The Trotter Stakes

The feature race in New York this weekend is The Trotter Stakes (G2) which is to be held over seven furlongs on the main dirt track. Offering a total purse of $375,000 and open to three-year-olds and up. Despite a chance of rain earlier in the week, it looks like we will wind up with a fast track on Saturday for the race’s 3:15 PM EST post time. The race has drawn a full field of fourteen horses. Let’s take a look at the contenders for the race. 

1. Pure Mo – fairhaven7 – D. Raymond – 15/1 

Drawing the far inside post, this son of Uncle Mo has placed in both of his two graded starts leading up to this race. The most recent start for the bay colt was in the Cocked and Loaded Stakes (G1) over seven and a half furlongs in Kentucky this past January. After breaking slowly out of the gate, the colt made up a lot of ground in the stretch to cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred fifteen. Prior to this the colt won his graded stakes debut in The Alternative Sprint (G3) last December. 

2. Tapitwithfortyslew – jonesstables0 – J. Piotrowski – 17/1 

The light grey colt will be trying to get his first graded win this weekend. The four-year-old colt is out of the Grade I winning broodmare Thnxmsslew. The Kentucky-bred most recently started across the country in California during the Pablo Cruz Handicap (G2) at seven furlongs. Out of the gate towards the middle of the field early, the gray would make his move in the stretch to cross the wire in second while setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. The colt last won in September during a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs in Idaho.  

3. Big Mac Sacks – pates – C. Johnson – 9/1 

Next up in the field, this five-year-old horse most recently started in California during the Pablo Cruz Handicap (G2) over seven furlongs early last month. One of the last out of the gate and settling into tenth, the horse started to make his move midway through the sprint and went on to cross the wire in fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred five. The most recent win for the horse was last May, also in California, during the Back Back Handicap (G3) over seven and a half furlongs. Again, the horse was one of the last to leave the gate, but showed an impressive turn of foot late in the stretch to win by a quarter of length.  

4. Cronenworthy – allfrankel – J. Hernandez – 19/1 

The longshot of the field for Saturday, this four-year-old light grey colt is by Candy Ride and recently won his first graded start in January. This start came here in New York during The Ice Luge Stakes (G3) over seven furlongs on a good dirt track. Eleventh out of the gate early, he started making his move midway through the race and went on to win by one hundred fifteen, a lifetime best speed figure, and making him two for two over off tracks. 

5. Laundry Room (IRE) – kashcheap – B. Scott – 15/1 

The only EOY winner in the field for the race, this Irish-bred four-year-old is an accomplished Grade I winner and is approaching the million-dollar mark in lifetime earnings. The light grey most recently started in the Schrutte Stakes (G1) over six and a half furlongs in Pennsylvania. Placed towards the front end of the field out of the gate in fourth early, the colt wasn’t able to make much headway in stretch and ended up crossing the wire in fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. The colt would win his prior start, which came last December in California during The Malibu Sprint (G1) at seven furlongs.  

6. Ransom Vidar – theadonis – K. Moneybags – 5/1 

Making his graded stakes debut this weekend, the Kentucky-bred five-year-old will be making his twenty-second career start this weekend. By Ransom The Moon, the bay gelding most recently started in a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs in Washington. One of the last out of the gate before settling into eleventh, the gelding started to make his move midway through the dirt sprint. He would cross the wire in second, less than a length off the pace, and set a speed figure of one hundred eighteen. The most recent win for the gelding was in November of last year over an off track during a listed stakes race in Iowa. Again, trailing the field early, the gelding would get up to win by a length and a quarter.  

7. Wrong Side Of Town – desperado – W. McClendon – 10/1 

Nearing the midway point of our field for Saturday, this five-year-old light grey horse is by top sire Curlin. He will be seeking out is first graded start with his twenty-first career start this weekend. The most recent start for the horse was in late January during the Arlo’s Turmoil Sprint (G1) at six furlongs in Florida. Straight to the lead out of the gate, the horse would fade in the final furlongs to fourth at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. His most recent win was in his prior start, which came during a listed stakes race over the same distance in California last December.  

8. Style And Honor – gordonlordbyron – V. Elliott – 12/1 

Becoming graded placed in his most recent start, the four-year-old brown colt will be making his nineteenth career start on Saturday. His most recent start came in late January overseas in Japan during The Negative Stakes (G3) over seven furlongs on the dirt. Fifth out of the gate in the seven-horse field, the brown colt would make his move midway through the race and came home to finish second at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. His most recent win was last November during a listed stakes race in Minnesota, also over seven furlongs. Facing a full field of fourteen in this race, the colt broke midpack and went on to win by a length. 

9. Stephen Hawking (IRE) – darkhuntera – D. Fendlay Jr – 13/1 

The second Irish-bred to go into the starting gate for Saturday’s race, this six-year-old horse is by the late Galileo (IRE) and will be making another attempt at securing his first graded win. The horse’s most recent start came last month in The Curious George (G2) over seven furlongs. Held just off the pace early in fourth out of the gate, the horse would start to move forward midway through the race to cross the wire in second at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. His most recent win was this past September during an allowance race over seven and a half furlongs. Closer to the pace early in this race, held back in second, he would go on to win by a length and a quarter. 

10. Reasons For War – warriors – I. Thomas – 15/1 

Going to the starting gate for his third consecutive graded start, this five-year-old bay horse most recently raced in Illinois during the Narrowly Missed Stakes (G3) at seven and a half furlongs. Coming out of the gate to take the lead early in the race, the horse would be caught midway in the race to fade back to fifth at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. He would finish eleven in his only other graded start, which came in The Strong Leader (G3) at seven furlongs here in New York. The most recent win for the horse was last July during a listed stakes race over seven in West Virginia. Fowardly placed out of the gate in third, the horse would go on to win the race by one and a half lengths. 

11. Langone – gabby2001 – J. Migliore – 10/1 

Making his second graded start of his career, this four-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro is lightly raced and will be making his fourteenth career start this weekend. He most recently started in Kentucky during The Alternative Sprint (G3) at seven furlongs this past December. Out of the gate and held back in eighth in the full fourteen horse field, he started gradually picking off other runners right from the start. He would cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. He would win his prior start, which came last November during a listed stakes race over seven furlongs, in which he would win by a length and a half.  

12. Swear Da God – meolafarms – G. Skaggs – 5/1 

Coming into this race off of two consecutive wins, this son of Catholic Boy is a Grade III winner that will be making his twentieth career start this weekend. The five-year-old light grey gelding most recently started in Illinois during the Narrowly Missed Stakes (G3) at seven and a half furlongs. Held well off the pace in tenth early on, the gelding started to make his move midway through the race and went on to win the race by two and three-quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred nineteen and equaling a lifetime best speed figure previously set last year in the Astorturf Sprint (G3) over seven furlongs in Brazil.  

13. Gunners Captain – masterm01 – J. Benisz – 5/1 

Seeking his first graded stakes win, the striking roan six-year-old is by Distorted Humor and is out of the EOY and four-million dollar earning Fabregas Soler. The roan horse most recently started in Maryland during The Curious George (G2) at seven furlongs. The horse settled into ninth out of the gate at the start. The horse made his move as the field entered the stretch and went on to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. The horse’s most recent win was in September during a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs in West Virginia. Run in a similar fashion to his most recent start, the horse won the listed stakes by a length and a quarter after coming from near the back of the field.  

14. Inciting The Mob B – zbarb3 – S. Tate – 13/1 

Last into the starting gate in the far outside slot, the five-year-old bay gelding is returning to graded stakes this weekend after a brief step down in class. The gelding is the second starter to be sired by Catholic Boy in this weekends’ race. His most recent start was in early January during a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in Colorado. Breaking near the back of the pack in the eight-horse field, he started to pick up the pace in the latter stages of the race, going on to cross the wire in second while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. Prior to this he would also finish second in the JFK Street (G3) at six furlongs. His most recent win was August of last year during an allowance race over five and a half furlongs in Texas. Coming from off the pace towards the back of the field, the gelding would win by half a length.  

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Laundry Room (IRE) 

Place: Pure Mo 

Show: Langone