Joaquin a Factor in Hill Prince

A full field of 12, plus a "main track only" runner, have been entered for the Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park Oct. 3. The amount of rain New York receives from Hurricane Joaquin figures to play a factor with the number of runners and the outcome of the $500,000 race for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs over the inner turf course.



The division appears deep without a clear cut star, so those with a shot to come up big here would be Courtier, Money Multiplier, Takeover Target, and World Approval. Those four have all found success this summer while facing off against each other.



Money Multiplier and Takeover Target, along with Hill Prince entrant Winter Springs, are trained by Chad Brown. Takeover Target won Saratoga Race Course's National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. IIT) in early August. Wheeled back on Sept. 5 the son of Harlan's Holiday finished sixth as the 8-5 favorite behind World Approval and Money Multiplier in the Saranac Stakes (gr. IIIT).



Money Multiplier, beaten a head in the nine-furlong Saranac, was second, beaten a half-length in his prior race, the grade III Kent Stakes on the turf at Delaware Park. Those are his only starts on turf after breaking his maiden on the main track at Belmont in early May.



Juddmonte Farms' Courtier, by Pioneerof the Nile  , was third in the Hall of Fame off a six-month break before finding success on the turf in the $200,000 Centaur Stakes at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino. 



Live Oak Plantation's World Approval won the American Derby (gr. IIIT) at Arlington International in July before running fourth in the Hall of Fame and winning the Saranac by a head. He was also fourth behind Divisidero and Takeover Target in the May 20 Pennine Ridge Stakes in Pennsylvania.



Adding to the mix in the Hill Prince is Joseph Allen's Jay Gatsby, a half brother to super sire War Front   who dropped a neck defeat in his U.S. debut at Belmont Sept. 19; Southern California shipper Royal Albert Hall who is multiple graded stakes-placed; and Japan-bred Tale of Life, a winner at Saratoga in his U.S. bow for Flaxman Holdings.



Entered for the main track only is New York-bred Good Luck Gus, who broke his maiden in slop at Saratoga last year and also won the $252,098 New York Breeders' Futurity last fall at Finger Lakes over a good track. The son of Lookin At Lucky   would have a fighting chance if given the opportunity.