Counterforce seeks bounce back in G2 Amsterdam

by Brian Bohl

Counterforce will look to secure his first career graded stakes victory in headlining a field of eight for Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next month, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Counterforce will look to rebound from an eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens in his stakes debut last out on June 11 at Belmont Park. He will leave from the inside post with Florent Geroux in the irons.

"We were a little disappointed with the Woody Stephens, we think he's a better horse than that," Asmussen said. "He's trained nicely up here and hopefully he rebounds." 

Counterforce had finished first or second in his first four career starts before the Woody Stephens. The Smart Strike colt has worked out three times at Saratoga this month, including Monday's three-furlong bullet in 37.94 seconds on the training track.

Both of Counterforce's career wins have come at six furlongs, which Asmussen said could set up well for the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam.

"He's solid, the distance won't be a question at all," he said. "He breezed Monday and everything looked good."

King Kranz, who won the listed Gold Fever by three-quarters of a length on May 6 at Belmont Park, drew post 7 with jockey Kendrick Carmouche aboard. Trainer John Terranova said the ultimate goal for King Kranz is the Grade 1 Ketel One King's Bishop on August 27.

King Kranz made his debut in his only previous start at the Spa in August 2015. The Zayat Stables' colt has finished in the money in eight of his last nine starts.

"He's doing great and has a great record," Terranova said. "He's come a long way and is just a nice, solid 3-year-old sprinter."

King Kranz will be making his first start since besting a six-horse field in the Gold Fever, in which he went from fourth at the top of the stretch to move ahead of Tale of S'avall at the wire.

"We've been off since May. He had run a lot through the winter," Terranova said. "Hopefully we'll come forward into the summer and be all right." 

Todd Pletcher, who has captured the last six Saratoga training titles, has entered  Ready Dancer and Uncle Vinny. Ready Dancer made three graded stakes starts in 2015 and will be making his first in 2016 out of post 4. The son of More Than Ready won against allowance company last out on June 25 at Belmont Park and will be ridden for the first time by Javier Castellano. 

Uncle Vinny, who also was entered in Friday's Curlin, has three graded stakes starts on his resume, including a victory in the 2015 Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga. Uncle Vinny drew post 6 with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. named.

Maniacal, who has won his last two starts after finishing second in his debut, takes a step up in class for trainer Wesley Ward. David Flores will be on the saddle for the chestnut gelding's first stakes start. The pair will break from post 2.

Mind Your Biscuits, trained by Robert Falcone, Jr., won by 9 1/4 lengths against allowance company last out on July 5 at Belmont. The chestnut colt, who is 2-3-2 in eight career starts, will be going against graded stakes competition for the first time and will leave with jockey Joel Rosario from the outside post.

Quijote breezed four furlongs in an impressive 47.34 seconds on Saturday on Saratoga's main track. Saddled by Thomas Amoss, Quijote will break from post 3 with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard in his inaugural graded stakes start.  

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will have the mount for Its All Relevant. The chestnut colt, trained by Dominick Schettino, drew post 5 as he looks for his first career stakes win.