Head to Head: Handicapping the 2023 Remsen Stakes

LAURIE

ASHLEY

1. Le Dom Bro (50-1)

Le Dom Bro gamely beat a herd of so-so maidens in his third start, with three of the nine hitting the board in their next start. Mucho Macho Man’s son is out of a Peruvian stakes winner who won from 5 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, and his distaff line is filled with South American stakes winners. Le Dom Bro’s Brisnet speed ratings are the lowest in the field. Pass.

By Mucho Macho Man, Le Dom Bro began his career with two second place finishes at Gulfstream Park. His debut race hasn’t produced anything of note, but his second race produced two other next-out winners (including a stakes-placed runner) and a stakes winner. Trainer Antonio Sano then brought Le Dom Bro to Saratoga where the colt won a 6-furlong, $83,000 maiden event by a neck. Only one from that field eventually became a winner, though a few have hit the board in subsequent starts. Le Dom Bro has since been transferred to the barn of Eniel Cordero, who has never had a stakes starter. According to Race Lens, he’s also 0 percent (25 percent in the money) with sprint-to-route runners and 0 percent with starters coming off two- to six-month layoffs. Jose Antonio Gomez has the call. Pass.

2. Domestic Product (10-1)

Well, we know Domestic Product can handle 1 1/8 miles after his 4 1/2 length victory in his second start. Not only that, the Chad Brown trainee completed the final furlong in a sharp 12.74 seconds. By Practical Joke, Domestic Product is the second foal out of an unraced daughter of Paynter. His dam is half to a stakes-winning turf sprinter and his second dam won a stakes. Domestic Product’s speed rating improved in his second start, and he’s a must-include. Contender.

By Practical Joke, Domestic Product was fifth upon debut for trainer Chad Brown, racing along in midpack while never being seriously involved. That field included eventual Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile third-place finisher Locked, Grade 1-placed Be You, and stakes winner Just Steel. The Klaravich homebred changed his running style for his second start, this time closely pressing and setting the pace throughout the 1 1/8-mile maiden event over this very track. Only one colt from that field has made a subsequent start, finishing sixth. Domestic Product’s Equibase speed figure improved from a 71 to an 85, and Manny Franco will retain the mount. Could be a live long shot.

3. Dornoch (5-2)

This full brother to this year’s Kentucky Derby hero Mage is coming along quite nicely. Bred to go long and improve with maturity, Dornoch nevertheless finished second in his first two starts this summer. He competed at three tracks, and his speed rating jumped 11 points when he stretched to two turns. Dornach went four furlongs in 47.61 seconds in his second-to-last work, the second-best of 27. Trainer Danny Gargan won last year’s Remsen with  Dubyuhnell, also a son of Good Magic. Contender.

A full brother to Kentucky Derby hero Mage, Dornoch is the celebrity of the field. Trained by Danny Gargan, the Good Magic colt finished second in his first two starts, including the $206,000 Sapling at Monmouth. Dornoch finally got his picture taken in his third and most recent start, drawing off to win a 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 Keeneland maiden even by 6 1/2 lengths despite racing through the stretch on the wrong lead. He earned a career- and field-best 101 Equibase speed figure. Luis Saez retains the mount. Contender.

4. Moonlight (9-2)

After dominating maidens at Aqueduct, Moonlight faced winners in the Street Sense Stakes. He closed five-wide around the turn but hesitated when Liberal Arts came out and began his run. Luis Saez got Moonlight back into the game, and they passed two tired rivals but wanted no part of catching Liberal Arts. By no. 6 first crop sire Audible, Moonlight is the third foal out of an unraced Tapit mare. His dam is a half to the grand dam of Grade 2 winner Hoosier Philly. Exotics.

By Audible, Moonlight debuted on the turf for trainer Todd Pletcher, losing by just a neck to eventual Grade 1 winner Carson’s Run. His second start came off the turf, and Moonlight dominated by 8 lengths in the one-mile event. Last out he was a good second in the Street Sense (G3) in the slop. The colt earned an 88 Equibase speed figure for both dirt starts, and his lone win came over this track. Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for the colt’s first two starts, hops back aboard. Contender.

5. Drum Roll Please (10-1)

In his initial start, Drum Roll Please finished behind Dornoch, then faced eventual Grade 1 hero Locked. The Brad Cox trainee was no match for Locked but placed 13 lengths in front of the third-place finisher. Drum Roll Please rolled to a two-length victory in his third start, but of the five to return, only one rival hit the board in their next start,not a thumping endorsement. By Hard Spun, Drum Roll Please is the first foal out of a multiple stakes winning turf sprinter-miler and his dam is a half to three stakes winners. His third dam is a half-sister to Holy Bull. Drum Roll Please’s late-pace figures are decent, and he’s worth an exotics play.

By Hard Spun, it took Drum Roll Please three attempts to break his maiden. In his debut, he was sixth in the same Saratoga maiden race in which Dornoch debuted. In his second start, he finished second, beaten by 7 1/4 lengths behind next out Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Locked. He got it done in his third race, edging clear to a two-length win over this track and earning a career-best 87 Equibase speed figure. Javier Castellano, who was aboard for the colt’s last start, retains the mount for trainer Brad Cox. Use underneath.

6. Billal (12-1)

After graduating in his second start, Billal wandered a bit down the stretch and was a one-paced third, beaten 6 1/4 lengths in the Remsen Stakes by Where’s Chris. In his initial start, Billal was no match for eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Fierceness, finishing 11 lengths behind. The Bill Mott trainee’s speed ratings are middling, and he must step it up to be competitive. By Street Sense, Billal is the first foal out of a daughter of Bernardini. His dam is half to a Grade 3 winning turf router Smart Sting, and Billal’s second dam is 1996 Champion turf mare Perfect Sting. Pass.

By Street Sense, Billal debuted in the same Saratoga maiden race that eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Fierceness debuted in and won. Billal finished third that day, beaten by 11 1/2 lengths. He bounced back to win his second start as the odds-on favorite at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. In Billal’s third start, he finished third, beaten by 6 1/4 lengths by Where’s Chris in the $150,000 Nashua Stakes. Trainer Bill Mott takes the blinkers off, an angle at which he’s 0 percent (56 percent in the money). Junior Alvarado retains the mount. Pass.

7. Sierra Leone (4-1)

In his debut, Sierra Leone climbed a bit and had to steady slightly just after the quarter mile pole. He was in tight quarters and had to steady again around the half-mile pole. Facing a wall of runners around the turn, Manny Franco swung the Chad Brown trainee five wide. Sierra Leone ducked in down the stretch, but once he straightened out, the game colt rolled by the field under a hand ride to win by 1 1/4 lengths, finishing his final furlong in 12.77 seconds. By Gun Runner, Sierra Leone is the second foal out of Grade 1 heroine Heavenly Love. His second and third dams are also graded-stakes winners. Sierra Leone’s speed rating was mediocre; however, he overcame trouble multiple times and beat a more experienced, well-bred field. Here’s a $2.3 million contender.

By Gun Runner, Sierra Leone won his debut for trainer Chad Brown in an $85,000, one-mile maiden event here at Aqueduct. The colt bobbled just after the break and then pressed the pace from midpack. He made a three- to five-5 wide move in the turn and into the stretch and gained the lead inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/4-lengths. He received an 87 Equibase speed figure for the effort. Only one from that field has made subsequent starts, finishing third next out and then winning the next start. Jose Ortiz takes over from Manny Franco. Contender.

8. Where's Chris (6-1)

In the six-furlong Futurity Stakes, Where's Chris finished a distant third behind Book'em Danno; however, in the Nashua Stakes, the Richard Dutrow Jr. trainee looked that rival in the eye and gradually pulled ahead by three-quarters of a length. Where’s Chris completed his final furlong in 12.66 seconds, earning a 96 late-pace rating, the second-highest in the field. By Twirling Candy, Where’s Chris is the fourth foal out of Sea Queen, a stakes-winning turf router. His dam is half to Grade 1 winning turf mare Neried. Exotics.

By Twirling Candy, Where’s Chris (I ask myself this frequently) has made all three career starts over the Aqueduct track, compiling at 3: 2-0-1 record. The colt won his debut, a $70,000, six-furlong affair, by five lengths. None from that race has since become a winner. Where’s Chris was third next out in the $150,000, off-turf Futurity, 6 1/2-lengths behind the winner. Last out, Where’s Chris prevailed by three-quarters of a length in the $150,000 Nashua. The colt’s Equibase speed figures have increased with each start, culminating with a 96 in the Nashua. Isaac Castillo retains the mount for trainer Rick Dutrow, who is currently winning at a 32 percnen clip (68 percent in the money) according to Race Lens. Contender.

9. Copper Tax (10-1)

Copper Tax has been unstoppable at Delaware and Laurel. The speedy Gary Capuano trainee has completed his final furlongs in 11 or 12 seconds and change in each start. By Copper Bullet, a Grade 2-winning sprinter, Copper Tax is the second foal out of a stakes-placed sprinter-miler. His third dam is multiple Grade 1-placed Standard Equipment. Copper Tax has some of the highest speed ratings in the field, and he likes to win, yet he’ll break from the outside, and 1 1/8 miles may be a furlong too far. Pass.

By Copper Bullet, Copper Tax is a neck shy of being undefeated in six career starts. The Gary Capuano trainee lost his debut, a $50,000, five-furlong maiden claimer at Delaware. He then rattled off four straight open-lengths wins before prevailing by just a neck in his last start. Included in his victories are the $100,000 Rocky Run at Delaware and the $100,000 James F. Lewis III at Laurel. Capuano is 0 percent (30 percent in the money) in graded stakes over the last five years, according to Race Lens. Copper Tax has raced beyond six furlongs just once, but Capuano sent the colt out for one-mile stamina-building spins around the oval in his last two works in preparation for this 1 1/8-mile test. Kendrick Carmouche hops aboard for the first time. He hasn’t beaten much, so even though his speed figures have been solid, I have to pass.

10. Private Desire (10-1)

Private Desire started slowly and was outrun early in the Nashua Stakes. He made up ground and circled the field but wasn’t a happy camper down the stretch, ducking and flagging his tail in response to the whip. The Todd Pletcher trainee checked in fourth, 6 3/4 lengths behind Where’s Chris. By Constitution, Private Desire is the first foal out of a multiple stakes placed sprinter, and his third dam is a multiple Grade 3 winning turf miler. Pass.

By Constitution, Private Desire was fourth on debut in the same race in which Dornoch debuted. He pressed the pace in that race but set the pace in his second outing, winning by 1 1/4 lengths after being headed in the 6 1/2-furlong $90,000 maiden event at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. He earned a 99 Equibase speed figure for that effort. None from that race has returned a winner, but several hit the board in their next outings, including a stakes-placed runner. Last out, the Todd Pletcher trainee was fourth in the $150,000 Nashua, once again pressing the pace, behind Where’s Chris and Billal. The son of Constitution was rather green in that race, getting off to a slow start and then running erratically in the later stages of the race. Jose Lezcano replaces regular rider Javier Castellano, who opted to ride Drum Roll Please. Pass.