Mad Flatter After Another Calder Score

Bonnie Heath Farm’s 6-year-old Mad Flatter is based in Kentucky at Keeneland with trainer Jeffrey Thornberry, but obviously feels right at home at Calder where he has won the Spend a Buck Handicap the last two years, and will bid to remain perfect over the track as the likely favorite in the Carl Rose Classic at 1 1/8 miles.

Kentucky jockey Jon Court made the trip to Calder last month with Mad Flatter when he won the Spend a Buck on Festival of the Sun day, Oct. 15, by a length as they did the year before by more than six lengths. The son of Flatter has won eight of 26 starts and is particularly dangerous when up close or on the lead with a slow pace.

Luis Saez picks up the mount on Turbo Compressor for trainer Todd Pletcher after finishing fifth last out in the Chief Tamanco Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 15. The son of Halo’s Image looked good winning the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga in late July going wire-to-wire at nine furlongs. 

Owner-trainer Leo Azpurua, Jr.’s 3-year-old Manicero is the local favorite in the field of seven drawn for the Carl Rose with Paco Lopez picking up the mount. The son of Mass Media has won eight of 12 career starts, including four of six on the main track at Calder, but will bid to bounce back from a fourth-place effort last out on ‘yielding’ turf in the Tropical Park Derby on Festival Day, Oct. 15.

Completing the field of seven are Platinum Esquestian’s The Best Glacier, Fernando Jara; Move Horse Inc.’s Too Experience, Daniel Centeno; Amaty Racing Stables’ Mimito Boy, Luis Jurado; and Rose Family Stable’s Decaf Again, Jesus Rios.