Big Business Aims to Cash in Hudson Handicap

Four times a runner-up in stakes races this season, including a second-place finish to Palace in the Forego (gr. I), Big Business will try to secure the first stakes win of his career in the Hudson Handicap for New York-bred sprinters Oct. 18 at Belmont Park.

The $150,000 Hudson, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint, has attracted 11 entrants, which is the last of eight stakes races for New York-breds on Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card.

Gary Barber's Big Business will try to bounce back from a third-place finish as the 4-5 favorite in a one-mile allowance race for state-breds Sept. 20 at Belmont. Before that effort, the David Jacobson trainee finished 3 1/2 lengths behind Palace in the Forego and second against other New York-breds in the John Morrissey Stakes won by Hudson entrant Weekend Hideaway.

A 6-year-old Eddington   gelding, Big Business also finished second in two other restricted stakes this year, the Commentator Handicap at Belmont and Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Red and Black Stable's Weekend Hideaway will be making his first start since finishing sixth in the Forego. That effort followed his two-length score in the John Morrisey, which marked the fourth career stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Speightstown  .

Captain Serious will be facing older horses in a stakes race for the first time. Earlier this year, Barry Schwartz's Captain Serious capped a three-race win streak to start his career with a clear victory in the Mike Lee Stakes against other New York-bred 3-year-olds at Belmont.

After that effort the Successful Appeal   gelding placed in a pair of graded stakes for 3-year-olds, finishing second in the Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont and third in the Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.

Also Saturday, New York-bred filly and mare sprinters will try their luck in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes, where grade II winner La Verdad will try to halt a three-race losing streak. Lady Sheila Stable's La Verdad enters off a runner-up finish by a head to Artemis Agrotera in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) Sept. 20 at Belmont.

A 4-year-old daughter of Yes It's True  , La Verdad will try to nail down her fifth stakes win this season.

Among the eight expected to face La Verdad in Saturday's 6 1/2-furlog sprint is James Iselin, Charlotte Assoulin, and Eli Gindi's Willet, who enters off a close third-place finish in the Gallant Bloom. She was also third in the Ballerina (gr. I) at Saratoga in her race prior to the Gallant Bloom.