Top horses are entered in two races May 11, with several in a $60,000 sprint stakes at Belmont Park and another in a $41,000 allowance race at Delaware Park.
The Waldoboro Stakes at six furlongs attracted a field of six including D' Funnybone and This Ones for Phil, both owned or co-owned by Paul Pompa Jr., and Mill House’s Trappe Shot .
D’Funnybone, a five-time grade II winner by D'wildcat, last raced in April at Gulfstream Park, finishing fourth in a stakes for Florida-bred runners. It was his first start of 2011.
This Ones for Phil, winner of the grade II Swale Stakes via disqualification in 2009, hasn’t raced since the winter of 2010.
“He was off in his rear end, and we wanted to give him some time off,” Pompa, who owns the 5-year-old Untuttable gelding with Jack Mandato and Michael Dubb, told New York Racing Association officials. “We didn’t want to bring him back in a graded stakes. We wanted to protect him because we think a lot of him, and (trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.) told me he’s training better than ever.”
Trappe Shot, a 4-year-old by Tapit , hasn’t raced since last year’s grade I Travers Stakes, in which he finished ninth. Plans call for the colt to race in sprints this year.
“We’ll have him run at six furlongs and go from there,” said Artie Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He has run at two turns before and he has never had a bad race, except for the Travers. He’ll tell us more, distance-wise, but I think he’ll be going in shorter races this year.”
Also in the Waldoboro is Gold Square’s Rule by Night , who hasn’t raced since his powerful victory in the Groovy Stakes at Aqueduct last November. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt trained by Steve Asmussen finished second in the 2010 Gallant Bob Stakes (gr. II).
At Delaware Park, Elite Alex, who had been on the Triple Crown trail this winter and last finished ninth in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 16, is entered in a one-mile allowance test. The Ontario-bred 3-year-old colt by Afleet Alex broke his maiden at Delaware Park in 2010 for trainer Tim Ritchey.