(From Calder Race Course)
Trainers Marty Wolfson and Kirk Ziadie will saddle multiple sprint contenders in the Summit Preview stakes June 13 at Calder Race Course as leading local division leaders bid for a berth in one of the rich stakes to be run on the $1.45 million Summit of Speed program on July 11.
Wolfson won three of the four stakes on Preview day last year and is represented in all four races with a team led by Kramer Stable’s You Luckie Mann, an odds-on choice in a field of four 3-year-olds drawn for the $100,000 Unbridled Stakes. Ziadie was to be represented in all four of the six-furlong stakes as well, but his two nominees for the Unbridled were not entered, leaving him with chances in three of the stakes.
Wolfson sent out Golden Spikes to capture the Unbridled last year and he followed up with a victory in the Carry Back Stakes (gr. II) on Summit day itself. You Luckie Mann appears to be a standout in this year’s of the Unbridled with regular jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan back aboard after they teamed up for an easy 3 3/4-length allowance tally over older horses on June 4 in his first start since late January.
A roan/gray son of Exchange Rate, You Luckie Mann was brilliant last year, winning his debut by 14 3/4 lengths in late July and the Birdonthewire Stakes in mid-October by 11 lengths while finishing third in the Dr. Fager and Affirmed divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes series in between.
In two starts early this year at Gulfstream Park, You Luckie Mann finished second in the Spectacular Bid Stakes to Notonthesamepage and second to This Ones for Phil in the Sunshine Millions Dash. Wolfson decided to give him a break before pointing him for the Carry Back and hopefully engagements at Saratoga this summer thereafter.
The field for the Unbridled is completed by Diane Waldron’s For All Who Conga; Jose Pinchin’s Bidham; and Rose Family Stable’s Prince Joshua.
Prince Joshua and Bidham finished one-two in the Naked Greed overnight stakes on May 3, although the former came back with a dull try finishing sixth in the Lord Juban overnight going a mile on yielding turf on May 17. For All Who Conga is a son of Congaree trained by Bill White and looked good winning a six-furlong allowance on a sloppy track here on May 25.
The Summit Preview stakes are largely local affairs, but the field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in the $100,000 Leave Me Alone Stakes includes two shippers with Suarez Racing and Paul Lo Duca’s Donttellmewhattodo invading from California for trainer Doug O’Neill, and Agave Racing Stable’s Going to the Sun arriving from Louisiana for trainer Michelle Lovelle, a former jockey at Calder.
Jeffrey Sanchez picks up the mount on Donttellmewhattodo after the daughter of Strong Hope has won both of her starts this year on the Cushion Track surface at Hollywood Park by clear margins. The $50,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase finished second in her debut last summer at Del Mar and threw in a bad one when 10th at Santa Anita in her only other start last season.
Jockey Javier Santiago rides Going to the Sun, who was claimed for $25,000 out of her career debut at Fair Grounds in early February when finishing second. After a sixth-place try at Fair Grounds in March and a runner-up effort at Lone Star Park in April, the daughter of Najran broke through to score by 12 1/2 lengths last out at Louisiana Downs on May 15.
The top local contenders in the Leave Me Alone are Andrew Rosen’s First Passage; Peter Mirabelli’s Cassidys Pride; and Mike Schmeling and Wesley Ward’s Mine All Mine.
First Passage was a $1.2 million Keeneland September yearling purchase. The daughter of internationally prominent sire Giant's Causeway has won two of three starts for trainer Marty Wolfson this year after one dull try in England last year for trainer Brian Meehan.
First Passage won the Snurb overnight stakes last out on May 2 with Mine All Mine second by a half-length and Cassidys Pride another neck back in third. Cassidys Pride is a homebred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro out of top class sprint filly Cassidy. Trained by Manny Estevez, she came back after the Snurb to post a 4 1/2-length allowance victory on May 30.
Completing the field for the Leave Me Alone are Acclaimed Racing Stable’s Elusive Appeal; and Rey Wan Racing’s Diced N Sliced. The Leave Me Alone is a preview for contenders in the $200,000 Azalea Stakes (gr. III) on Summit day.