Friday’s $70,000 John’s Call Stakes at 1 5/16th
miles on the turf features the return of multiple graded stakes winner Dry
Martini in a race which also drew the top three finishers from the 2009
edition.
Dry Martini, who won last year’s Grade 2 Suburban
Handicap at Belmont Park, has not raced since his second-place finish to Quality Road in the
Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream
Park earlier this year.
Edgar Prado will get the mount on Dry Martini, who will
start from post position No. 5 as he returns to the turf, where he finished
second to Formal Decree in the Strawberry Burrah at Belmont in October, 2008.
In last year’s John’s Call, Solitaire made a
strong run in the stretch to finish ahead of Southwest by three-quarters of a
length, and trainer H. James Bond is hoping for a repeat of that performance.
“I think he has matured more,” said Bond of Solitaire.
“He’s more seasoned, and more settled. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
Solitaire drew post position 3 while Silver Mountain,
who nosed out pacesetter Mission Approved for the third-place spot, drew post
12.
Runner-up Southwest is one of four horses on the
also-eligible list, along with Rockin’ Joe, Thabazimbi, and Romp.
Rounding out the field are Jade’s Revenge, Attempted Humor, Coolcullen
Times, Lime Rickey, Gangbuster, Leading On, and Perfect
Shower.