Robert Mauhar Photo

Full field for salty edition of G2 Remsen

by Lynne Snierson

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin looks to capture his second consecutive Grade 2 Remsen trophy when he sends out the talented Takaful to tangle with nine other promising juvenile colts in the 102nd edition of the storied race at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday.

The $300,000 Remsen is an official 2017 Kentucky Derby prep race, where 10 points are awarded to the winner, four given to a runner-up, two to the third-place finisher and one point given to fourth place.

The Remsen, which is stacked with champions and Kentucky Derby winners on the roll call of past winners, will be run at 1 1/8 miles as the eighth of 10 races on the card, which is highlighted by the 28^th running of the Grade 1 Cigar Mile and includes the Grade 2 Demoiselle for juvenile fillies and the Grade 3 Comely Stakes for sophomore fillies. 

Shadwell Stable's homebred Takaful is making just his second start for McLaughlin, who won the race last year with Moyhamen and finished second in 2014 with eventual Grade 1 Met Mile and Grade 1 Whitney Handicap victor Frosted. But Takaful's stunning victory by eight lengths at Belmont Park on November 18 gives his trainer confidence, even though the dark bay colt is being asked to stretch out from a sprint and handle two turns for the first time. 

"It's a big step up from a maiden to a Grade 2 and it's a big step up from 6 ½ [furlongs] to a mile and an eighth, but he's certainly a Grade 2 type," McLaughlin. "The distance is a little bit of a concern but we don't have a lot of options, so we're going to give it go. We've missed out on a [longer] prep, but we can't do anything about that so we're going to hope for the best."

Takaful's lone start so late in his 2-year-old season can be blamed on shin problems but he signaled he is primed for the race with a bullet breeze on November 18, when he covered 4 furlongs in 47.38 and was the fastest of 52 horses working the distance on Belmont's training track. The son of Bernardini, who captured the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Travers and Preakness in 2006, all Grade 1 races, is bred to stay as he negotiates the trip under Jose Ortiz.

"We had little issues with his shins but we always kept him here [in training]," McLaughlin. "We've always liked him; it just took a little while [to start him]. Maybe it'll all work out for the best."

Mo Town, who is trained by Tony Dutrow and is owned by the Coolmore connections and the Team D partnership, figures to get plenty of backing at the windows after his monster performance last out in his second start. Under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, he rated behind the early speed and then stormed down the lane to prevail by a widening seven lengths on September 24.

The son of top young sire Uncle Mo is being called upon to handle the class hike from the maiden ranks, and at the same time he must travel a furlong farther and around two turns for the first time while coming off the layoff of almost two months.

"I don't think that two turns will be an issue for our horse at all. I don't even think about that because I just don't feel like there's anything to worry about in that regard," said Dutrow.

Mo Town, a maternal grandson of Bernardini acquired by Team D at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $200,000, had to skip the Grade 2 Nashua on November 4 due to a sore gluteal muscle but is showing no adverse effects. He tuned up for the Remsen by firing a bullet five furlongs breeze in 59.40 on Belmont's main track on November 19, and will break from post 8 with Velazquez back in the irons.

"To this day, none of us know how good of a horse he is or how nice of horse he is, but, since February, when you could see him training, you could feel like he's a better kind of horse," Dutrow said. "Around the barn and anywhere else, he doesn't bring attention to himself. But on the racetrack, he's impressive and always has been.".

Todd Pletcher, who won the Remsen with Overanalyze in 2012 for Mike Repole and with Bluegrass Cat in 2005, will saddle Win With Pride for Repole and St. Elias Stable and the New York-bred Tellmeafookystory for Vinnie Viola's St. Elias and Teresa Viola Racing Stables and Brooklyn Boyz Stables.

Win With Pride, a $450,000 yearling purchase, broke his maiden at second asking in a one mile 70 yards race at Parx last time out after finishing third on a muddy track in a six- furlong race at Belmont. His dam is the multiple graded stakes-winning Love and Pride, who was also a Pletcher trainee.

"Both of these colts are improving. Win With Pride got off the mud and stretched out a little bit. He had a wide trip at Parx, but he was very good and we're impressed with him," said Byron Hughes, Pletcher's assistant. "'Fooky' is definitely improving as well. He broke his maiden and then we decided to put him in a stakes race [the Sleepy Hollow for state-breds Oct. 22] on short rest and he ran a big one there, so we think he's got talent, too."

Win With Pride, who will have the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr., and Tellmeafookystory, with Kendrick Carmouche aboard, break from posts 6 and 1, respectively.

"There are a lot of unknowns in this race with 2-year-olds stepping up to a Grade 2 and trying the distance for the first time, but they both show talent and both had good races last time so we're excited to see them compete on this stage," said Hughes.

Chad Brown, who is the leading trainer on the NYRA circuit and won the 2014 Remsen with Leave the Light On, hopes to find the winner's circle with Woodford Racing LLC's You're to Blame. The Distorted Humor colt, a $400,000 acquisition as a yearling, has shown marked improvement in each of his three outings and graduated from the maiden ranks in a one-turn mile effort at Belmont on October 16.

You're to Blame departs from post 7 with Javier Castellano aboard.

Lead Astray, who carries the famed black and cherry red colors of the Phipps Stable,  will depart from the far outside post with Antonio Gallardo. A graduate at the maiden ranks at second asking on October 29, the Malibu Moon colt has never raced beyond 6 ½ furlongs, but his dam is 2005 Eclipse Award winner Smuggler, who was also trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for the Phipps family.

The Remsen dates back to 1904 and the roster of past winners includes many future Kentucky Derby winners Northern Dancer (1963), Pleasant Colony (1980), Go For Gin (1993) and Thunder Gulch (1994), as well as the immortal Damascus (1966), among the champions and luminaries.

The field, in post position order with riders, is: Tellmeafookystory, Kedrick Carmouche; Newman, Joel Rosario; Hookup, Manny Franco; Takaful, Jose Ortiz; Tale of Silence, Jose Lezcano; Win With Pride, Irad Ortiz, Jr.; You're to Blame, Javier Castellano; Mo Town, John Velazquez; No Dozing, Daniel Centeno; Lead Astray, Antonio Gallardo.