Mr. Buff an Unmistakable Presence in the Alex M. Robb

Provided he does well in the coming days, Mr. Buff could return to Aqueduct Racetrack to head the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes vs. New York-bred rivals Dec. 12.

The veteran speedster ran fifth in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 5 contested on a sloppy track at Aqueduct after scoring against state-bred rivals in the Empire Classic Handicap Oct. 24 at Belmont Park. Those efforts leave him as the classiest entry for the 1 1/8-mile race Saturday, but trainer John Kimmel wants to monitor him before committing to the rapid turnaround.

"His energy level was quite high. He actually seems quite full of himself," Kimmel said. "I'm not committed to running. We'll get a couple more gallop days into him. The exercise rider (Jorge Munoz) that has been on him says he feels extremely energetic. He seems to be doing fine." 

Should Mr. Buff scratch out of the Alex M. Robb, Kimmel said the Queens County Stakes Dec. 19 at Aqueduct against open company would be another option. 

Owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Mr. Buff has won the past two runnings of the Alex M. Robb. He notched the first of his nine stakes victories in the 2018 edition by a nose over Twisted Tom. Last year, he was an emphatic 7 1/2-length victor over Dynamax Prime. 

Mr. Buff has amassed the most earnings in the field, banking $1,220,786 with a record of 41-15-7-4. He captured the Jazil Stakes in back-to-back years and won the 2020 Haynesfield Stakes by 20 lengths.

Kendrick Carmouche has been named to ride Mr. Buff.

Christophe Clement, fresh off earning his first New York training title at the Aqueduct fall meet, wheels City Man back to action after winning the open-company Gio Ponti Stakes Nov. 27 on the turf at Aqueduct. 

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles, the sophomore son of Mucho Macho Man  made his fourth start on grass a winning one last out. He won the Funny Cide Stakes in August 2019 on the Saratoga Race Course main track by 4 3/4 lengths. 

"It seems to be the nature of his sire. He's putting out as good of dirt horses as he is turf horses," said Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, which also campaigned Mucho Macho Man in partnership. 

In winning the Gio Ponti, City Man ended a seven-race losing streak, which included a close fourth in the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, marking his lone graded stakes start. He has never finished worst than fourth through a consistent 10-3-2-1 record. 

City Man will exit post 3 with Manny Franco aboard. 

Clement also will send out Waterville Lake Stable's Sea Foam, who seeks his fourth stakes win. He was third last out to Mr. Buff in the Empire Classic.

Yankee Division and stakes winners Bankit and Danny California complete the field.