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T Loves a Fight headlines rescheduled John Morrissey

by Keith McCalmont

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Noda Brothers' 5-year-old T Loves a Fight will square off against six other rivals in Sunday's rescheduled $100,000 John Morrissey, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for New York-breds 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Morrissey, originally slated to be held on July 25, was postponed due to adverse track conditions caused by extremely heavy rainfall, which caused the card to be cancelled following the day's fourth race.

All six original entrants - T Loves a Fight, Eye Luv Lulu, Gold for the King, Celtic Chaos, Build to Suit and Finger Lakes-based shipper Saratoga Giro - return in Sunday's event, which will also include Vincento.

T Loves a Fight was claimed by trainer Orlando Noda for $10,000 out of a fourth-place finish in a seven-furlong sprint on May 12 at Belmont Park. Following a fourth in his first start for new connections in a $40,000 claiming sprint, T Loves a Fight has delivered successive knockout punches, first, on June 13 at Belmont, winning a $12,500 claiming event to provide Noda his first career win; the second, in a restricted $25,000 claiming sprint on June 28 at Belmont; and the third on July 14 at Saratoga when arriving in time for a three-quarter length score in a $40,000 optional-claimer, covering 6 ½-furlongs in 1:15.50, to give Noda his first win at the Spa.

Bred in the Empire State by Hoffman Thoroughbreds, the Girolamo bay boasts a record of 10-4-1 from 29 career starts and purse earnings of $417,485. Junior Alvarado, aboard for the first two wins of the active streak, has the call in Sunday's bout from the inside post.

The 6-year-old Celtic Chaos, trained by Brad Cox for Zilla Racing Stables, owns a record of 8-5-8 from 34 starts, with purse earnings of $604,947. Last out, Celtic Chaos earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure with a 2 ¾-length score in a $100,000 optional claiming sprint at Belmont.

The Dublin chestnut, bred by Spendthrift Farm, finished third in the John Morrissey last year after a troubled trip. Celtic Chaos will depart from post 2 under Dylan Davis.

Francis Paolangeli's homebred Gold for the King, trained by Charlton Baker, has won seven of 22 career starts with more than $700,000 in purse earnings. A multiple stakes winner, the 5-year-old Posse bay has made his last two starts in graded stakes events, finishing third in the Grade 3 Toboggan at the Big A and sixth last out in the Grade 2 True North at Belmont.

Joseph A. Hinkhouse’s Vincento, trained by Linda Rice, joins the Morrissey field on a two-race win streak including a last-out three-quarter length score in a nine-furlong allowance event on July 11 at the Spa.

Jose Ortiz retains the mount from post 3 as Vincento cuts back in distance.

Build to Suit [Manny Franco, Post 4], Saratoga Giro [Jeremias Flores, Post 5], and Eye Luv Lulu [Jose Lezcano, Post 7] round out the field.

First post on Sunday’s card is 1 p.m. with the Morrissey field set to burst from the gate in Race 3 at 2:10 p.m Eastern.