Manhattan Dan Using Fisher Island as Primer for Royal Ascot

Many top racehorses have used their success at Gulfstream Park as a springboard to national championship honors, including the likes of Hall of Famers Cigar and Holy Bull, as well as Big Brown, the brilliant 2008 Florida Derby (G1) hero who went on to capture two jewels of the Triple Crown.

 

On Friday, a son of Big Brown will attempt to parlay a Gulfstream Park victory into international stardom by using the $60,000 Fisher Island Handicap as a tune-up for Royal Ascot.

 

Manhattan Dan, trained by Gary Contessa for the partnership of Platinum Seven LLC, Dan Guarino, Runner Runner Investments LLC and Julia Boutelle, has already shown his prowess going five furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream. The bay colt opened his 3-year-old season with a wire-to-wire display in the $75,000 Texas Glitter Stakes on February 27, and will be heavily favored while facing six rivals in the Fisher Island.

 

“He’s doing very, very good,” Contessa said. “I’m thrilled at his works and the way he’s come back. The whole thing in this business is keeping these guys sound and happy. He’s coming into this race absolutely perfect.”

 

If the Fisher Island runs to script, Manhattan Dan will board a transatlantic flight next month to prepare for a tilt at Royal Ascot, one of the most prestigious race meetings in the world. His target will be the Commonwealth Cup (G1), a race that has a purse of approximately $588,000 (400,000 pounds sterling) for 3-year-olds going six furlongs over a straight course. 

 

Manhattan Dan broke his maiden on the turf at Saratoga last summer and went on to run third going a mile at Woodbine on September 12. A month later, the speedy Kentucky-bred colt finished third on the dirt in the Futurity Stakes (G2) at Belmont, then gave his connections a thrill at Keeneland when he made much of the running in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) before finishing seventh. After a disappointing venture to Del Mar for the one-mile Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3), his connections made the decision to focus solely on sprints in 2016.

 

“In the Breeders’ Cup at the sixteenth pole, we all thought he was going to win the race—I think half of the world thought so, too,” Contessa said. “He’s not the greatest shipper in the world and he kind of fell apart on us in California. We probably should have scratched him; he had a rough trip getting there and seemed to rebound well, but that was the end of it.

 

“This year we came out and said, ‘That’s it,’” Contessa continued. “We know what he is and we know what his limitations are, and let’s try to make him the best sprinter out there. So that’s the road we’ve taken this year, and so far we’re 100 percent right. But Friday is the race that will punch his ticket to run in that Grade 1 at Royal Ascot on June 17th. If he wins this race and comes out of the race good, he’s headed to Royal Ascot. I know you get to England and it’s a whole different ball game, but it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to beat him going six furlongs. That’ll be his next start, we do want to try Royal Ascot. That’s the game plan for him.”

 

Trainer Wesley Ward has won several races at Royal Ascot with American-based runners, and Contessa hopes that Manhattan Dan’s bold plan can come to fruition as well.

 

“First of all, the owners are incredibly game—they love taking a shot and trying new things,” he explained. “They’re a group of young investment bankers all looking to have fun, so this is right up their alley. When they came to Gulfstream (for the Texas Glitter), I think they wiped out the entire supply of Dom Perignon when he won, and the same thing happened when he ran in Canada, and at the Breeders’ Cup. They’re a really fun group, and Royal Ascot makes sense. The race is there, (it’s a lot of money), six furlongs, and we think we have the best sprinter out there.”

 

Manhattan Dan is expected to be stabled with trainer Jeremy Noseda’s string once he arrives in Great Britain in May. He will get chance to train on a straight course and over undulations in preparation for his Commonwealth Cup tilt.

 

“I will try to get him there three or four weeks in advance because I know he’s not the greatest shipper in the world, and that will give him plenty of time to recover and get on the straight and narrow,” Contessa said. “He might be thinking he’s going a mile if he just has to go straight. Let’s hope he doesn’t. But it’s Royal Ascot, and those guys will LOVE that. They’re party guys—they love what they’re doing and being a part of this business. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I’ve never been to Royal Ascot. 

 

“Top hat and tails, that’ll be right up my alley. I’m looking forward to it,” he quipped.

 

But the New York native hasn’t yet been fitted for the top hat, which is required attire at the formal Royal Ascot meeting. Contessa has concerns in the Fisher Island, despite Manhattan Dan’s 3-5 morning line.

 

“He looks very tough in there, but there’s other fast horses in this race,” Contessa said. “Our horse has such natural speed, we’re going to find out if he can rate if another horse outruns him. It could certainly change the tempo of things and make it the kind of race we’re not used to running. He’s used to being loose on the lead. I want to get beyond Friday before I really get excited about Royal Ascot.”

 

Manhattan Dan and stablemate Big Platinum—another son of Big Brown—were acquired privately from breeder Sanford Robbins by the partnership of Platinum Seven, Guarino and Boutelle. The group also owns Don’t Be So Salty, a 3-year-old colt who was beaten just over two lengths in last Saturday’s $500,000 Spiral Stakes (G3).