Moscato, Optimus Prime to Face Off in Turf Writers Cup

Moscato and Optimus Prime, the 1-2 finishers of last month's A. P. Smithwick Memorial (NSA-G1), will battle once more Aug. 20 in the $100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup (NSA-G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Less than a length separated the duo at the finish line of the 2 1/16-mile Smithwick July 23. The pair will stretch out to 2 3/8 miles Thursday and carry a field-high 160 pounds.

Moscato, a 9-year-old Hernando gelding trained by Jack Fisher for Bruton Street-US, made a winning return last season in the Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Handicap (NSA-G3) at Glenwood Park at Middleburg after missing his 2018 campaign.

The consistent gray boasts a record of 12-7-3 from 33 starts and is 2-for-2 this year, including a title defense of the Temple Gwathmey in June.

Fisher said Moscato's record could boast even more wins with a bit of racing luck.

"I think he's had a bit of bad luck in the past. There's a couple of races I thought he should have won, but he got stopped or something happened," Fisher said. "The race set up well for him last time, but he's a nice horse. He won going two miles at Royal Ascot and he's a true stayer."

Last out Moscato rallied five wide and overtook a game and determined Optimus Prime for a three-quarter-length score.

Fisher said the distance will suit Moscato.

"I think he'll enjoy the added distance. In the Smithwick, I thought he was beaten in the stretch," Fisher said. "I just hope (Optimus Prime) didn't need the race. I thought we were going to be fourth turning for home."

Fisher will also be represented by 2019 New York Turf Writers Cup runner-up Gibralfaro, third in the Smithwick and 2019's David L. Ferguson Memorial Handicap (NSA-G2) winner, and Pravalaguna, who will make her third North American start after eased in the Smithwick.

"Gibralfaro was second in the Turf Writers last year, and he's just a hard-trying horse," Fisher said. "He's not the most talented, but he makes up for it with his perseverance and try. You have to love a horse like that.

"It was never the plan to run Pravalaguna at Saratoga. She's a bigger, heavier horse and I thought we'd wait until the fall, but now Far Hills isn't going to run. She wasn't quite ready for the last race, but I think she'll enjoy the distance this time."

Rosbrian Farm's Optimus Prime, an 8-year-old Deportivo gelding trained by Richard Hendriks, captured the 2018 New York Turf Writers Cup in his North American debut. He won three of his next four starts, including scores at Great Meadow in the 2018 Ferguson Memorial (NSA-G2) and 2019 David Semmes Memorial Hurdle Handicap (NSA-G2).

Optimus Prime entered the Smithwick off a year layoff and was brave in defeat after emerging with the lead in the stretch and battling strong to the wire under pressure.

Hendriks will also send out Zanjabeel for his second start of the season. Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farm's 7-year-old Aussie Rules gelding closed 2018 with wins in the Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle (NSA-G1) at Percy Warner and Lonesome Glory Handicap (NSA-G1) at Belmont Park.

Zanjabeel finished fourth in this lone 2019 start in the Ferguson Memorial and was eased in the Temple Gwathmey won by Moscato in June.

Completing the field are Rashaan, in search of his first North American win in his fourth attempt; Redicean, who captured the 2019 Jonathan Kiser Novice at the Spa and was fourth in the Smithwick; and Belisarius, who was fifth in the Jonathan Kiser Novice July 22.