Impressive GII Fasig-Tipton Swale S. winner Ready for Rye (City Zip) and West Coast invader Lord Nelson (Pulpit) figure to vie for favoritism in Saturday's GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct.
Ready for Rye, second behind subsequent GIII Hutcheson S. winner Barbados (Speightstown) as the even-money favorite in Gulfstream's Spectacular Bid S. Jan. 3, broke through with a sensational 2 3/4-length win over GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial S. morning-line favorite Daredevil (More Than Ready) in the Swale. The Chalk Racing colorbearer earned an eye-catching 105 Beyer that day. Second behind GI Blue Grass S. morning-line favorite and 'TDN Rising Star'Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) on debut at the Spa, the bay rolled to a seven-length maiden win in the Belmont slop Oct. 11.
“He's doing very well right now,” trainer Tom Albertrani said. “He really surprised us in the Swale. Javier Castellano had ridden him previously and hadn't given us any indication that he would want to go farther [than six furlongs], but he relaxed nicely and handled the seven-eighths well.”
Albertrani continued, “We don't want to change anything too dramatically, considering how well he ran [in the Swale]. We have a nice schedule lined up for him, with a possible start in the [GII] Woody Stephens [June 6] after the Bay Shore. After that, maybe we'll try something different with him.”
Lord Nelson, a narrow winner over GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S., returns to his preferred trip after a flat fourth behind unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Dortmund (Big Brown) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert trains for Peachtree Stable.
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