Hawkish Returns in Appleton

'TDN Rising Star' Hawkish (Artie Schiller) showed immense talent in five starts as a sophomore, but will try to rebound from a disappointing finish to his 3-year-old campaign when he goes postward as the favorite off a near nine-month layoff in Friday's GIII Appleton S. to kick off the weekend's graded stakes action at Gulfstream.

Debuting for AJ Suited Racing Stable last January in Hallandale, the bay unleashed a devastating closing kick to get up by a half-length, which prompted Robert LaPenta to buy into him, then arguably ran better when fourth behind a dawdling pace in the GIII Palm Beach S. Easily annexing an Aqueduct allowance while showing more early foot Apr. 15, he fully announced himself when rallying to a comprehensive score in the GII Penn Mile S. June 2. Stretching out to 10 furlongs in the GI Belmont Derby, however, Hawkish flattened out to finish seventh and has been unseen since. He shows a sparkling worktab at Palm Meadows for trainer Jimmy Toner leading up to this, capped by a half-mile move around dogs in :47 4/5 (10/59) Mar. 23.

Hawkish's main competition appears to come from Larry Pratt and Dave Alden's Doctor Mounty (Street Sense), who looks for his second graded stakes win of the stand. Earning his first black-type tally with a 26-1 upset of the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. last fall at Laurel, the progressive 6-year-old was eighth in a loaded renewal of the GII Fort Lauderdale S. here Dec. 15, he flew late to get up in the GIII Tropical Turf S. when last seen Jan. 12. The Shug McGaughey pupil also shows a sharp recent worktab, highlighted by a five-furlong bullet on the Payson Park grass in :59 3/5 (1/20) Mar. 16.

Bill Schettine's Krampus (Shakespeare) looks to build off a career high as well. Knocking around the allowance ranks for a while, the homebred was a troubled fourth in the local El Prado S. Feb. 9 and gamely held off odds-on Breaking the Rules (War Front) to capture the GIII Canadian Turf S. here Mar. 2.