Man Of War Stakes

The highlight race this weekend in New York will be the Man Of War Stakes (G1), which is set to go off this Sunday at 8:20 am EST. The Grade I race is held over a mile and three eighths on the turf to three-year-olds and up. The race offers up a total purse of $750,000, which has attracted a field of eleven horses for this 2023 running. The track looks like it will be set for firm at post time. Let’s take a look through the contenders for this years’ race 

1. Thirteen Galaxies (IRE) – zkingab5 – J. Harzheim – 8/1 

The first of two horses in the field to be sired by the late great Galileo (IRE), this four-year-old gelding will be making his first graded start this weekend after racing primarily in listed company recently. The Irish-bred bay gelding is out of the Grade I winning and Hall Of Fame broodmare Thirteenth Date, who has produced five graded winners. The gelding is a full sibling to Time For A Ring and Devil’s Date, both of whom are Grade I winners of over a million in lifetime earnings. The most recent start for the gelding came in a listed stakes race in Denmark over ten furlongs. The colt shot out of the gate to settle just off the pace in third out of the gate and was sent forward to challenge for the lead in the stretch. The gelding would go on to win by two and a half lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred nineteen, which was a lifetime best speed figure for the gelding. 

2. Yoze Ystrik (FR) – ballylinch – D. Viz – 8/1 

Next up, we have a French-bred gelding that, while graded placed, is seeking his first graded win. The most recent start for the bay four-year-old was during The Brigadier (G3) over a mile and a quarter in England. The horse was sent out of the gate at the start to sit just behind the front runners and attempt to make a bid for the front in the stretch. While he would briefly gain the lead midway through the race, the gelding would get shuffled back in the stretch to finish just three-quarters of a length off the winner in third. The gelding would post a speed figure of one hundred and fifteen for the race, which was a lifetime best for the gelding. The most recent win for the gelding was in an allowance race over ten furlongs in Germany in late January, in which he won off a similar style of sitting off the pace of a couple of front running horses. 

3. Atomic Combat (ENG) – stuportransfer – E. Cerda – 9/2 

Making a return to graded stakes company after taking a step down in class to listed races, this English-bred five-year-old by top sire Frankel (GB) is looking for his first graded win. The bay horse most recently started in Maryland in a listed stakes race over ten furlongs. The horse would be sent out of the gate and settled back towards the middle of the field before being urged to make his move in the stretch. The horse would come up just short as he crossed the wire second, a length and a half off the pace, though setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The most recent win for the horse was in August of last year during an allowance race over ten furlongs in California. The most recent graded start for the horse was in December of last year in New Zealand during the Galaxian Stakes (G3) at a mile and one quarter. The horse would finish third in this race. 

4. Flovellian (SAF) – theatrical – T. Williams – 7/1 

Making just the third graded start of his career on Sunday, this four-year-old gelding is returning to graded company after taking a step down in class. The South African bred chestnut most recently started in a listed stakes race in Nebraska on the dirt. After coming from far off the pace near the rear of the field, the gelding would cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. After eighteen lifetime starts to date, this will be the geldings first start over the turf. The most recent win for the gelding came in an allowance race in Kentucky over ten furlongs last December with his most recent graded start coming in August of last year during The North Country Derby (G3) at a mile and three-eighths where he would finish in eleventh. 

5. Smell The Truth (IRE) – redhill17 – K. Ledwith – 10/1 

Moving midway through the field with this Irish-bred gelding, he too will be returning to graded company after taking a step down in class to allowance races. The five-year-old bay most recently started in Tasmania over eleven furlongs in an allowance race where he was sent out of the gate to settle back into the middle of the pack, and was urged to make his move midway through the race. The gelding would ultimately cross the wire in front by two and a quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen, which was a lifetime best speed figure for the bay gelding. The last graded stakes start for the gelding was last November during the Cities Cup (G2) over a mile and five sixteenths in New Zealand. The gelding would finish fourth in this race. 

6. Tzinghalis – babysitter274 – L. Radzinski – 7/2 

The next horse into the starting gate will be the first to have already won a graded start. The five-year-old gelding by Empire Maker has won over a million in career earnings and is ranked at number ten in long distance turf races. The bay gelding is also recognized as one of the top racers in Brazil. The most recent start for the gelding was in Brazil during The Grand Brazilian (G1) over a mile and a half. The gelding was held well off the pace in tenth at the start of this race. Midway through the race, the gelding was asked to make his move and responded, though he would cross the wire second in this race. The gelding set a speed figure of one hundred eighteen for the race. The most recent win for the gelding came last December during The Los Angeles Turf Cup (G1) at a mile and a half in California. The gelding was more towards the middle of the pack at the start of this race and went on to win by three. 

7. Celtic B – jakematt0 – C. Wyatt – 8/1 

In the seventh slot, we have another former graded winner, which will be trying for his first Grade I win after succeeding at the Grade II level. The most recent start for the Florida-bred gelding, who is the oldest to go into the starting gate at six years of age, was in the Tattersalls Gold (G1) at a mile and five sixteenths in Ireland. The gelding would break out of the gate in this race and be held back in seventh at the start, though as the race progressed the gelding would drop back to cross the wire in tenth, setting a speed figure of one hundred seven. The most recent win for the gelding was in February of last year during The Second Coming (G2) at a mile and a quarter in New Zealand. Again, the gelding would break towards the middle of the field, though would go on to win by two after making his move midway thorugh the race. 

8. Spartan Mortar (JPN) – deyoto5 – R. Dogs – 37/1 

The longshot of Sunday’s race, this Japanese-bred colt is making his graded stakes debut in this race. Out of the Grade I winning and earner of over five million in lifetime earnings, Spartan Reef, the four-year-old colt is the only offspring of the broodmare to date. The most recent start for the colt came in Ireland over eleven furlongs during an allowance race. The colt would set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred thirteen after stalking the pace early on in second. He would gain the lead briefly and be overtaken again in the stretch to finish second by a head at the wire. The most recent win for the colt was in another allowance race, this in South Korea over sixteen furlongs. The colt would take the field the whole way, gate to wire, winning by three and three-quarter lengths. The colt has one listed stakes start, also at sixteen furlongs, where he would finish third.  

9. Martian King (IRE) – valesa3 – H. Harzheim – 19/1 

In the ninth slot, we have this four-year-old colt who is continuing on with his return to the turf with a graded stakes, which will be the first of his career. By Galileo (IRE), the colt most recently started in an allowance race over eleven furlongs in Dubai, returning to the turf after trying several starts over the dirt. The colt would win this race convincingly by four lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. The colt has also won races at the allowance level on the dirt, through with more narrow of a winning margin.  

10. Fast Frank (GB) – crash7 – E. Banner – 7/1 

The second horse in the field sired by Frankel (GB), this four-year-old colt will be making his seventeenth lifetime start, and is already a Grade I winner and has earned over a million dollars in lifetime earnings. The most recent start for the colt came in England during The Prince Of Whales (G1) at a mile and a quarter. The colt would break towards the rear of the field in the race, tenth out of the gate. He would make up some ground when asked in the stretch, though he would cross the wire in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. The most recent win for the colt came last September during the Early Months Stakes (G2) over a mile and a quarter in Australia. The colt would run in signature closing style, going on to win impressively by four and a quarter lengths. 

11. From The Star (IRE) – corzak – GD Mate – 6/1 

Last in our line up for Sunday’s race, this Irish-bred five-year-old by Sea The Stars has won over one million in career earnings despite not having won a graded stakes. The bay horse most recently started in California during the Movieland Turf Cup (G1) over a mile and one quarter. The horse broke sharply and settled into third, sitting just off the pace of a couple of front runners. He would make his move midway through the race, edging his way into second, but would cross the wire third, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The most recent win for the colt was in May of 2022 during a listed stakes start over ten and a half furlongs in Australia. Again, the horse would sit just off the early pace in third. He would go on to win the race by two and three-quarter lengths.  

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Tzinghalis 

Place: From The Star (IRE) 

Show: Fast Frank (GB)