Competitive Edge Needs Rebound at Saratoga

Still looking to recapture the magic from his performance on the first Saturday in May, Competitive Edge may have found the right spot in the $500,000 NYRA.com King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 29.



The 3-year-old son of Super Saver   not only loves Saratoga—where he is two-for-two, including a 5 3/4-length victory last year's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I)—but the seven-furlong King's Bishop distance may also be his best. He won the seven-furlong Hopeful at Saratoga last September, but also won his 2015 debut in the Tamarac Stakes at Gulfstream Park at the same distance.



Since taking the Pat Day Mile (gr. III) by 4 1/2 lengths on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) undercard, however, Competitive Edge has struggled to maintain his winning form.

NOVAK: Competitive Edge Takes Pat Day Mile

The Todd Pletcher trainee set the pace, but tired to finish fourth in American Pharoah's William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I) victory last time out and was sixth, 9 3/4 lengths behind fellow King's Bishop entrant March, in the Woody Stephens (gr. II) at Belmont Park June 6.



Ample speed in the race should set up nicely for Robert LaPenta's March, who sat off the pace in the Woody Stephens and won by a nose, but the son of Blame   trained by Chad Brown had a misfire of his own last time out when he finished sixth to Holy Boss in the Amsterdam (gr. II) Saratoga Aug. 1.

Riding a four-race win streak, Jerry Durant's Holy Boss will be trying the top level for the first time since a fifth-place run in the Champagne (gr. I) at Belmont last season.

BALAN: Holy Boss Extends Streak in Amsterdam



Grupo Seven C Stable's Grand Bili also enters off a last-out graded score—the Carry Back Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream—but classics runner Mr. Z also looms somewhat of an unknown in his first start at seven furlongs.

MITCHELL: Grand Bili Upsets Barbados in Carry Back



Still looking for his first graded victory, Calumet Farm's Mr. Z tops the field in earnings by a wide margin with a nearly $1.1 million bankroll and is almost always involved near the front of the bunch.



Completing the field is multiple graded stakes-placed Classy Class, who was fourth in the Woody Stephens and is coming off an allowance win at Belmont July 9; allowance winners Commute and Runhappy; lightly-raced but undefeated Watershed and Limousine Liberal; and maiden victor Loose On the Town.