Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after an easy four-length graduation going nine furlongs over the lawn at Keeneland Apr. 9, looks to continue his ascension in Saturday's $1.2-million GI Belmont Derby. The lightly raced sophomore, who went wire-to-wire in his maiden score, came from well out of it to capture the May 20 James W. Murphy S. over the Pimlico turf in his most recent start. He faces 10 foes while making his fourth trip to the post and stretching out to the Derby's 1 1/4-mile distance for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Mott will also saddle Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday). Third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, the bay colt is coming off runner-up efforts behind a pair of foes he will face again Saturday. He was a length short of Arklow (Arch) in the May 6 GII American Turf S. at Churchill Downs and 1 1/2 lengths adrift of Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) in the June 3 GIII Pennine Ridge S.
“My horses are doing well,” Mott said. “I really haven't looked at the others yet, but my horses have worked well. Yoshida has run a couple of good races, and looked good doing it, like the race at Pimlico. He's just short on seasoning.”
Of Good Samaritan, Mott added, “He's had two good races, but he'll have to move forward to win this one.”
Oscar Performance, who capped 2016 with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, started his sophomore campaign with a pair of dull efforts, but rebounded with a strong showing in the Pennine Ridge. Trainer Brian Lynch looks for the Amerman homebred to produce another top effort Saturday.
“He's going into the race in very good order,” Lynch said. “We've had no hiccups. The prep was obviously the Pennine Ridge, and he fired a big one in there, so it gives us the confidence to go forward with him, and there's no reason to say he shouldn't run big here this weekend.”
The Derby field includes a trio of European invaders, including two from the barn of trainer Aidan O'Brien, who won the race last year with Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This year, O'Brien saddles Whitecliffsofdover (War Front), coming off a well-beaten finish in the June 21 G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot, and Homesman (War Front), winner of the May 28 G3 Gallinule S. and most recently fifth in the June 22 King George V S.
Trainer and co-owner Pia Brandt saddles the third European runner, the lightly raced Called to the Bar (Ire) (Henrythenavigator). The gelding will be making his fifth trip to the post and is coming off a win in the May 23 G3 Prix du Lys at Saint-Cloud.
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