Far From Over / NYRA Photo

Far From Over tops field for Alydar

by Jill O'Brien

Black Rock Thoroughbreds' undefeated Far From Over heads a field of eight for Sunday's $100,000 Alydar for 4-year-olds and up at Saratoga Race Course.

The Todd Pletcher-trained 4-year-old is unbeaten in his three races, breaking his maiden by a nose at Aqueduct Racetrack in December 2014 and subsequently winning the Grade 3 Withers in impressive style in his 3-year-old debut.

Sidelined for 16 months after sustaining an injury while prepping for the Triple Crown trail, the son of Blame came back in June at Belmont Park, winning an optional claimer by 1 ½ lengths under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

"He came back well, he has been training well and we were pleased with his first comeback," said Pletcher. "We gave strong consideration to running him in the [Grade 1] Whitney [August 6], but we felt because he only had one start this year, maybe he needed one more race under his belt to get to that level. We're hoping that this could be the springboard towards the [Grade 1] Woodward [September 3] if he does well and comes out of it well."

Velazquez will again be aboard Far From Over, who drew post position 2 and was tabbed at 8-5 on the morning line.

The 5-year-old Royal Posse returns to Saratoga where he won his stakes debut last year in the Evan Shipman, beating Saratoga Snacks by a nose. The Posse gelding, who breezed a half mile in 49.53 seconds on Thursday, was listed at 9-2 on the morning line He will break from the rail under defending Saratoga riding champion Irad Ortiz, Jr.

"He's a pretty consistent horse," said trainer Rudy Rodriguez of Royal Posse, who has four victories and seven second-place finishes in his last 11 starts dating back to May 2015. "He doesn't owe us anything. He shows up every time and he has never run a bad race for us. We can't complain. The race is not easy, but we know he loves the mile and an eighth and he loves Saratoga [3-1-0 from five starts], so we'll see what he can do there."

Mylute, second in last year's Alydar, enters off an allowance victory in June at Belmont, his first of the year. The Goldmark Farm color-bearer, 6-1 on the morning line, will be ridden by Manny Franco from post position 8.

After finishing third last out in the Kelly's Landing at Churchill Downs, Island Townwill be looking for his first stakes win of 2016. The 2015 Grade 3 Smarty Jones winner holds an overall record of 4-1-1 from 10 starts and $344,993 in earnings. The Ian Wilkes-trained son of Hard Spun, 12-1, drew post position 3 and will be ridden by Javier Castellano.

Baccelo, 10-1, is looking to make it two straight at Saratoga, having won an allowance race at the historic track on July 31. The Brazilian-bred 6-year-old gelding is bidding to capture his first American stakes win of his career, having previously won a Group 1 in Brazil in 2013. He will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post position 5.

Rounding out the field, from the rail out are Touchofstarquality, the second choice on the morning line at 3-1; Natchez, looking for his first stakes win for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, and Honorable Duty, making his stakes debut after going 3-2-1 in his six most recent starts.