Into the Sunrise, Arrest Me Red Meet Again in Mahony

Into the Sunrise  and Arrest Me Red , a pair of stakes winners for trainer Wesley Ward, will each look to notch another score in their respective Saratoga Race Course debuts in the Aug. 11 $120,000 Mahony Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong event for 3-year-olds on the Mellon turf course.

M Racing Group's Into the Sunrise will look for this third consecutive win. Last out, the Into Mischief   gelding wired the Dade Park Dash Overnight Stakes at the Mahony distance July 4 at Ellis Park, building on his victory against allowance company in May over Belmont Park's turf.

"He's been training great," Ward said. "He's up here and been super. Once we gelded him last winter, because we didn't think he'd go on to be a great stallion, we thought it would really help him, and it has. He's been a real good turf sprinter this year."

Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red will make his sophomore bow after an eight-month layoff following a juvenile season that saw him win two of his four races, including his debut last August at Laurel Park for previous trainer Arnaud Delacour.

The Pioneerof the Nile colt posted a two-length victory in the six-furlong Atlantic Beach Stakes in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. He was then switched to the main track for the first time, running fifth in the Inaugural Stakes in December at Tampa Bay Downs.

With Ward taking over the training duties, Arrest Me Red arrived from Keeneland and has breezed three times over Saratoga's Oklahoma training turf.

"I got the horse and didn't know a lot about him; he kind of came in on the blind," Ward said. "He had a couple of average works—maybe even below average—on the dirt. I moved him to Saratoga and I worked him on the grass and man, they were eye-openers. It inspired me to go in the stakes. If we can get lucky and win that, it would mean a lot."

Into the Sunrise and Arrest Me Red previously met on the racetrack last fall in the Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Rounding out the field is Fauci , Sky's Not Falling , Jaxon Traveler , Awesome Gerry , Momos , and Rebel Posse . Ward also entered Fire Sword  for the main track only.

Mr. Buff Tries for Second Evan Shipman Win

Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred and millionaire Mr. Buff  returns to action in Wednesday's $100,000 Evan Shipman Handicap, a nine-furlong test for state-breds 3 year olds and up.

Trained by John Kimmel, the 7-year-old Friend Or Foe   gelding captured the 2019 edition of the Evan Shipman under returning pilot Junior Alvarado. The 17.2-hand chestnut will carry a field-high 124 pounds, six more than his rivals.

"He's a big horse. I don't think the weight will bother him," Kimmel said.

Mr. Buff has won three of his last seven starts, all in stakes company, dating back to a 3 1/4-length win in the Empire Classic in October at Belmont. During that span, Mr. Buff also captured the Jazil Stakes in January and the Stymie Stakes in February, both against open company at Aqueduct . He enters from an off-the-board effort in the muddy May 31 Commentator Stakes at Belmont.

"I don't think he liked the mud that day. It was not to his liking," Kimmel said.

Kimmel said the 17-time winner continues to impress.

"He's awesome. He's a big, happy horse and he's just stayed sound. It's pretty remarkable," Kimmel said. "He's got a big supporting staff, who roots for him. How could you not like the old guy?"

Danny California , Sea Foam , Three Jokers , and Winston's Chance  complete the lineup.

Entries: Mahony S.

Saratoga Race Course, Wednesday, August 11, 2021, Race 9

• STK
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $120,000
• 3 yo
• 5:39 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Into the Sunrise (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Wesley A. Ward	7/2
2	2Fauci (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Philip Antonacci	15/1
3	3Sky's Not Falling (MD)	Luis Saez	118	Michael J. Trombetta	9/2
4	4Jaxon Traveler (MD)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Steven M. Asmussen	5/2
5	5Fire Sword (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Wesley A. Ward	5/2
6	6Awesome Gerry (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	15/1
7	7Momos (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Christophe Clement	7/2
8	8Arrest Me Red (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Wesley A. Ward	9/2
9	9Rebel Posse (KY)	Jose Lezcano	118	H. James Bond	15/1