Scuba to Go Deep in Marathon

DARRS’ Scuba, clearly the best long-distance specialist on the East Coast of late, has been pegged at 5-2 on the morning line for Santa Anita Park’s $200,000 Marathon Stakes (gr. II). The Marathon, at 1 3/4 miles, goes as the third race Nov. 4, the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Scuba, a 5-year-old gelding by leading sire Tapit  , was effective but unable to catch the quick Bradester in the Monmouth Cup (gr. II) in late July and then was sent 1 1/2 miles in the Greenwood Cup (gr. III) at Parx Racing and went wire to wire to win by five lengths. Tested  again in Belmont Park’s Temperence Hill Invitational Stakes Oct. 2, he responded with a three-length score over Melmich.

Melmich, a 5-year-old by Wilko   owned by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman, is the 2-1 morning line choice off marathon victories over the synthetic surface at Woodbine. Jockey Eurico Da Silva makes the trip to the West Coast for the mount.

A case can be made for local hopes Hard Aces and Blue Tone. Hronis Racing’s Hard Aces was sixth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) and fourth to California Chrome   in Santa Anita’s Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I) last out, and won Del Mar’s Cougar II Handicap (gr. III) at 12 furlongs.

Kent Desormeaux has the mount on Blue Tone, who races for Beverly Engelberg, Schoeder Farms and Jan Steeper. Speed may be to the 7-year-old’s advantage as he’s been a place player in shorter trips all year including a second locally in the one-mile Santana Mile Stakes back in April.