By Brian DiDonato
While Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert won't take part in this year's GI Belmont S., he'll saddle four morning-line favorites on Saturday's blockbuster card, capped by Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) in the $1.2-million GI Metropolitan H. A Grade I winner in 2015 and GI Kentucky Derby competitor last term, the Michael Lund Petersen colorbearer has found the best form of his career in his last two outings. He cruised to an easy tally in Oaklawn's Essex H. Mar. 18, and earned a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure for a romp in Lone Star's two-turn GIII Steve Sexton Mile May 7. The one-turn configuration of this historic race is something of a question mark for Mor Spirit, however. Second in his sprint debut, his only other race around one bend was a fourth behind G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) and Sharp Azteca (Freud) in the GI Malibu S. Dec. 26.
Speedy Sharp Azteca figures to show the way here, and can be borderline brilliant on his best day. He bounced back from his defeat at the hooves of Mind Your Biscuits in the Malibu to drill Awesome Slew (Awesome Again) and Tommy Macho (Macho Uno) in Gulfstream's GII Gulfstream Park H. Feb. 11, and was a good third when wide and on a hot pace in the G2 Godolphin Mile Mar. 25.
“Sharp Azteca came out of the race in Dubai in great condition,” Navarro told a member of the NYRA press department. “We gave him some time and he recouped really fast. He's had four workouts here at Monmouth Park and he's worked super. He's doing great for the race.”
The New Jersey-based conditioned added, “I don't want to brag, but the horse up to right now is doing good. A lot of people when they go to Dubai they always say that they're not the same. The horse is doing the same as always. I haven't seen anything different from him. He's training really good. We'll see how good on Saturday.”
Awesome Slew returned to beat a good group in the GIII Commonwealth S. at Keeneland Apr. 8, and was beaten a head after some traffic trouble in the GII Churchill Downs S. May 6. Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), winner of the GII Woody Stephens S. 12 months ago, was third, with Solid Wager (Birdonthewire) fourth and GISW Denman's Call (Northern Afleet) seventh.
Tommy Macho, meanwhile, has run the two best races of his career at a one-turn mile in Grade III victories at Gulfstream. He was third with well-documented trouble in the GI Carter H. at the Big A Apr. 8. Todd Pletcher, a two-time winner of the Met Mile, will be represented by both Tommy Macho and last-out big-fig allowance winner Rally Cry (Uncle Mo).
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