Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash Stakes (gr. I) winner Richter Scale, the 123-pound highweight for Wednesday’s $250,000 Forego Handicap (gr. II), will break from post position 10 in the ten-horse field entered for the 6 1/2-furlong race at Saratoga. Richard S. Kaster’s 6-year-old remains undefeated in sprints on the year, his lone loss coming in the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) at a distance of a mile.
“He’s just having a very good year,” said Mary Jo Lohmeier. “He’s always had a history of foot problems, so we tried him on the turf last year. The thing about that is he only likes turf that’s rock hard. We ran him in the Phoenix (Breeders’ Cup Stakes) at Keeneland last October, and he’s been on the dirt ever since.”
Lohmeier is not overly concerned with the weight assignment -- conceding from four to 11 pounds to his rivals -- noting he carried the same weight in the DeFrancis Dash, in which he broke the Laurel Park course record for six furlongs. “In fact, we’re happy he’s not carrying more weight this time,” the conditioner said.
The field for the 6 1/2-furlong Forego, with jockeys and weights, will consist of:
1—Proven Cure, Shane Sellers, 112
2—Intidab, Jerry Bailey, 118
3—Iron Punch, Carlos Cruz, 115
4—Bright Valour, Pat Day, 113
5—One Way Love, Patrick Husbands, 116
6—Silver Season, Eibar Coa, 115
7—Successful Appeal, Edgar Prado, 119
8—Chasin’ Wimmin, Jean-Luc Samyn, 112
9—Shadow Caster, Jorge Chavez, 113
10—Richter Scale, Richard Migliore, 123
