Golden Glider Sails Into Peter Pan After Blue Grass 4th

As a graded event with a purse of $200,000, the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) is a coveted race. It also can serve as a launching pad for an even more desired contest: the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) weeks later.

High Gun (1954), Gallant Man (1957), Cavan (1958), Coastal (1979), A.P. Indy (1992), and Tonalist (2014) pulled off the Peter Pan/Belmont double. Others have run well in the Belmont after threatening in the prep, including Sir Winston , who took the Belmont Stakes three years ago after a second in the Peter Pan.

This year's race, run May 14 at Belmont Park, drew eight runners, mostly up-and-comers exiting allowance or maiden wins. But one competitor, Golden Glider , did regularly compete in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series this spring. After winning his first two starts, he ran fifth in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3), and fourth in both the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1).

The chestnut Ghostzapper   colt, owned by Gary Barber and Manfred and Penny Conrad, cuts back slightly from the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass to race 1 1/16 miles in the Peter Pan. His maiden win last fall on synthetic at Woodbine came at 1 1/16 miles, which he followed with a win on dirt at Tampa over a mile and 40 yards. Hall of Famer Mark Casse, trainer of Sir Winston, has named Dylan Davis to ride.

Klaravich Stables' Electability  is untested beyond a mile but enters the Peter Pan with sharp one-turn form, having won a pair of mile races at Aqueduct Racetrack this year after a debut seventh on turf last summer at Saratoga Race Course. In taking a first-level allowance optional claimer April 8 at Aqueduct, he withstood a stretch challenge to win by a head, completing a mile in 1:35.63.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is aboard for trainer Chad Brown.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset runs a pair, We the People  and Western River , who both come to New York after last racing in Arkansas. The former, owned by WinStar Farm, CMNWLTH, and Siena Farm, won his first two starts before he grew discouraged when outpaced early in the Arkansas Derby (G1), fading to seventh under Flavien Prat, who returns aboard him Saturday.

"Flavien did the right thing to take him back and the horse just got a little green," said Brisset. "He was on the bridle, off the bridle, and he just needs some seasoning and some maturation. We were obviously hoping for a better result and try to get him in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but it didn't happen."

Western River gets a class stakes test after graduating from the maiden ranks by 3 3/4 lengths in his fifth start. Racing on the Arkansas Derby Derby undercard April 2, Western River was clocked racing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.59 in a fast-paced race.

The Tapit   colt out of the multiple graded stakes-placed, group 2 stakes winner Privately Held  mare Morena  has a Belmont Stakes pedigree, being a full brother to its 2016 winner, Creator . 

"If he runs anywhere from 1-2-3, we'll take a strong look at the Belmont," said Brisset. "Hopefully, we can get some pace in the race and we'll be there that day."

Western River, owned by September Farm, Union Park Thoroughbreds, Black Fern, and Michael and Tammy Motley, has Luis Saez in the saddle. 

Set Sail , Complete Agenda , Cooke Creek , and State Planning  complete the field. Cooke Creek adds blinkers.

Entries: Peter Pan S. (G3)

Belmont Park, Saturday, May 14, 2022, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 5:19 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Set Sail (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Richard E. Mandella	7/2
2	2Electability (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	7/2
3	3Complete Agenda (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
4	4We the People (KY)	Flavien Prat	118	Rodolphe Brisset	3/1
5	5Golden Glider (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Mark E. Casse	4/1
6	6Western River (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Rodolphe Brisset	6/1
7	7Cooke Creek (KY)	Manuel Franco	120	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	15/1
8	8State Planning (NY)	Trevor McCarthy	118	Juan C. Vazquez	15/1