2016 Remsen Stakes filled with Royally Bred Juveniles

The prestigious Remsen Stakes (G2) offers a chance for two-year-old colts to race 1 1/8 miles for the first time in a stakes race.  The first four finishers will earn entry points towards the 2017 Kentucky Derby.

In the last four years, colts who placed in the Remsen, Frosted (2014), Wicked Strong (2013), and Normandy Invasion (2012), finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby. In 2014, Keen Ice placed third in the Remsen and was second in the Belmont Stakes. The last colt to win both the Remsen Stakes and the Kentucky Derby was Thunder Gulch in 1994.

This year, a field of ten juveniles will race over the Aqueduct main course.  The bulk of this year’s event is comprised of last out maiden runners, most of whom are very well bred.

The Candidates

Takaful (Bernardini - Sablah, by Distorted Humor) earns the morning line favorite’s role based upon his eight-length drubbing of maidens in his first start. Takaful galloped 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.82, earning a 99 Bris speed rating, the highest in the field. Kiaran McLaughlin gave Takaful two very sharp pre-race breezes. Takaful should have no difficulty stretching out to middle distances. McLaughlin conditioned last year’s Remsen victor, Mohaymen.

Pedigree: Takaful is the first foal out of an unraced mare. His female family is comprised of international competitors, although there is little blacktype in the first two generations of his distaff line. Takaful most notable relative is his third dam, European Champion Two Year Old Filly Shadayid. Takaful’s sire Bernardini gave us the 2010 Remsen hero, To Honor and Serve.

No Dozing (Union Rags - Stay Awake, by Pulpit) captured his first two starts. In his last start, No Dozing faced eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Classic Empire in the Keeneland Breeders’ Futurity (G1). No Dozing was wide the entire way in the 1 1/16 mile race. He launched a strong bid around the turn and tired in the stretch. Still, he held on to place fourth, edged out for third place by a neck. He’s the only graded blacktype earner in the field. The Arnaud Delacour trainee will be making his fourth start at as many tracks.

Pedigree: By Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, No Dozing has the pedigree to handle middle distances and then some. Yet, despite his Claiborne bloodlines, No Dozing’s distaff line is very light in blacktype. His third dam bore the excellent turf mares Solving and Lady Carlock.  

Keeneland Breeders’ Futurity

When was the last time you saw a pair of Pletcher runners at double-digit odds in a stakes race?

Todd Pletcher sends out the state-bred stakes placed Tellmeafookystory and last out maiden winner Win With Pride.  The weirdly named Tellmeafookystory (Tale of Ekati - Wicked Angel, by Distinctive Pro) was moving fastest of all in the late stages of the one mile Sleepy Hollow Stakes, to just miss by a half-length to Pat on the Back. In the Sleepy Hollow, Tellmeafookystory recorded a 103 late pace speed figure, the second highest in the Remsen.  

Pedigree: Tellmeafookystory’s dam is a full sister to multiple NY State bred stakes winning veteran Grey Comet. She’s a half-sister to the state-bred stakes winner Caribbean Cruiser. Tellmeafookystory’s  second dam Jack Betta Be Rite is multiple stakes winner.

Sleepy Hollow Stakes

The other Pletcher horse Win With Pride (Distorted Humor - Love and Pride, by A.P. Indy) circled the field in his second start to win going away by 2 ¾ lengths at Parx Racing. OK, so he didn’t beat much, but he did it the right way and he should improve off that effort.  Pletcher has earned two Remsen Stakes trophies, the last was in 2012.

Pedigree: Win With Pride has the classiest pedigree in the Remsen, next to Led Astray. Win With Pride is the first foal out of the multiple Grade 1 winner Love and Pride, who upset Royal Delta in the 1 1/8 mile Personal Ensign Handicap at Saratoga (where else?). Love and Pride followed up with a victory across the country in the 1 1/16 mile Zenyatta Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. The mare captured several other stakes races including the 1 1/8 mile Obeah (G3) at Delaware Park. The daughter of A.P. Indy is out of a graded stakes placed half sister to Champion and sire Bernardini, a son of A.P. Indy.

Dark Horses

Claude “Shug” McGaughey, III owns four Remsen Stakes trophies. The latest was earned in 2013 by Honor Code, who matured into a multiple Grade 1 winner. This year, McGaughey is represented by Lead Astray (Malibu Moon - Smuggler, by Unbridled). The colt pressed the lead and edged clear by 1 ¾ lengths in his last start, a 6 ½ furlong maiden race.

Pedigree: Lead Astray is the last foal out of 2005 Champion Three Year Old Filly Smuggler. The courageous filly defeated the best of her generation in the 1 1/8 mile Mother Goose (G1) and the 1 ¼ mile CCA Oaks. As can be the case with top race mares, Smuggler has, so far, been unable to produce a blacktype earner. Lead Astray’s second dam is Champion Older Mare Inside Information.    

Mo Town (Uncle Mo - Grazie Mille, by Bernardini) splashed his way to a seven length score over maidens on a muddy Belmont track in his second start. Trainer Tony Dutrow gave the colt two months to mature after his victory and the colt has been working very well in the mornings. Mo Town had a pre-race bullet five furlong move for the Remsen.

Pedigree: Mo Town’s sire is quickly asserting himself as one of the best stallions in the US.  Mo Town’s dam is a half sister to the Grade 3 stakes placed runner Jaguar Paw. His second dam is the G3 stakes winning sprinter Molto Vita, who placed in Humana Distaff & Ballerina Handicap, both Grade 1 events.  

You’re To Blame (Distorted Humor - Bon Jovi Girl, by Malibu Moon) has improved in each start as he stretches out in distance. The colt won his maiden in his last start, which was at a mile, beating Remsen competitor Newman by a half length. His speed figures have improved, and he could take another big step here. Chad Brown gave You’re To Blame a serious of stamina building works for the Remsen.

Pedigree: You’re To Blame should enjoy the longer distance of the Remsen Stakes. His dam Bon Jovi Girl won three stakes at 1 1/16 miles and placed twice at 1 1/8 miles in graded stakes company.  Bon Jovi Girl is a half sister to two-time Champion Turf Male Gio Ponti.

Very Dark Horses

Newman (Bernardini - True Style, by Forestry) is still a maiden. In his previous start, Newman was last out of the gate. He rushed up the rail to sit a couple of lengths off the leaders and to the inside of You’re To Blame. Newman cut the corner and had the lead in the stretch but couldn’t hold off his long-striding rival. Trainer Thomas Albertrani gives Newman first time Lasix.

Pedigree: Newman has a pedigree of middle distance stamina over sprinter speed, so 1 1/8 miles could be at the top of his distance range.  His dam is an unraced half sister to multiple G1 stakes winner & sire Scat Daddy and to the G3 stakes winner Antipathy.

Hookup (Union Rags - Gottcha Last, by Pleasant Tap) is the only colt in the field with racing experience at Aqueduct. The colt won his debut by four lengths at a mile in a glacial 1:39.74. Trainer David Cannizzo is 0-12 with stakes horses.

Pedigree: Hookup is a well-bred colt with the pedigree to handle classic distances. He could be a slower-maturing type like his half brothers Grade 1 stakes winning miler Gottcha Gold and Grade 3 winner American Freedom, who finished second in this year’s Haskell and Travers Stakes.   

Tale Of Silence (Tale of the Cat - Silence Beauty (JPN), by Sunday Silence) was fifth against allowance runners at Keeneland in his last start. He ducked in at the start from his rail post and spotted the field about two lengths. Tale of Silence was rank going around the first turn and although there was no one in front of him, jockey Julien Leparoux checked the colt and was riding very awkwardly, standing straight up in the saddle.  Tale of Silence made a wide, sweeping move around the far turn, but was very green, running with his head cocked sideways and hung in the stretch. He was fifth in a blanket finish, beaten a length. Trainer Barclay Tagg equipped Tale of Silence with blinkers for the Remsen.

Pedigree: Tale of Silence is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and sire Tale of Ekati, who captured the Cigar Mile (G1) and Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct. This is a distaff line loaded with classy stakes horses. Their dam is a half sister to Champion mare Sky Beauty. Other notable winners in the second generation include Grade 1 winners Pine Island, Point of Entry, Violence, and BC Distaff heroine Pleasant Home. Tale of Silence’s second dam Maplejinsky won the Alabama Stakes (G1) and Monmouth Oaks (G1), and his third dam Gold Beauty was Champion Sprinter. 

Selections

Aqueduct is a speed favoring track, but there are only a few confirmed pace setter/pressers in the field. The last four Remsen Stakes were won by colts who set or were close to the pace. Incidentally, the last four Remsen victors were trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Chad Brown, Shug McGaughey and Todd Pletcher. Favorites won three of the last four Remsen Stakes.

#8 MO TOWN (5-1)

#7 YOU'RE TO BLAME (10-1)

#4 TAKAFUL (7-5)

#6 WIN WITH PRIDE (15-1)