By Christie DeBernardis
Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) proved no worse for wear after his trip to Meydan last year, where he scored a decisive victory in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, when capturing the GII Bemont Sprint Championship in his Stateside return July 8. Charging late to score a thrilling win in this year's Golden Shaheen Mar. 31, the top-earning New York-bred looks to repeat that return effort in Elmont this year, albeit one month earlier, in the GI Metropolitan H. Saturday. Never worse than third over this strip, the chestnut finished second in the GI Cigar Mile in November and also completed the exacta in a Gulfstream optional claimer Feb. 9 prior to his trip overseas.
Something you don't usually see in the prestigious Met Mile is a 3-year-old, but there will be one this year in the form of MGISW Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro). Coming a head short of GISW McKinzie (Street Sense) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 10, the bay was awarded the win after the winner was disqualified for interference. Far from disgraced when second to Triple Crown hopeful Justify (Scat Daddy) in the Apr. 7 GI Santa Anita Derby, the Mick Ruis pupil was a disappointing 12th in the GI Kentucky Derby May 5 and his owner/trainer decided to bypass the next two legs of the Triple Crown in favor of this contentious spot.
Some of the owners behind Justify are represented here in Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) and One Liner (Into Mischief). Good Samaritan has been knocking at the door of a Grade I win for quite some time, including a half-length second in the GI Clark H. in November. Winner of the nine-panel GII New Orleans H. Mar. 24, the dark bay checked in third in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill May 4 and may enjoy this cut back in trip if he gets the right amount of pace to run into. One Liner looked like he would be a one-turn specialist early on in his career, prior to winning the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn last year, after which he was sidelined for a year. Third behind 'Biscuits' in that Feb. 9 Gulfstream test, the Todd Pletcher trainee won a two-turn optional claimer at Keeneland Apr. 21 and was second in the GIII Pimlico Special S. May 18. He looks like another who could be primed to run a big one in this cut back in trip.
The top three finishers from the May 5 GII Churchill Downs S., Limousine Liberal (SuccessfulAppeal), Warrior's Club (Warrior's Reward) and Awesome Slew (Awesome Again), will also try to play spoiler to 'Biscuits' and 'Bolt' Saturday. Another of interest is 'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper), a MGSW who enters off a one-mile optional claimer win at Churchill on Derby day.
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