Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap

Unbeaten Flightline (Tapit) tuned up for his expected 4-year-old debut in the Mar. 5 GII San Carlos S. with a four-furlong work in :47.80 (6/86) at Santa Anita Sunday. "I had him in :48 and one on my watch, but more important is the way he went," said trainer John Sadler. "He looked very comfortable and it was just a start on the road back. He'll return in the San Carlos, but the big goal is the [June 11 GI] Met Mile." Flightline, unchallenged in three lifetime starts, was tabbed...

While there's never one fool-proof indicator for determining stallion potential, Spendthrift Farm has found one race that they feel consistently produces winners who draw their attention. In the past four years, they've welcomed a trio of GI Metropolitan H. victors to their stud barn. First was Mor Spirit (Eskendereya), the first Grade I-winning two-year-old to later win the Met Mile since Holy Bull in 1994. Then came Mitole, another son of Eskendereya who would go on to be named the 2019 Eclipse Champion Male Sprinter. This year, they welcome a...

After missing an intended start in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in late August with a foot abscess, the talented Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) is training up to next month's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the 'Win and You're In' GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton S. Mar....

Given a positive ride by Javier Castellano, R A Hill Stable and Gatsas Stable's Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) dared them to catch him in Saturday's GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. at Belmont, and catch him they could not, as the immaculately bred chestnut made every yard of the running to best perfect-trip Network Effect (Mark Valeski) by 1 1/4 lengths. Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) was forced to cover ground on the turn, but plugged on gamely to be third, while favored 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense) had little...

A talented and deep field of eight will line up for Saturday's highly anticipated 127th renewal of the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park. An unlucky second behind the mighty Mitole (Eskendereya) in last year's contest, 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense) figures to vie for favoritism. He was first or second in all seven of his starts in 2019, led by a win in Saratoga's GI Whitney S. and a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The four-time Grade I winner made up for a dismal...

We are increasingly familiar with the kind of traction even the most brazen untruth can achieve in the era of social media. I guess people either no longer believe in hell, or they've decided they're headed there anyway. But let's not kid ourselves that we were ever especially diligent in authenticating what we read in the Good Old Days of hot-metal print. How apt, for instance, that a highly pertinent observation long credited to Mark Twain--that "a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting...