Adventist, who did not make the field for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) after winding up in the top 25 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, will get his chance to run May 14 in the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park.
Third in the April 9 Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), Gotham Stakes (gr. III), and Withers Stakes (gr. III), Treadway Racing Stable's Any Given Saturday colt will need to step up his game against Centennial Farm's recent Bay Shore Stakes (gr. III) winner Unified, though that one does stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.
LEWYN: Unified Makes Grade in Bay Shore
Both could find a legitimate threat in Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stables' Governor Malibu, who crossed the line first in the April 9 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park with a powerful, sustained run—but was disqualified and placed second behind Awesome Speed for coming over into his inside rival in deep stretch.
Trainer Christophe Clement could try the same move with Governor Malibu that he tried with Tonalist , who won the 2014 Peter Pan and then took the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the Peter Pan last year with Madefromlucky and also won in 2006 with Sunriver, sends Decorated Soldier to this spot. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' son of Proud Citizen won the April 16 Northern Spur Stakes going a mile and 40 yards at Oaklawn Park last time out.
Maiden winners Wild About Deb, Lost Iron, and Supah Czech complete the field along with maiden Singleton.
Peter Pan S. (gr. II)
Belmont Park, Saturday, May 14, 2016, Race 9
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Supah Czech (FL)
Jose Lezcano
116
Michael E. Gorham
30/1
2
2Singleton (KY)
Manuel Franco
116
Nicholas P. Zito
20/1
3
3Adventist (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
116
Leah Gyarmati
4/1
4
4Decorated Soldier (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
5
5Governor Malibu (NY)
Joel Rosario
116
Christophe Clement
10/1
6
6Wild About Deb (KY)
Trevor McCarthy
116
Philip D'Amato
8/1
7
7Unified (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
116
James A. Jerkens
4/5
8
8Lost Iron (KY)
Junior Alvarado
116
William I. Mott
15/1