I Want Revenge Faces Five in Iselin

When the field assembles for this Saturday’s $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park, one name will certainly stick out in the minds of novice horse players and serious handicappers alike - I Want Revenge.

Named the morning line favorite in last year’s Kentucky Derby, I Want Revenge was forced to scratch on the morning of the Run for the Roses, the first time that the favorite ever scratched on race day for the world’s most famous horse race.

But that was 2009 and this is a new year, a new season and a new I Want Revenge, who will be making just his second start since winning the Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct last April.

I Want Revenge sports just one start since the Wood Memorial, a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont on July 3, 2010. In that race he bobbled at the start and raced three wide, eventually beaten four lengths by Haynesfield. In nine career starts, I Want Revenge has never been worse than third and sports earnings of $846,000. He enters the Iselin off some solid morning moves at Saratoga, including a 1:11 1/5 six furlong work on August 11.

Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., I Want Revenge has drawn post five for this 75th renewal of the Iselin, a mile and an eighth test for 3-year-olds and up. Saturday’s race will mark the first time at Monmouth Park for I Want Revenge, who will be united with jockey Joe Bravo for the first time.

The entire field for the Iselin, with jockey assignments, is:

1. Sir Whimsey, Alan Garcia
2. Our Edge, Elvis Trujillo
3. Duke of Mischief, Eibar Coa
4. Redding Colliery, Anna Rosie Napravnik
5. I Want Revenge, Joe Bravo
6. Gone Astray, Cornelio Velasquez