More Than Looks Brings Late Punch Into Bryan Station

Jockey John Velazquez and trainer Cherie DeVaux, who teamed to win the Oct. 21 Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland with Vahva , aim for more graded success there Oct. 28 when More Than Looks  races in the $300,000 Bryan Station Stakes (G3T).

The strong-finishing More Than Ready colt has won four of seven starts and three of his last four, with one of those victories coming with Hall of Famer Velazquez abroad. He rode More Than Looks to win the Manila Stakes (G3T) July 7 at Belmont Park, after which the colt ran third in the Aug. 11 Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course. He then had a head-turning, 2 3/4-length score in the Jefferson Cup under Cristian Torres at Churchill Downs Sept. 30. 

Victory Racing Partners' More Than Looks is favored at 9-5 morning-line odds in a field of 10 3-year-olds. 

Two Leading Threats

• The Shug McGaughey-trained Talk of the Nation  tops the field with earnings of $778,610, having won the $1 million Gun Runner Stakes Sept. 2 at Kentucky Downs for owners Joseph Allen and CHC. A start earlier, the Quality Road   colt battled for the lead and faded to second behind More Than Looks in the Manila.
• Freddy Lewis Jr.'s Smokey Mandate  will look to close the gap on Talk of the Nation and More Than Looks after stakes placings in the Gun Runner and Jefferson Cup for trainer Mike Maker.