By Joe Bianca
Nine horses from many different directions will face off in the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. at Belmont in a tough field, highlighted by a quartet of American-based Grade I winners, a classy recent import and an intriguing German shipper.
Narrow morning-line favoritism lies with Live Oak Plantation's World Approval (Northern Afleet), who was third behind superstar turfer Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in this race last year before earning his first top-level tally in the GI United Nations S. Unable to connect in his final three starts as a 4-year-old, the gray is two-for-two so far this season, including a convincing score in the GII Dixie S. last out May 20 at Pimlico.
Gunpowder Farms' Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) will try to transfer his strong Churchill Downs form to New York after capturing the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. for the second consecutive year in Louisville, where he also annexed the GII American Turf S. in 2015. Fifth with a wide trip in last year's Manhattan, the bay does own a win over the course, in the Pennine Ridge S. two springs ago.
Juddmonte Farms' Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a four-time group stakes winner in his native Great Britain, will try to bounce back after running second as the odds-on choice in the GIII Fort Marcy S. here May 6, his first start for trainer Chad Brown. The 5-year-old looked like a sure winner in deep stretch that day, but was out-gamed by a longshot on the wire.
Brown, who has won three straight Manhattans and four of the last five, will also be represented by Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid), winner of the GI Secretariat S. last summer at Arlington, and Wake Forest (Ger) (Sir Percy {GB}), victor of the GI Man O' War S. on this course last spring. The former has crossed the wire second in all four starts since that victory, and was most recently run down late by Divisidero after setting the pace in the Turf Classic, while the latter was a no-factor fifth in defense of his Man O' War crown last out May 13.
Gestut Faerhof and Allofs Klaus's Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}) makes his Stateside debut for preeminent German trainer Andreas Wohler. A dual group stake-winner in his homeland, the gelding shipped elsewhere in Europe last fall with no issue, conquering the French G2 Qatar Prix Dollar Oct. 1 at Chantilly and Italian G1 Premio Roma GBI Racing Nov. 6 at Capannelle.
Woodslane Farm's Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy) isn't without a hope. The chestnut developed steadily against lesser company throughout his 2016 campaign and stamped himself as a legitimate stakes horse with a close second in the GIII William L. McKnight H. Jan. 28 at Gulfstream and a win in the GII Pan American S. there one start later. He most recently checked in third with significant traffic trouble in the Man O' War.
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