Photo: NYRA
Todd Pletcher, eight
times the leading trainer at Saratoga Race Course, always links his success at
the meet to the performance of his 2-year-olds. Among his promising juveniles
this year are Rose Junction and Onetwentyeight, who make their stakes debuts in
Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Sanford.
Both Rose Junction, owned by Starlight Racing, and Mike Repole’s
Onetwentyeight were maiden winners at Belmont Park, making them eligible for
The New York Racing Association’s new $100,000 juvenile bonus, awarded to
any 2-year-old maiden winner at Belmont Park or Aqueduct that goes on to win a graded
stakes at NYRA track in 2012.
Rose Junction earned an
88 Beyer Speed Figure for his three-length victory on June 8,
having run the five furlongs in 57.17 seconds. The Dixie Union colt was a
$310,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland sales in September.
Onetwentyeight, a half-brother to multiple-graded-stakes winner
Tackleberry, was bought for $150,000 in March at the OBS Select Sale of
Two-Year-Olds. Like his stablemate, Onetwentyeight was a front-running winner
of his debut as he scored by five lengths in 1:04.33 for the 5 ½ furlongs on
June 28.
“They’re both in the same position as they broke their
maidens in their first start at Belmont,”
said Pletcher, a five-time winner of the Sanford
including last year’s edition with Overdriven. “We’ll see
where they fit. We would like to collect the bonus.”
With Javier Castellano aboard, Rose Junction drew post position 5 and
was tabbed the 5-2 favorite on the morning line. Onetwentyeight, 8-1 on the
morning line, will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh from post position 8.
Co-second choice on the morning line are Handsome Jack, who earned a 90
Beyer in finishing second to Shanghai Bobby in the Track Barron overnight
stakes at Belmont on June 27, and Bern Identity, a second-out maiden winner at
Belmont on June 1.
Handsome Jack, a Mineshaft homebred owned and trained by Wesley Ward,
was fifth in his debut over Keeneland’s artificial surface in April and
broke his maiden going 4 ½ furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 10.
Bern Identity, who fetched $75,000 at the Keeneland yearling sales in
September, earned an 86 Beyer for his 13 ¾-length victory, accomplished in
57.55. He is also eligible for the NYRA juvenile graded stakes bonus.
Having drawn the rail, Handsome Jack will be ridden by Joel Rosario,
while Bern Identity gets the services of Rosie Napravnik from post position 3.
One of the more experienced colts in the Sanford is John Gordon, who will be making
his fourth career start Sunday. The Orientate colt was second in his first two
starts at Churchill Downs this spring and came from just off the pace to break
his maiden going five furlongs there on June 22.
“He’s well seasoned for a 2-year-old,” said Dale
Romans, who trains John Gordon for his breeder, Mike Tarp. “I think
having a couple of races under his belt gives him a little edge. He’s
doing well, so we’re going to run him.”
Alan Garcia will ride John Gordon, 12-1 on the morning line, from the
outside.
Completing the field are Brave Dave, who led every step in his debut at
Calder Race Course on June 30, and Special Jo, Hightail, and Good Tickled,
third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 30.
The field for the Grade 2, $200,000 Sanford:
|
PP
|
Horse
|
Jockey
|
Wgt
|
Trainer
|
Odds
|
|
1
|
Handsome
Jack (FL)
|
J Rosario
|
119
|
W A Ward
|
4-1
|
|
2
|
Brave
Dave (FL)
|
P Lopez
|
119
|
E Plesa, Jr.
|
8-1
|
|
3
|
Bern Identity (KY)
|
R Napravnik
|
119
|
K J Breen
|
4-1
|
|
4
|
Hightail
(KY)
|
E S
Prado
|
117
|
D W Lukas
|
20-1
|
|
5
|
Rose
Junction (KY)
|
J Castellano
|
119
|
T A Pletcher
|
5-2
|
|
6
|
Special
Jo (KY)
|
J R Leparoux
|
119
|
S M Asmussen
|
5-1
|
|
7
|
Good
Tickled (KY)
|
R A Dominguez
|
119
|
D Miller
|
15-1
|
|
8
|
Onetwentyeight
(FL)
|
R Maragh
|
119
|
T A Pletcher
|
8-1
|
|
9
|
John
Gordon (KY)
|
A Garcia
|
119
|
D L Romans
|
12-1
|