Sir Winston Tentatively Entered in Jazil Stakes

Trainer Mark Casse will be playing the waiting game this week with Sir Winston.

Though Casse made a Jan. 20 decision to enter Tracy Farmer's 2019 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner in the Jan. 25 $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, a tender hoof from a horseshoe snafu has complicated those plans.

The homebred son of Awesome Again had a horseshoe come loose last week during a Jan. 16 workout over the Belmont Park training track, jarring his front left hoof. Casse said glue-on shoes were added Monday and Sir Winston seemed to respond favorably, but the trainer's New York staff will be monitoring the hoof during this week to make sure the classic winner is fine and 100% ready to run in Saturday's stakes.

"We put glue-on shoes on him this morning and they sent me a video of him jumping around acting crazy this afternoon, so he's a happy camper right now. He's much happier now that he's got his new shoes on, his new Michael Jordans," Casse said. "We entered but we'll monitor him. He will have to do everything perfectly between now and the race or we won't run him. It will probably be a race day decision."

Saturday's 1 1/8-mile stakes was viewed as an important stepping stone to prepare Sir Winston for the $12 million Dubai World Cup Presented by Emirates Airline (G1) March 28 at Meydan Racecourse. The 4-year-old's only race since the June 8 Belmont Stakes was a 12th place finish on turf in the Dec. 28 Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

In the event that Sir Winston cannot make the Jazil, Casse said he would be content to run the winner of three of 11 starts in a New York allowance race.

"If he doesn't run Saturday, I just might run in an allowance race if they get me one. I want to run in New York," he said. "I need a race before Dubai but it's not necessary that he run this weekend."

Casse added that if Sir Winston runs Saturday or shortly thereafter, he will not close door on racing the colt out of the Afleet Alex  mare La Gran Bailadora another time before the Dubai race.

Manny Franco landed the riding assignment on Sir Winston, who will break from post 2.

A field of eight was entered in the Jazil, including the speedy New York State-bred Mr. Buff who registered a frontrunning 5 1/4-length romp in last year's Jazil.

Owned by Chester and Mary Broman Sr., Mr. Buff won two of his last three starts, prevailing in the Dec. 28  Alex M. Robb by 7 1/2 lengths last time out for a fourth win in a state-bred stakes this year. He took the Empire Classic three starts ago and in between, the homebred son of Friend Or Foe  set the pace but faded to 10th in the Nov. 29 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1).

The 6-year-old gelding is trained by John Kimmel.

The Jazil also features four horses exiting the Dec. 21 Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct. 

Long Lake Stable's Stan the Man moved up from fourth to take the 1 1/8-mile Queens County in his last start. Trained by John Terranova II, the 6-year-old Broken Vow  gelding hit the wire first by a neck to claim his initial stakes win in his first start in 6 1/2 months.

"We knew he needed the race, but it was a good one. He got a little tired late in the race and came out of it really well. Since then, he's been forward," Terranova said.

Barbara Hutnyk's Adventist rallied from 15 lengths behind in sixth, to grab second in a photo finish in the Queens County. Trained by Uriah St. Lewis, the 7-year-old Any Given Saturday gelding won the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing three starts back at 50-1 odds.

Charles Hallas' Backsideofthemoon and Paradise Farms, Winfield Racing and Michael Boylan Jr.'s Roaming Union will return in the Jazil after finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Queens County.

M and A Racing's Leitone is back in New York after winning the Dec. 7 Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Jason Servis, the 6-year-old son of Dunkirk was claimed by his connections June 16 for $12,500 at Belmont and has won three of five subsequent starts.