Kanthaka Sticks With Sprinting in Woody Stephens

Toss out a pair of efforts routing this year and West Point Thoroughbreds' Kanthaka will enter the $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2) June 9 at Belmont Park on a three-race win streak.

In fact, Kanthaka is undefeated in three starts at the Woody Stephens distance of seven furlongs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Kanthaka closed out last season with a maiden special weight victory going seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park. The son of Jimmy Creed  opened this season with a 3 1/4-length score in the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at the same distance.

Trying routes with an eye toward the classics, Kanthaka finished third in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita but was off the board in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. Hollendorfer then opted to return Kanthaka to sprinting, and he responded with a three-quarter-length score in the Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) May 12 at Santa Anita, again at seven furlongs.

Kanthaka is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Woody Stephens, which has attracted 12 3-year-olds.

"You have to see if you can go long. Sometimes, sprinters will do well the first time they go long and can fool you. The second time, he really didn't want to go that far," said Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward. "If you have a 3-year-old who wins a stakes at seven-eighths from off the pace, you have to see if you can go long, because everybody wants a Derby horse."

Ward likes that, in terms of running style, Kanthaka has displayed versatility. Regular rider Flavien Prat has traveled east for Saturday's mount.

"He's been up close, far off the pace, inside, outside, big field, small field," Ward said. "He was up close (in the Laz Barrera) because there was no speed. He was on the inside, so (Prat) had to use him a little bit the first part, but he still finished well and ran a very professional race."

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables' World of Trouble returns to sprinting after a third-place finish in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2). He led the field into the stretch in that 1 1/16-mile race before fading to third.

In his previous race, World of Trouble turned heads with a 13 3/4-length score in the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Jason Servis. That marked the first stakes win for the son of Kantharos .

Entries: Woody Stephens S. Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2)

Belmont Park, Saturday, June 09, 2018, Race 7

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $400,000
• 3 yo
• 3:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Madison's Luna (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	123	Philip A. Bauer	8/1
2	2Pure Shot (FL)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	117	Steven M. Asmussen	30/1
3	3Engage (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	Chad C. Brown	4/1
4	4Givemeaminit (LA)	Javier Castellano	115	Dallas Stewart	30/1
5	5Aqua Bel Sar (NY)	Rajiv Maragh	121	Bisnath Parboo	50/1
6	6Still Having Fun (MD)	Joel Rosario	121	Timothy L. Keefe	15/1
7	7Beautiful Shot (FL)	Junior Alvarado	121	J. Keith Desormeaux	20/1
8	8Kanthaka (KY)	Flavien Prat	123	Jerry Hollendorfer	3/1
9	9Promises Fulfilled (KY)	Luis Saez	123	Dale L. Romans	12/1
10	10The Tabulator (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	123	Larry Rivelli	20/1
11	11World of Trouble (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	121	Jason Servis	7/2
12	12Strike Power (KY)	John R. Velazquez	123	Mark A. Hennig	9/2