Big Blue Kitten Returns in Fort Marcy

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Big Blue Kitten will make his 7-year-old debut in the $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park May 2.

A winner of more than $1.5 million in his career, Big Blue Kitten will be making his first start since a troubled second-place finish in the Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 15 of last year, when he had to alter course behind winner Dynamic Sky as the odds-on choice. The 7-year-old horse has been working steady for his return to the races for trainer Chad Brown and reunites with jockey Joe Bravo in the Fort Marcy.

Bravo rode Big Blue Kitten when the horse won the two biggest races of his career, victories in both the 2013 United Nations Handicap (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park and the Sword Dancer Handicap (gr. IT at Saratoga Race Course.

Big Blue Kitten will break from post 8 in the 1 1/8-mile Fort Marcy and carry 119 pounds. He will be coupled in the wagering with Hyper as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Mr Speaker, who upset the inaugural running of the Belmont Derby (gr. IT) last year at 23-1, was made the starting highweight in the field of nine at 121 pounds.

After the win in the Belmont Derby, Mr Speaker weakened to finish fifth in the Aug. 23 Travers Stakes (gr. I) before ending his 2014 campaign with a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Oct. 4 Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT). Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Mr Speaker made his 2015 debut in an allowance race at Keeneland April 15 on a turf course rated soft and finished fourth, beaten less than two lengths.

Mr Speaker will break from post 5 and will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez.

Travers winner V. E. Day makes his first start since finishing 11th in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) last year and returns to the grass for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. The 4-year-old began his career on the grass; he lost his first two starts and then broke his maiden in the slop at Belmont May 10 of last year.

He then won an allowance race on the grass July 2 at Belmont and captured the Curlin Stakes and Travers at Saratoga. After the upset in the Travers, V. E. Day was moved up to fifth in the Sept. 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont. He has been working regularly at Belmont for his return to the races and switches to jockey Rajiv Maragh.

V. E. Day will break from post 7 and was made the 3-1 second choice.