Wolf Man Rocket Tops Competitive Peter Pan

Wolf Man Rocket (left) looks to continue Bob Baffert's success in Saturday's Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. (Photo by Coady Photography)
The 61st running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes drew only a field of five and as such has been taken out of the main body of the excellent card at Belmont Park to be run as the third race on the day. Nevertheless, all five runners are hoping to make their mark and may be using the race as a stepping stone to the Belmont Stakes in four weeks.
Four of the five entrants had run well in stakes for 3-year-olds earlier this year but either didn't have the points necessary for a start in the Kentucky Derby, or their connections felt they were not ready for that level of competition.
Wolf Man Rocket is trained by Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert. He made his stakes debut about an hour before his stablemate American Pharoah won the Arkansas Derby last month, winning the Northern Spur Stakes and actually breaking his maiden in that race. Showing a mature and professional off-the-pace style, Wolf Man Rocket rallied from fifth in the early stages and gradually pulled away late to win by nearly two lengths. He improved to a career best 109 Equibase Speed Figure, which is the best in the Peter Pan Field. With three excellent workouts since the race and local top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the saddle, Wolf Man Rocket appears to be the one to beat in this race
Two Weeks Off finished second in his career debut last summer then won nicely, improving from an 80 speed figure to 91. Two Weeks Off returned in April following seven months off as a much more mature horse. He dominated by 6 ½ lengths at Keeneland with a 104 figure at the distance of seven furlongs. The Peter Pan is run at a mile and one-eighth, but at Belmont Park that's a one turn race, so Two Weeks Off isn't being asked to do anything more than run an additional quarter-mile and given how easily he won last month and considering he's trained by North American leading trainer Todd A. Pletcher, he could win again.
Conquest Curlinate rallied from last of eight, 15 lengths back, to miss by a nose on the wire last month in the Illinois Derby, earning a career-best 95 speed figure in the process at the distance of the Peter Pan. Not originally entered into this race, his owner put up an additional $2,000 to make a start here and with regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle, Conquest Curlinate has potential to take a big step forward and prove himself a horse to be reckoned with not only today but in four weeks when the Belmont Stakes will be run.
Madefromlucky earned a career-best 98 figure one race before last when second behind eventual Derby winner American Pharoah in the Rebel Stakes but could only manage fourth in the Arkansas Derby last month (with a 94 figure).
Tiz Shea D earned a career-best 100 figure when second behind El Kabeir in the Gotham Stakes in March but he too regressed in his next race, finishing fifth with no excuse in the Wood Memorial (83 figure).
My Selections:
Wolf Man Rocket
Two Weeks Off
Conquest Curlinate 
$200,000 Peter Pan Stakes
Saturday, May 9, Belmont Park, Race 3 at 2:22 p.m. ET
1 1/8 miles on the dirt for 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

1

Wolf Man Rocket

Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Bob Baffert

Frank Fletcher Racing

2

Madefromlucky

Javier Castellano

Todd Pletcher

Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol

3

Conquest Curlinate

Shaun Bridgmohan

Mark Casse

Conquest Stables

4

Two Weeks Off

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Starlight Racing

5

Tiz Shea D

Jose Lezcano

Bill Mott

Brous Stable LLC, Barber, Gary, and Wachtel Stable