Susie Raisher Photo

A.P. Indian looks to continue win streak in G1 Vosburgh

by Brian Bohl

Green Lantern Stables' A.P. Indian will be going for his third consecutive Grade 1 win as part of a field of eight talented 3-year-olds and up in the $350,000 Vosburgh on the first of two "Super" Saturdays at Belmont Park.

A "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Santa Anita Park, the Vosburgh will feature five graded stakes winners, including the Arnaud Delacour-trained A.P. Indian, who is 5-for-5 this year, including back-to-back victories in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 30 and the Grade 1 Priority One Jets Forego on August 27, in which he registered a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure in each start at Saratoga Race Course.

The 6-year-old gelded son of Indian Charlie will be returning to Big Sandy for the first time since capturing the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship on July 9. Four of A.P. Indian's 10 career wins have come at the Vosburgh's distance of six furlongs.

"He's very efficient in the six, seven [furlong] range," Delacour said. "He's proved it. I don't worry so much about the distance as the distance of the track. We always take it one race at a time; we know all the horses in the race are consistent sprinters."

A.P. Indian breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Sunday at Fair Hill before heading to Belmont Park. Jockey Joe Bravo, who is 4-for-4 aboard A.P Indian, will again have the call out of post 5.

"He came back from the breeze fine," Delacour said. "The only question for me is the weather. I wouldn't like to run on a wet track because he hasn't done that well in the past. But other than that, I've been very happy with him.

"The owners have been very patient with him and gradually they got to the point where the horse is very confident and running happily, and I think that's been the key," he added. "Joe knows him well, so it's always an advantage when you go to a big race like this."

X Y Jet will look to make a triumphant return in his first start in more than six months. Trained by Jorge Navarro, X Y Jet has been working at Monmouth Park after a chip in his knee was discovered following a second-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 26. 

X Y Jet, owned by Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm, won five straight before his runner-up effort at Meydan Racecourse, including the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector and the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint. Navarro said the Vosburgh sets up X Y Jet well both in distance and in timing.

"We just wanted to wanted to give him a race and this one fits perfect on our schedule," Navarro said. "He's fresh. He's ready. We just want to see how he runs. We're expecting a good performance because he's doing really good."

X Y Jet will be making his Belmont debut and his first Grade 1 start in the United States. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo, who is 4-1-0 in five starts aboard the 4-year-old, will depart out of post 6.

"We're not going to try to do anything new, we're trying to see the same X Y Jet as last year," said Navarrao. "Hopefully, we get a good break, because that's always been his problem, coming out of the gate. But hopefully that's in the past."

Joking is entering the race fresh for owner and trainer Charlton Baker.  The 7-year-old enters with three straight wins, including a neck victory in the Grade 2 True North last out on June 10 at Belmont. Originally entered in the Belmont Sprint Championship on July 9, he was scratched due to an injured split bone.

Baker, who held Joking out of the Saratoga meet, sent him out Sunday to go five furlongs in 1:02.16 on the Belmont training track. 

"He's fresh and well-rested and coming into a track he likes, so we'll see what happens," Baker said. "It's a tough race and he'll have to run harder, but I think he's up to the task."

Jockey Manny Franco, who rode him in the True North and to a win in the Diablo on May 8 at Belmont, will again be in the irons in leaving from post 3.

"Hopefully there's a contested, fast pace out front that can help him," Baker said. "Even if it isn't contested, a solid pace will help. Manny knows him pretty good. I'm pretty excited for the chance. The Breeders' Cup always gives you something to shoot for."

Holy Boss, the runner-up by 1 ¼ lengths to A.P. Indian in the Vanderbilt, has posted triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in five straight starts. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Holy Boss drew post 2 and will leave with fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard in his first start at Belmont since a third-place showing in the True North.

Green Gratto returns to graded stakes company after winning the listed Hockessin on July 16 at Delaware Park and next coming in second in the New Jersey Breeders Handicap on August 28. Trained by Gaston Grant, he will make his first Grade 1 start since an eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 9 at Aqueduct. Kendrick Carmouche has the call out of post 4.

Red and Black Stable's Weekend Hideaway will be making his first Grade 1 start since coming in sixth in last year's Vosburgh for trainer Phil Serpe. Luis Saez will again have the mount in leaving from the rail.

Stallwalkin' Dude, the third-place finisher in the 2015 Vosburgh, will make his first start since rallying for third in the Forego last month. Trained by David Jacobson, the 6-year-old will look for his first career graded stakes win in drawing post 7 with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Completing the field is Dannie's Deceiver, who made his stakes debut with a fourth-place effort in the Forego. He will leave from the outside with jockey Jose Ortiz.