After opening his season with a runner-up finish in the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) May 5 on the Churchill Downs turf, Beach Patrol figures to build off that effort when he starts in the $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T) June 9 at Belmont Park.
Besides the benefit of having a start under his belt, James Covello, Sheep Pond Partners, Head of Plains Partners, and Al Shahania Stud's Beach Patrol should also like stretching out in distance in the 1 1/4-mile Manhattan on the inner turf. Beach Patrol closed out 2017 with a victory in the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million XXXV Stakes (G1T), a win in the 1 1/2-mile Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), and a runner-up finish in the 1 1/2-mile Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
A 5-year-old son of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Lemon Drop Kid , Beach Patrol will look to improve on his fourth-place finish in last year's Manhattan.
Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will try for his fifth Manhattan win in seven years with Beach Patrol—the 5-2 morning-line favorite—as well as 3-1 second choice Robert Bruce, who enters off a win in the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) May 5 on the Belmont inner turf. That effort marked the North American debut for Convento Viejo's Robert Bruce, a four-time group 1 winner in Chile.
"They're both doing well," Brown said. "Beach Patrol looks to be more forwardly placed, while Robert Bruce comes from off the pace."
Awaiting that formidable duo is Argentine Triple Crown winner Hi Happy, who will aim for a third straight victory. La Providencia's Hi Happy returns to the Belmont inner turf where he won the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) May 12, a score that followed his 2 3/4-length victory in the Pan American Stakes (G2T) on the Gulfstream Park turf.
Todd Pletcher will saddle Hi Happy for the fourth time Saturday.
"He's a horse that performs well, very straightforward and easy to train," said Pletcher, who is seeking his first Manhattan win. "When you are fortunate enough to get the opportunity to train a ready-made horse, it makes your job so easy. You just try to keep them sound and healthy and point them in the right direction."
Also back from the Man o' War are runner-up Sadler's Joy, who finished third in last year's Manhattan, and One Go All Go, who won the Dixiana Elkorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland this year and figures to set the early pace from post 2.
Belmont Park, Saturday, June 09, 2018, Race 10Entries: Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Robert Bruce (CHI) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Chad C. Brown 3/1 2 2One Go All Go (VA) Chris Landeros 118 Charles L. Dickey 12/1 3 3Hi Happy (ARG) Luis Saez 122 Todd A. Pletcher 7/2 4 4Alexios Komnenos (IRE) Florent Geroux 116 James A. Stack 20/1 5 5Catcho En Die (ARG) Junior Alvarado 114 Naipaul Chatterpaul 50/1 6 6Hello Don Julio (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 114 Michael Dilger 30/1 7 7Fashion Business (GB) Flavien Prat 114 Philip D'Amato 30/1 8 8Sadler's Joy (KY) Javier Castellano 124 Thomas Albertrani 8/1 9 9Channel Maker (ON) Jose L. Ortiz 122 William I. Mott 20/1 10 10Beach Patrol (KY) Joel Rosario 124 Chad C. Brown 5/2 11 11Manitoulin (KY) Mike E. Smith 118 James J. Toner 20/1 12 12Multiplier (KY) Victor Espinoza 118 Peter Miller 30/1 13 13Spring Quality (PA) Edgar S. Prado 118 H. Graham Motion 12/1
