Cocked and Loaded Targets Sanford Stakes

Tremont Stakes winner Cocked and Loaded will try for a second straight stakes victory when he starts in the $150,000 Sanford Stakes (gr. III) on Saturday, July 25 at Saratoga Race Course.

Two of the 11 juveniles entered in the six-furlong Sanford are entering off stakes scores—Cocked and Loaded and Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) winner He's Comin in Hot.

Campaigned by Richard Ravin and Patricia's Hope LLC, Cocked and Loaded enters off a half-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong Tremont June 5 at Belmont Park. With that win, the Colonel John   colt improved to 2-for-2 after staring his career with a victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race April 9 at Keeneland.

In both of his victories, Cocked and Loaded rallied from fifth. Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard in the Tremont, is scheduled to ride the Larry Rivelli-trainee Saturday.

The Sanford field also includes Tremont runner-up Paynes Prairie, who followed that effort with a 3 1/2-length score in a July 4 maiden special at Belmont for trainer Steve Asmussen.

"He's a very old soul," Asmussen said. "He came into the barn a very mature, very confident horse. He's taken his races extremely well. He's had two breezes over the track here at Saratoga since the race at Belmont. I'm kind of excited about Saturday." 

Also entered from the Tremont is Starlight Racing's Uncle Vinny, who will look to bounce back after a sixth-place finish there as the even-money favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher. In the Tremont Uncle Vinny was bumped at the start and weakened.

The lone graded stakes winner and most experienced juvenile in the field is Douglas Scharbauer's He's Comin in Hot, who enters off a 3 3/4-length victory in the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bret Calhoun, the Early Flyer   gelding has won his past two races by a combined 8 1/4 lengths.

"It took him two races (to come around)," Calhoun said. "Since that time though, he hasn't done anything wrong."