Nakatomi Riding High Into Phoenix Stakes

Nakatomi  cemented himself as one of the best dirt sprinters in the land when capturing his first grade 1 in the July 27 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G1). The talented gelding will look to add one more graded victory toward a potentially championship-ending campaign when he preps for the Breeders Cup Sprint (G1) in the Oct. 4 Phoenix Stakes (G2).

Campaigned by Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitri Hay, the Vanderbilt was the cherry on top of a progressive series of races for the son of Firing Line . An excellent third at 26-1 in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Nakatomi returned at 5 to finish a troubled third in the Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before shipping overseas for a third-place effort in the rich Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) for trainer Wesley Ward.

Nakatomi faces a softer field of rivals in the $350,000 Phoenix than he defeated at Saratoga Race Course, with impressive allowance winner Federal Judge  and graded stakes victor Here Mi Song  among his chief rivals. Nakatomi, a hard-luck second to Hoist the Gold  in last year's Phoenix after a wide trip, has been made the 7-5 favorite.

By virtue of his Vanderbilt win, Nakatomi will carry the high weight of 125 in the Phoenix, giving as much as seven pounds to his rivals. Tyler Gaffalione, who has partnered the gelding to his last three wins, has the call. As a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, Nakatomi will get the chance to earn his all-fees-paid berth to the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar in the Phoenix.

An eye-catching gate-to-wire winner at Saratoga last time out, Federal Judge takes aim at his first black-type score in the Phoenix for trainer Brad Cox. Racing for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, the son of Army Mule   netted a 103 Equibase Speed Figure in his six-length allowance romp.

Here Mi Song, victorious in the 2023 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) over the Lexington oval, is always a tough customer on the Kentucky sprint circuit. The consistent gelding, a dazzling 5 1/4-length winner of the Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes two starts back, enters the Phoenix seeking to rebound from a third-place finish behind Happy Is a Choice  and Skelly  in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes 20 days earlier at Churchill Downs.

A homebred for Nathan Hayden and trained by William Stinson Jr. , Here Mi Song could take his earnings beyond the $1 million mark with a good performance in Friday's Phoenix.

Recent stakes winners Comedy Town  and My Buddy B  ship into town hoping to upset the top local contenders and earn a slot for the $2 million Sprint.