Whitmore Returns in Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash

After a minor foot injury added some extra time off, Whitmore is set to return to the races Sept. 16 in the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park.

Trainer Ron Moquett hopes Saturday's six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and older sets Whitmore on a path to the $1.5 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Del Mar, also at six furlongs. The upcoming race will mark Whitmore's first start since he finished third in the True North Stakes (G2) June 9 at Belmont Park, a result that ended a five-race win streak for the son of Pleasantly Perfect.

Moquett hoped to bring the 4-year-old gelding back in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) July 29 at Saratoga Race Course but was forced to withdraw from consideration the day entries were taken.

"He pounded his foot traveling on the plane and he basically dislodged his shoe. It caused him to be sore, but it was just very temporary," Moquett said. "The timing was unfortunate, but I'm just glad he's OK."

Though he earned a placing in last year's Arkansas Derby (G1) and ran in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Robert LaPenta, Head of Plains Partners, and Moquett's Whitmore has concentrated on sprinting this season. This year he boasts wins in the Maryland Sprint Stakes and Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (both G3). 

"He likes to win. His personality—he's got the will to win and he's got the body to follow through with it. He's a cool horse," Moquett said. "Our major goal is the Breeders' Cup. This leads us toward that goal, plus the De Francis is a historic race and it would be a feather in our cap to win it." 

The field of seven also includes multiple stakes winner Awesome Banner, who enters off a runner-up finish in the Vanderbilt. The Jacks or Better Farm homebred has been knocking on the door for his first graded stakes score, as the 4-year-old Awesome of Course colt has placed in three straight graded races.

After an off-the-board finish in the April 8 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack, Awesome Banner finished third in the Maryland Sprint and second in the Smile Sprint Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park, before his Vanderbilt effort.

"I would say he's probably hooked some of the best sprinters in the country," said trainer Kenneth Decker. "We tried a little equipment change in the Carter and he didn't seem to like it, but we came back in the Maryland Sprint and showed that was probably what we had going on. Since then he's been right there. He's been keeping some pretty good company.

"He gets a little overlooked on the toteboard, but we don't let that bother us. We go out there and he's been showing up. Everything looks good right now and hopefully we get the same thing on Saturday. We're hoping he'll make a good showing and I think that we will. Everything seems to be real good right now. We're hoping he stays on target and shows up again on Saturday."

Entries: Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (G3)

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 16, 2017, Race 9

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Struth (MD)	J. D. Acosta	118	Kieron Magee	12/1
2	2Mr. Jordan (FL)	Edgar S. Prado	118	Edward Plesa, Jr.	12/1
3	3Awesome Banner (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Kenneth Decker	7/2
4	4Whitmore (KY)	Feargal Lynch	122	Ron Moquett	7/5
5	5Blu Moon Ace (MD)	Gerald Almodovar	118	Kevin S. Patterson	9/2
6	6Chublicious (NJ)	Victor R. Carrasco	118	Claudio A. Gonzalez	8/1
7	7Favorite Tale (PA)	Paco Lopez	118	Guadalupe Preciado	5/1