By Joe Bianca
Some are trying to continue their ascent, some are going in a new direction after disappointment on the Triple Crown trail. All are trying to burnish their credentials in a crowded 3-year-old division, as a bulky field of 13 sophomores will contest the seven furlongs of the $500,000 Grade II Woody Stevens S. The race's list of winners is littered with top sprinters–names like Fly So Free, Smoke Glacken, Yes It's True, Trippi, Lost in the Fog and Teuflesberg–but it also has been a springboard for classic winners like Bayern and Coronado's Quest.
Slight morning line favoritism lies with Ivan Rodriguez's Sharp Azteca (Freud), winner of three straight, including an impressive score in the GIII Pat Day Mile last out May 7. The $220,000 OBS April purchase attended a sizzling pace of :22.05 and :44.09 that day, took over after three-quarters in 1:08.32 and held firm to triumph by 2 1/2 lengths in a race that was otherwise dominated by closers. The dark bay colt most recently worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 at Monmouth June 2.
Zayat Stables' Justin Squared (Zensational), a gray colt named for Justin Zayat and Justin Casse, will try to remain unbeaten in his fourth career start. He registered a wire-to-wire success in the Chick Lang S. at Pimlico May 21, after which jockey Martin Pedroza called him “his next Private Zone,” referring to the multiple Grade I winner he regularly pilots. Justin Squared will make his first start beyond six furlongs and figures to face lots of other early foot in this spot.
G M B Racing's Tom's Ready (More Than Ready) turns back after running in seven straight routes, including a 12th-place finish in the GI Kentucky Derby last out. The Pennsylvania-bred colt removes blinkers for trainer Dallas Stewart and figures to get a good pace setup.
Colts Neck Stables' homebred Dig Deep (Candy Ride {Arg}) is a runner on the improve, winning his stakes debut in Charles Town's Robert Hilton Memorial S. Apr. 23. The bay breezed five furlongs in :59 at his owners' private training center June 1. Seymourdini (Bernardini) tries stakes company for the first time after capturing an optional claimer in his seasonal bow Apr. 15 at Aqueduct. The $900,000 Iris Smith Stable buy has yet to finish out of the exacta in four starts.
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