Bourbon War Steps Up to Graded Company in Remsen Stakes

As the siren call to the Run for the Roses begins to lure the most talented juveniles of the coming season, seven promising colts seeking their first stakes victory will line up in the gate Dec. 1 to contest the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

As one of four stakes on the Cigar Mile Day card at the New York track, the 105th running of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen marks the first of five races held at Aqueduct as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. The winner will be awarded 10 points toward a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, with the following three awarded points on a 4-2-1 scale. 

Entering fresh off an impressive maiden win in his Nov. 14 debut at Aqueduct, Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable's Bourbon War has drawn post 3 for Saturday's race and will partner with Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time. Trained by Mark Hennig, the 2-year-old Tapit  colt is the first foal out of My Conquestadory, who took the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland at 2.

"He's doing well. We discussed it Tuesday morning and came to the conclusion that we'd fit with this group," Hennig said. "The timing is a little less than ideal, but he seems like he's been sharp and bright since his race, so we figured we'd take a chance.

"He's a horse who all along I thought would need to run and need more ground. I never anticipated that he's the horse who would run the race of his life in his first start. I think there's plenty of upside. The timing is a question mark, but he's acting like he's up to it. I think he'll be up to the challenge."

Trainer Robert Reid Jr. and owners Cash is King and LC Racing will send out Maximus Mischief, who is 2-for-2 at Parx Racing. The son of Into Mischief  has turned in three bullet works since taking a seven-furlong allowance race by six lengths Oct. 20. 

"He hasn't missed a beat in training. We couldn't be any happier," Reid said. "He's got a real good head on his shoulders. Nothing bothers him. It's a big jump with an extra quarter of a mile, but all indications to me is that it shouldn't be a problem.

"We're asking a lot on this one. It's the first time shipping and the first time around two turns with the added distance, so he's going to have to step up."

Maximus Mischief was bred in Kentucky out of the Songandaprayer mare Reina Maria, a half sister to grade 1 winner Secret Compass. 

Joining them in the field will be Florida-bred Network Effect, who will step up to graded company for the second time after finishing runner up in the Nov. 4 Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown. Owned by Klaravich Stables, the son of Mark Valeski  broke his maiden Aug. 11 at Saratoga Race Course. 

Jockey Javier Castellano will have the mount from post 5 and will be vying for his second Remsen Stakes win. The Hall of Fame jockey took the race in 2013 aboard future Eclipse Award-winning older horse Honor Code . 

Another horse to watch is Stronach Stables' Jungle Warrior, who will have the rail trip with jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons. The Animal Kingdom  colt will also be making his second attempt to secure a graded stakes score since breaking his maiden Aug. 4 at Woodbine. The colt finished fifth to Fog of War last out in the Sept. 16 Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine. 

Entries: Remsen S. (G2)

Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, December 01, 2018, Race 8

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 2 yo
• 3:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Jungle Warrior (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	James A. Jerkens	8/1
2	2Chinomado (FL)	Luis R. Reyes	118	Jaime Mejia	50/1
3	3Bourbon War (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Mark A. Hennig	5/1
4	4Gladiator King (KY)	Julian Pimentel	118	Jaime Mejia	15/1
5	5Network Effect (FL)	Javier Castellano	118	Chad C. Brown	7/5
6	6Maximus Mischief (KY)	Frankie Pennington	118	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	6/5
7	7Tax (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Danny Gargan	15/1