Elizabeth Valando's Nobiz Like Shobiz, one of the early favorites for next year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I), will try for his first stakes win in Saturday's $200,000 Remsen (gr. II) at Aqueduct.
The 1 1/8-mile Remsen, along with the $200,000 Demoiselle (gr. II) for juvenile fillies at the same distance, are part of a Saturday stakes triple-header at the Big A.
Nobiz Like Shobiz stamped himself as a colt with a bright future when he won a Sept. 9 Belmont maiden race by 10 ¾ lengths.
On the basis of that win, Nobiz Like Shobiz was sent off the 7-5 favorite over Scat Daddy in the Champagne (gr. I), but fell three-quarters of a length short of his much more experienced rival.
Cornelio Velasquez will ride Nobiz Like Shobiz for trainer Barclay Tagg. The colt is likely to go off the odds-on favorite against seven rivals. Other stakes-placed horses in the Remsen include Kong the King and Sightseeing.
The Demoiselle for fillies, also at nine furlongs, is a bit more contentious. Successful Outlook, who won the Tempted (gr. III) in her last start, will try to remain undefeated while stretching out to two turns for the first time.
Miss Goodnight ships in from Delaware for trainer Tim Ritchey and already has a two-turn stakes win after taking the Blue Hen last month.
The Demoiselle field also includes Blue Hen runner-up Super Natashca and Maid Of The Mist winner Grand Merger.
$200,000 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II, Race 6, 2:49 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/8 milesPP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Rivanna River (KY), 115, Eibar Coa
2. Successful Outlook (KY), 119, Garrett Gomez
3. Get Ready Bertie (KY), 115, Fernando Jara
4. Boca Grande (KY), 115, Mike E. Smith
5. Duchess of Stanco (KY), 115, Jose Santos
6. Grand Merger (NY), 119, Kent Desormeaux
7. Grace Happens (KY), 115, Cornelio Velasquez
8. Miss Goodnight (VA), 119, Stewart Elliott
9. Super Natascha (KY), 115, Edgar Prado
$200,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II, Race 7, 3:19 p.m.), 2-Year-Olds, 1 1/8 MilesPP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Timber Reserve (KY), 116, Kent Desormeaux
2. Nobiz Like Shobiz (KY), 116, Cornelio Velasquez
3. Kong the King (KY), 116, Eibar Coa
4. Summer Doldrums (KY), 116, Fernando Jara
5. Marina Market (KY), 116, Javier Castellano
6. Pink Viper (KY), 116, Charles Lopez
7. Zanjero (KY), 116, Garrett Gomez
8. Sightseeing (KY), 116, Edgar Prado
