Ol Memorial Stable's Buffalo Man, winner of both of his starts at Monmouth Park this season, will be one of the choices in Monday's $150,000 Sapling Stakes (gr. III).
The 2-year-old son of El Prado broke his maiden by more than four lengths on July 20 and then took an allowance sprint with a nice off-the-pace move on Aug. 17.
Trainer Cam Gambolati thinks the colt is developing nicely, and as developer of Spend a Buck, champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year 1985, he should know.
"He's thriving right now," Gambolati said. "He loves to train hard. He's doing everything I ask of him right now."
Buffalo Man, out of the Saratoga Six mare Perfect Six, is an Ontario-bred. Gambolati bought him for $190,000 out of the Adena Springs North 2-year-old sale this spring.
"He's had two good races," the trainer said. "Now it's time for him to move up to another level. He'll meet better horses in the stakes, and we'll see how he does.
"Actually," Gambolati said, "I think he'll be better when he stretches out. The farther they go, the better he'll like it."
Eddie Castro will ride Buffalo Man in this 73rd running of the Sapling, which is Monmouth's final graded stakes of the 2006 season.
$150,000 Sapling Stakes (gr. III, Race 10, 5:23 p.m.), 2-Year-Olds, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. Buffalo Man (ON), Eddie Castro
2. First Cavalry (KY), Jose Lezcano
3. Air Lord (FL), Christopher P. DeCarlo
4. Datrick (TX), Shaun Bridgmohan
5. Xchanger (FL), Joe Bravo
6. Actin Good (FL), Jose A. Velez, Jr.
7. King Barney (TX), Edwin L. King, Jr.
Each assigned 121 pounds.