Joking Returns to Racing in True North

It's been more than 20 months since Joking was seen racing to victory in the 2016 Vosburgh Stakes (G1), which punched his ticket to the 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) for owner and trainer Charlton Baker.

But Joking never got a chance to run in the Breeders' Cup. The now 9-year-old son of Distorted Humor  developed life-threatening pneumonia soon after he arrived in California, but has fully recovered and is ready for a comeback in the $250,000 True North Stakes (G2) June 8 at Belmont Park, a race he won in 2016.

"I'm excited to get him back to racing,'' Baker said from his base at Finger Lakes. "He looks like he's ready to compete.''

A field of eight was entered for the True North, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt race for 4-year-olds and older. Also entered are last-out graded stakes winners Bobby Abu Dhabi and Limousine Liberal; multiple graded winners Whitmore and Imperial Hint; grade 3 victor Always Sunshine; and stakes winners Westwood and Recruiting Ready.

Joking is the best horse Baker's ever saddled. He was claimed as a 5-year-old in 2014 for $20,000. He broke his maiden in 2012 in his third start, and had one win from 11 starts when he came to Baker's barn.

BLOODHORSE STAFF: Joking Gets First Grade I Win in Vosburgh

"He was my first graded stakes winner and first grade 1 winner, so when he got sick, I really (wanted) to save his life," said Baker, who has been training horses since 1998. "His presence in the barn is just so nice. He's a special horse."

Jockey Manny Franco, who was aboard Joking for his four-race win streak prior to the illness, has the return call again.

"I'm anxious to ride him. He's really a nice horse,'' Franco said.

Joking was treated at the Chino Valley Equine Hospital in Chino Hills, Calif., by Dr. Andreas Klohnen for several months after he became ill. Baker said it was "touch and go" for about the first 45 days. Joking returned east in January of 2017, was cared for by Dr. Patty Hogan in New Jersey, spent time on the farm recovering, and returned to training in October.

Joking's lifetime record stands at 10-8-8, with earnings of $846,138 from 39 starts.

Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Bobby Abu Dhabi won the April 21 Kona Gold Stakes (G2) in his last start after a runner-up finish in the Triple Bend (G1), his first start of the year.

BALAN: Bobby Abu Dhabi Makes the Grade in Kona Gold

"He has really matured for us the past few months,'' trainer Peter Miller said of his 4-year-old chestnut son of Macho Uno . "He's become a bigger, stronger version of the horse we had last year."

Katharine Ball's 6-year-old Limousine Liberal won the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G2) in his last start and has earnings of more than $1.3 million.

HAMMONDS: Limousine Liberal Repeats in Churchill Downs Stakes

Ron Moquett's Southern Springs Stables, Robert LaPenta, and Head of Plains Partners' Whitmore looks to improve on his third-place finish in last year's True North and a fourth in the Churchill Downs Stakes last time out. Trained by Moquett, the 5-year-old son of Pleasantly Perfect has 10 wins from 19 starts and earnings of more than $1.5 million.

"I think he's better (than last year). He's smarter, or we're learning little things about him all the time,'' Moquett said. "He's teaching us how he wants to be trained."

Entries: True North S. (G2)

Belmont Park, Friday, June 08, 2018, Race 8

• Grade II
• 6 1/2f
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:42 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Recruiting Ready (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Horacio DePaz	8/1
2	2Joking (KY)	Manuel Franco	116	Charlton Baker	6/1
3	3Imperial Hint (FL)	Javier Castellano	124	Luis Carvajal, Jr.	9/2
4	4Bobby Abu Dhabi (KY)	Victor Espinoza	122	Peter Miller	5/2
5	5Limousine Liberal (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Ben Colebrook	7/2
6	6Westwood (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	6/1
7	7Always Sunshine (FL)	Kendrick Carmouche	116	Edward T. Allard	15/1
8	8Whitmore (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	124	Ron Moquett	6/1