Piratesonthelake, a five-time winner in 2007 for trainer James DeVito, heads a closely matched group of 10 sophomore sprinters entered in the $200,000 Select Stakes on the Monmouth Park program Oct. 27.
Owned by Gregg Didech’s B Jock Racing, Piratesonthelake brings back-to-back stakes wins into the Select, most recently capturing the Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. III) by a nose over Base Commander on Turfway Park's Polytrack Sept. 29. The Florida-bred Lake Austin gelding won the Arlington Sprint Handicap in a dead heat with In Summation on the Arlington Polytrack a month earlier.
Piratesonthelake's last dirt win came in an allowance race at Hawthorne in April. Robby Alabardo rides the morning line favorite for the first time.
The Select field boasts a pair of grade II winners in Cobalt Blue and Most Distinguished.
Cobalt Blue won the San Felipe (gr. II) by two lengths in March for The Merv Griffin Ranch Co. and trainer Doug O'Neill. But after a couple of gaps in his race schedule, the Golden Missile colt is winless in five starts since. He most recently finished fifth in the restricted Blue Jay Way Sept. 30 on Santa Anita's Cushion Track.
Most Distinguished was declared a rising 3-year-old star off his one-length win in Saratoga's Amsterdam (gr. II) July 30, but the Nick Zito trainee disappointed in two starts since. The Dixie Union colt finished fifth, beaten by nearly nine lengths by Hard Spun, in the King's Bishop (gr. I) at Saratoga a month later. Then, running as the 2-1 choice in Belmont Park's Jerome (gr. II) Oct. 7, Most Distinguished failed to respond in the stretch and faded to fourth. He finished more than 12 lengths behind the victorious Daaher.
Buffalo Man has won five of seven starts lifetime and both of his tries this year, but the 3-year-old El Prado colt, owned in partnership by Rick Pitino and Clint Glasscock, has not been out since winning the OBS Championship at Ocala training center in February. Trained by Cam Gambolati, Buffalo Man reportedly sustained a condylar fracture in a workout soon after that race and required surgery to repair the damage. Buffalo Man, to be ridden by Joe Bravo, is expected to scratch if there is an off-track.
Double Action is a three-time stakes winner in California this year for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Most recently, the Double Honor colt finished second to Premium Wine by a half-length in the Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadephia Park.
$200,000 Select Stakes (Race 3, 11:55 a.m.), 3-Year-olds, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, ML Odds
1. Appealing Spring (FL), Eibar Coa, 119, 15/1
2. Buffalo Man (ON), Joe Bravo, 119, 8/1
3. Cobalt Blue (FL), Garrett K. Gomez, 122, 6/1
4. Most Distinguished (KY), Eddie Castro, 122, 5/1
5. Unbridled Trust (KY), Stewart Elliott, 119, 20/1
6. Double Action (FL), Michael C. Baze, 119, 7/2
7. Piratesonthelake (FL), Robby Albarado, 122, 3/1
8. Pauillac (KY), Julien R. Leparoux, 119, 30/1
9. Silver Source (KY), Cornelio H. Velasquez, 119, 10/1
10. E Z Warrior (KY), Victor Espinoza, 122, 4/1
Piratesonthelake tries to continue his winning ways in the Select.
