Frosted Makes Belmont Return in Met Mile

A year after running second to American Pharoah   in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), Frosted returns to New York for his first U.S. start this year.

The $1.25 million Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) June 11 for older horses on the Belmont Stakes undercard will be the first stateside race of the season for Frosted, who has been doing his running in Dubai this year, winning the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (UAE-II) before finishing fifth in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).

ANGST: Easy Win for Frosted in First Meydan Start

As a 3-year-old last season Frosted took the Twinspires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II). He carries a bankroll of better than $2 million into the Met Mile, and has in his corner trainer Kieran McLaughlin, who knows better than anyone how to bring a horse back to the U.S. racing after Dubai. McLaughlin trained for many years in the Emirates for Sheikh Mohammed.

“Frosted couldn’t be doing any better. This race could be a little short for him, but we’re excited about it and I think there will be a lot of pace,” said McLaughlin.

Stanford is likely to find himself on the lead here. He is shortening up from a nine-furlong score in the Charles Town Classic (gr. II) after rolling a pair of seconds in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. III) and Fred Hooper (gr. III). Last season he ran second at Belmont in the WinStar Farm Easy Goer Stakes, and was also second in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). He brings earnings of more than $1.1 million into the race.

LAMARRA: Stanford Gate to Wire in Charles Town Classic

“Stanford has done very well this year,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “He also did well at 3 but seems to have broken through to a different level this year. His Charles Town race was a great performance and was fun to watch, so we’re excited about him.”

Upstart failed to hold his form from early last year when he won the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) and finished second in the Besilu Fountain of Youth (gr. II) and Besilu Florida Derby (gr. I). He did come back to take the Razorback Handicap (gr. III) in March before coming home fifth in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) at nine furlongs.

Noble Bird has enjoyed a solid season thus far, checking in second in the Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) before winning the Pimlico Special Handicap (gr. III). He also has in his column the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) from last season, and his form should stand him in good stead here.

LAMARRA: Noble Bird Returns to Form in Pimlico Special

Ami's Flatter is another who could jump up at solid odds. He is stretching out from a seven-furlong score in the Commonwealth Stakes (gr. III) in April. Donworth is a solid runner who owns thirds in the Charles Town Classic and San Antonio (gr. II) this year but hasn’t jumped up in graded stakes to date.

Calculator is looking to break through this season after a trio of graded placings in the San Carlos Stakes (gr. II), Carter Handicap (gr. I), and Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II). He won the Sham Stakes (gr. III) last year at a mile and made a name for himself after running second to American Pharoah at 2 in the Frontrunner Stakes and Del Mar Futurity (both gr. I).

Anchor Down took the prep race for the Met Mile when he scored in the Westchester Stakes (gr. III) at a mile in the mud at Belmont. He was third in both the Carter and Gulfstream Park handicaps before that effort. Blofeld won the Gulfstream Park Handicap at a mile in March before a fourth in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) at nine furlongs. He won the Futurity (gr. II) at Belmont in 2014. 

“Anchor Down seemed to do really well in the Westchester by coming out running and I anticipate we’ll do the same thing with him,” said Pletcher. “Stanford and Blofeld are horses that can adapt to different running styles depending upon the pace of the race.”

Tamarkuz will be making his initial 2016 start in the Met Mile. He was unplaced in the race last year, and failed to place in either the Kelso Handicap (gr. II) or Forego Stakes (gr. I). He did win the Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) and two grade IIIs in the UAE last year, but needs to regain that form here.

Sloane Avenue has raced just once in the U.S., and that resulted in an eighth in the Hill Prince Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont. He was second in the Godolphin Mile last year. Marking checked in second behind champion Runhappy in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) and broke his maiden at Belmont. He is lightly raced, and will be making just his seventh start.

El Kabeir is another looking to recapture past form. He took the Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) in 2014 and the Gotham and Jerome stakes (both gr. III) last season, but this year has finished off the board in the Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. II) and San Antonio.