Grade 1 Winner Bright Future Returns in Salvator Mile

Bright Future , a last-out sixth with a belated rally in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), returns in the $150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) June 15 at Monmouth Park.

Despite the lengthy layoff, the Todd Pletcher trainee should be heavily favored against a quirky mash-up of older male rivals. For his 5-year-old comeback, Bright Future cuts back to the mile trip for the first time in more than a year. Although the son of Curlin   has shined over longer distances, including a nose victory in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) as the highlight of his 2023 campaign, Bright Future has won twice at a mile at the beginning of his career. At Monmouth, the mile distance is staged around two turns rather than one turn, which should play into the chestnut's favor.

While Bright Future found himself far back early in the Breeders' Cup, he showed enough early speed in his prior outings to suggest he could be sitting closer to the pace, especially breaking from post 2. Jockey Javier Castellano, making the trip down from New York, will pilot the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables runner.

A handful of the Salvator Mile contenders will be shooting for a form reversal off lackluster efforts. Woodslane Racing's Oscar Eclipse  was a gritty winner of the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March but was beaten 11 lengths in the May 4 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

In one of the more surprising entrants in the field, 7-year-old Shirl's Speight , a grade 1 winner on the turf, will be attempting his first victory on the dirt in his 22nd trip to the post.

Recent allowance winners Artorius , fourth in last year's Salvator Mile, and Parx Racing shipper Movisitor  are in decent form but are not as accomplished as Bright Future.

Domestic Product Invades for Pegasus

Kentucky Derby (G1) 13th-place finisher Domestic Product , often a workmate of recent Belmont Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Sierra Leone , ships into Monmouth Park to spoil the home team's party in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes.

The Pegasus, a 1 1/16-mile contest for 3-year-olds, is the local prep for the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) July 20.

Trained by Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables, Domestic Product was seen as one of the most improving 3-year-olds of his division heading into the Kentucky Derby. The son of Practical Joke   was runner-up to Pegasus rival Hades  in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) before notching his first graded score in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Pinched at the start of the Derby and forced to run wide throughout, he was never a factor.

As for Hades, he looks to bounce back after two distant losses that followed the Holy Bull.

"We were thinking something special with him early in his career and we're back to thinking something special," trainer Joe Orseno said. "I believe that this horse is as real a 3-year-old as I have had in quite a while."

Heading the local contenders is the New Jersey-bred Sea Streak , a runaway victor of Monmouth's Long Branch Stakes May 11 for trainer Eddie Owens Jr. and owner/breeder Holly Crest Farm. 

The Pegasus, which drew a field of eight, offers the added inducement of free start fees and entry to the top two finishers for the Haskell.