Big things have been expected of Melnyk Racing Stable's 4-year-old Harlington, a $2.8 million Keeneland yearling, but problems have limited the colt to four starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. He's likely to be favored in Wednesday's 'three other than' allowance feature at Gulfstream Park with John Velazquez aboard in the 1 1/8-mile main track test.The son of Unbridled out of Eclipse champion Serena's Song didn't make his career debut until Nov. 5, 2004 at Aqueduct, winning a hard-fought neck victory going a mile on a 'sloppy' track.
Pletcher brought Harlington to Florida last winter with high hopes for a possible Triple Crown run, and he was impressive winning his second career start by three lengths. But he finished sixth as the favorite in the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds in his third start. Harlington came out of the Risen Star with a wrenched ankle and didn't run again until Dec. 4 at Aqueduct when he won a 'two other than' allowance at Aqueduct by five lengths going 1 1/16 miles. He has trained strongly at Palm Meadows for his 2006 campaign.Harlington's most dangerous rivals in the field of 10 older horses entered in Wednesday's feature are Dennis Drazin's Zoffinger, Eddie King Jr. up, and Live Oak Plantation's Electric Light, with Rafael Bejarano.
