Posse Heads Amsterdam Round-Up

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Posse will be chasing his fourth straight stakes victory Saturday when he faces six top 3-year-old sprinters in the $150,000 Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.

Coming off a win in the Riva Ridge (gr. II) at Belmont June 7, Posse is being pointed to the King's Bishop (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 23 by trainer Steve Asmussen.

Prior to the Riva Ridge, Posse won the Lafayette Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland and the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. Posse set a Fair Grounds five-furlong track record of :57.35 in an allowance victory in February.

Posse has won half of his 12 career starts and earned $489,581.

Bob and Beverly Lewis' Scrimshaw, who won the Coolmore Lexington (gr. III) in April for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, before being soundly beaten in each of the Triple Crown classics, could be switching to the sprinter game depending on how well he does in the Amsterdam.

Michael Tabor's Zavata, winner of the Saratoga Special (gr. II) and Tremont (gr. III) at 2, returns to his favorite track for trainer Patrick Biancone. Zavata, a son of Phone Trick, was one of the top juveniles in the nation last year. But he finished third behind Sky Mesa in the Hopeful (gr. I) and his season ended when he was pulled up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).

Comebackers Trust N Luck and Great Notion ensure a fast pace in the Amsterdam. Super Fuse, third in the Carry Back at Calder's Summit of Speed, makes his second start since March.

$150,000 Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II), 3-year-olds, 6 furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Wgt., ML Odds
1. Scrimshaw (KY), Edgar S. Prado, 123, 6/1
2. Posse (KY), Corey J. Lanerie, 123, 5/2
3. Zavata (KY), Jerry D. Bailey, 119, 3/1
4. Great Notion (KY), Pat Day, 121, 5/1
5. First Blush (KY), Jorge F. Chavez, 123, 6/1
6. Trust N Luck (FL), Cornelio H. Velasquez, 123, 5/1
7. Super Fuse (KY), Jose A. Santos, 121, 8/1