in the Shadwell Turf Mile. He would be sold to Estero later that day for $400.000, and then ran midpack in the BC. In 2019, he has been lightly raced, and has just one win this year, that being in an optional claimer on soft turf, in a five furlong sprint last month. It came at CD, a couple days prior to others in this field running in the Forester. Works are great, the distance is the question.

#3- Sezarchai (Ekli Stable, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Last December, he won what was his career highlight thus far, the Grade 1 HOL Derby. Since then, he has struggled to perform at the graded ranks. The Pegasus World Cup Turf result could be blamed on the weather, but the concerning race was the Muniz Memorial Handicap in March, where he well behind the winners, several of whom he is seeing again here. He did win an open allowance after that, his most recent start (where he did earn a 100 SRF, for what its worth). We know he is capable of winning a race like this, but he might be a bit tough to make a bet on right now.

#4- First Class Male (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Ran third last month in the Forester Turf Classic, running in the middle of the field early and made a late push, but was beaten in the stretch by Winter Solstice. Prior to that, he won the ungraded TAM Turf Classic, which is the type of purse he’s most accustomed to running for. Has a lot of experience against NY-bred competition, too. Should like the tenth furlong, but that might be enjoyed more by others in here.

#5- Early Retirement (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Entered into the BEL Gold Cup, then scratched out of it to run here. That’s a good thing, because this is where the reigning BC Turf champion belongs. Last month, he ran in the Man O War, a Grade 1, and was a bit of a non factor for most of the race before showing his class late and picking up a fourth place check. Distance wise, the twelve furlongs of the BEL Gold Cup is probably a better fit for him, in general, but he has won the last two times he has raced 10 furlongs, and those were in top tier races, the BEL Derby, and the Arlington Million.

#6- The Ego Has Landed (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Beschizza)- After producing well, though without much fanfare in his first two seasons, The Ego Has Landed has elevated his game in 2019. He made his graded debut in February, coming at the FG Handicap, where he closed to finish third, and would win one in his following start, the Grade 2 Pan American against a small but accomplished field. That sent him to the Forester last month, where he closed well to finish second. Unfortunately for him, Winter Solstice did the same thing just a little better. We should certainly be watching for both of them in the stretch again.

#7- Swansbrook (Mb Stables, ridden by E Maldonado)- It never seems to fail that Mb puts an up and comer in this type of field to go along with his more accomplished star, and every so often it’s the newcomer that steals the show. Swansbrook, though, would be a surprise if he won, considering he has never raced on the grass before, and is 0-for-5 when going long. He’s not a bad horse when running against his similar, and I’d be more interested to see him sprint on the main track off of his last start. Never rule out anything from Mb, though.

#8- Sweep The Beach (Maze Stables, ridden by L H Colon)- Well, sometimes ambition is a good thing. This five year old is out of Islander Dynasty (a horse that when looking, I was surprised that I did not actually name, though could have), and we are at BEL, the soon to be home of the next Islander Dynasty. The Islanders did Sweep The Penguins, though Pittsburgh is not known for beaches. Sweep The Beach looks like he might get swept up by a hurricane. (That by the way, pained me greatly to write).

#9- Lets Do It Big Boy (RNP Stables, ridden by B J Hernandez Jr)- The trainer would love for his five year old Cherokee Sunset horse to pick up his first Grade 1 win. While his biggest performance to date is running third in the BC Turf last fall, his signature win is still the Grade 2 Ft Lauderdale last year. On the surface, he has not seemed to have done much this year, but it has not helped that four of his five races of 2019 have been on off tracks. Better weather will help here, so let’s see if he steps up.

#10- Call Me Spanish (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by L Saez)- The second of two entries that Maxmillion will have as he looks to defend his title in this race. While I am prone to backing his other entry more then Call Me Spanish, you can’t rule him out. That is because he comes off a third place finish in the Grade 1 Man O War, something that may not immediately wow someone, but it represented a much needed return to form after some tougher results. If he can keep the momentum rolling, we know Maxmillion can figure out how to get him to the winners circle.

#11- Lunar Blaze (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- After having some trouble getting to the winners circle while running in John Henry silks, Lunar Blaze had a confidence boosting allowance win which led to winning the Pegasus World Cup Turf. That was followed up by winning the Kilroe Mile, extending his streak to three, though that got snapped in his last start, the Forester. He was fifth in that race, and beaten by three horses that he sees again here, but he was still within a length. That is how it has been for Lunar Blaze when he doesn’t win, he is still close. He has run in the Manhattan the last two years, and has been seventh this time. Expect him to do better.

#12- The Joker (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by A A Gallardo)- After winning the Manhattan last year, The Joker ended up being sold from Maxmillion Farm to D J C Racing Stables for $800.000. He has not won since then, and D J C may be feeling like he was dealt a joker unless he starts turning it around. Four of his seven starts have seen him fail to collect a purse, and thus eat up more nomination fee. However, maybe things are turning around as he placed second in the Grade 1 Man O War last month.

#13- People Doubted (Aml Racing, ridden by Mar Garcia)- It’s back to starting on the outside for the trainer, and People Doubted is a pretty good example of a horse that never really seems to have much luck in post draws. It will take more then that, though, as People Doubted has struggled in recent races, being beaten by six lengths in his last two starts, one in trying to lead early, and one in at least thinking about closing at the end. In the middle of all that, he has a win in the Grade 2 San Marcos, a ten furlong race, so his potential is still there. Tough one to bet on.

Prediction: 1-5-11-6

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES