Battle of Midway Using Affirmed as Prep for Haskell

Battle of Midway may face a short field in the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park June 24, but at least one of his connections is a little disappointed.

Don Alberto Stable's racing manager, Fernando Diaz-Valdes, would have liked to see a larger field for the son of Smart Strike to test himself in his prep for the July 30 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1).

"I'm very disappointed," Diaz-Valdes said of Battle of Midway, who is scheduled to make his first start since his third-place run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). Don Alberto owns the colt in partnership with WinStar Farm. "I love the competition. I don't want to run in a four- or five-horse race. That is how you evaluate them—run against good competition. If you're a good horseman, you want the competition."

Although the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee is still seeking his first graded win, his classic placing—along with a second-place Santa Anita Derby (G1) finish—will almost surely make him the significant favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed.

"We're happy and I think we did the right thing," Diaz-Valdes said regarding Battle of Midway's layoff after the Kentucky Derby. "After the Kentucky Derby he needed a little break, and I think the time was better for him. After this race will be the Haskell for sure."

Also back from the Triple Crown trail is Calumet Farm's Term of Art, who finished last of 10 in the Preakness Stakes (G1) after a seventh-place run in the Santa Anita Derby. The Tiznow   colt is one of two Doug O'Neill trainees in the Affirmed, along with Reddam Racing homebred B Squared, a California-bred stakes winner on turf.

"It's a great opportunity," O'Neill said of the Affirmed, one of the last 3-year-old restricted graded stakes on dirt in Southern California, along with the July 15 Los Alamitos Derby (G3). "Both are doing well. Term of Art wants to lay back and make a run, but small fields don't bode well for that, so we'll see."

Also entered in the field of five is Rockingham Ranch's Arms Runner, an undefeated Overdriven   colt who has won both of his races sprinting down the Santa Anita hillside turf course, including a 1 1/2-length victory in the May 13 Desert Code Stakes.

Rounding out the field is Lawrence Kahlden and Brett Wiener's Quiet Dude, whose only win in 11 starts came in a one-mile maiden claiming race April 21 at Santa Anita for trainer Jorge Periban.

Affirmed S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, June 24, 2017, Race 4

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo
• 2:30 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1B Squared (CA)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Doug F. O'Neill	6/1
2	2Battle of Midway (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Jerry Hollendorfer	4/5
3	3Quiet Dude (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	120	Jorge Periban	20/1
4	4Term of Art (KY)	Tyler Baze	122	Doug F. O'Neill	9/2
5	5Arms Runner (FL)	Norberto Arroyo, Jr.	120	Peter Miller	9/5