The lone older horse in the race is 5-year-old Laurentide. The son of Pleasant Colony finished second by a nose in the Queen's Vase (Eng-III) in 1998 while trained by Henry Cecil. He finished 16th in the 1999 Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-I) in his last start. Now conditioned by H. James Bond, Laurentide will be racing on Lasix for the first time in Friday's race, which also marks his dirt track debut.
Godolphin's Curule will make his next start in a Belmont Park allowance race Friday. The race, for 3-year-olds and older who have never won a race other than maiden, claiming, or starter will be the first for the son of Go For Gin since being eased through the stretch in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). John Velazquez will guide the Saeed bin Suroor trainee from the outside post in the 1 1/8-mile race. Curule finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby while ridden by Marlon St. Julien.