Social Inclusion Set for Season Debut

Rontos Racing Stable's Social Inclusion, third in the 2014 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), will make his highly-anticipated 4-year-old debut April 26 in the third race at Gulfstream Park, a mile allowance for older runners.

The son of Pioneerof the Nile   has not run since finishing seventh in last year's William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I). Formerly in the care of trainer Manny Azpurua, he was transferred to the Chad Brown barn after that race. He will make his first start for Brown Sunday.

"He's doing really well," Brown said. "We're just taking our time with him. He's a pleasure to train. He's cooperated beautifully up to this point. We're excited to get him started."

Social Inclusion debuted with fanfare when he began his career last February, breaking his maiden at first asking by more than seven lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight race. When stretching out to a 1 1/16 mile in his second start, he was even more impressive, rolling home by 10 emphatic lengths over Remsen (gr. II) winner Honor Code, who would go on to add the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) to his resume when making his 4-year-old debut in March.

Following that effort, Social Inclusion stepped up to graded stakes company and finished third behind Wicked Strong in the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I). The colt did not have enough points to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), so his connections pointed him for the Preakness.

The bay colt finished third in the second leg of the Triple Crown behind Derby winner and eventual champion 3-year-old male and 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome. After that race, Social Inclusion notched another graded stakes placing when cutting back to seven furlongs and finishing third in the Woody Stephens (gr. II) in June, his final start before the Haskell.

The colt emerged from his uncharacteristic effort in the Haskell with an injury to his tendon. Upon receiving the talented runner, Brown made sure Social Inclusion received the appropriate medical attention and gave him plenty of time to heal.

"When we got him in July, he had a tendon injury, so we immediately sent him to Kentucky to be evaluated by Dr. Larry Bramlage," Brown said. "Then, of course (Bramlage) recommended a course of treatment and rest and a schedule for the horse, which we followed, and (Social Inclusion) did his down time at Dell Ridge Farm in Kentucky. They did a great job working with Dr. Bramlage. Eventually, he made his way down to me at the end of last year to begin training, and since then he hasn't missed a beat."

Social Inclusion has trained for his return at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, and the colt has recorded eight published breezes since late February. He turned in a bullet 5-furlong work April 13, before most-recently breezing five-eighths in 1:01 flat April 19.

Social Inclusion will break from post 4 in a field of six Sunday and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.