Commissioner Heads Hawthorne Gold Cup

Multiple graded stakes winner Commissioner   headlines a field of eight for the 79th running of the $250,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) Nov. 28 at Hawthorne Racecourse, hoping to pick up more black type before he heads away to stud.

Owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, Commissioner closed his 3-year-old campaign last season with a narrow head defeat to Tonalist in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Following a six-month rest, the A.P. Indy colt returned in January, finishing third in allowance company in his first start back.

After a sixth in the Donn Handicap (gr. I), Commissioner rattled off victories in the Skip Away (gr. III) and Pimlico Special (gr III). He enters the Hawthorne Gold Cup off a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 30 Fayette Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland, and is the 9-5 favorite on the morning line under Florent Geroux from post 7. Commissioner is the 119-pound highweight; he will retire to stud at WinStar at the end of 2015.

BLOOD-HORSE STAFF: Commissioner to WinStar Farm for 2016

The 2-3 finishers from the Oct. 30 Marathon Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland are both entered in the Gold Cup as well; Majestic Harbor and Neck 'n Neck each carry 117 lbs.

Neck 'n Neck comes from the barn of trainer Ian Wilkes and looks to surpass $1 million in career earnings in the Hawthorne Gold Cup. Graded stakes-placed four times this year, Neck 'n Neck held off Majestic Harbor in the Greenwood Cup (gr. III) Sept. 7 at Parx Racing. Chasing the entire way in the Marathon, the Flower Alley runner finished third in that event. Chris Landeros is aboard the 7-2 second choice in the Hawthorne Gold Cup.

BOSSERT: Neck 'n Neck Edges Majestic Harbor at Parx

From the barn of Paul McGee, Majestic Harbor set the fractions in the Marathon, finishing second behind Bailoutbobby. Francisco Torres will be aboard Majestic Harbor on Saturday. The 7-year-old son of Rockport Harbor is 4-1 on the morning line.

Millionaire Mister Marti Gras takes another shot at the Hawthorne Gold Cup off his second-place effort behind Red Rifle in the race last year. A 10-time winner for Lothenbach Stables and trainer Chris Block, Mister Marti Gras comes into the Gold Cup off a recent fourth against allowance company at Hawthorne Oct. 14.