On Nov. 24 Mott will find out just how good the 2-year-old son of Gulch really is, as Court Vision headlines a field of six in the $200,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct.
In three starts, Court Vision has shown a running style that could be perfect for the first weekend in May. He has stalked or come from off the pace in all of them, showing a powerful finishing kick in the final furlong. His last two starts ended with victories, including the one-mile Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs Oct. 28, when he came from five lengths back at the top of the stretch to get up over Halo Najib.
Prior to that, Court Vision broke his maiden at Keeneland, winning by 1 3/4-lengths at a distance of 1 1/16-miles. Owned by WinStar Farm, Court Vision was a $350,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training sale. He is out of Weekend Storm, who is a full sister to Summer Squall and a half-sister to A. P. Indy.
Mott also considered Court Vision for the Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II), but opted to ship the Churchill-based colt to New York. Breaking from the rail, Eibar Coa will ride Court Vision, who was bred in Kentucky by W.S. Farish and Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership. He will carry a race-high 122 pounds.
The 1 1/8-mile Remsen could set up well for Eric Fein’s Big Truck, who is likely to be near the lead in an event without much early pace. Trained by Barclay Tagg, Big Truck wired the field by 6 1/2 lengths when breaking his maiden at Saratoga this summer. The son of Hook and Ladder was near the lead when winning by two in his next test, the Sept. 23 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park.
Bred in New York, Big Truck’s third and most recent start was in the Oct. 20 Sleepy Hollow Stakes. He finished third by a neck in the one mile event. Alan Garcia will ride.
The other early speed could come from Edward Seltzer’s Springs Road, who is two-for-two so far. Bred in Florida by Cloverleaf Farms II and trained by Rodney Jenkins, Springs Road won both of his races at Laurel, the last one coming in a one mile allowance event. The colt is by Repent.
Also starting are Tide Dancer and Atoned, who have both won twice in six starts, and Trust N Dustan, who tested graded stakes competition for the first time in the Oct. 28 Nashua Stakes (gr. III), losing by 15 lengths.
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Court Vision (KY), 122, Eibar Coa
2. Springs Road (FL), 116, Javier Castellano
3. Big Truck (NY), 116, Alan Garcia
4. Tide Dancer (MD), 116, Garrett K. Gomez
5. Trust N Dustan (KY), 116, Cornelio H. Velasquez
6. Atoned (FL), 120, John R. Velazquez