If graded stakes winner Endlessly becomes a top older turf horse, which is still a big “if,” he will show signs of it Saturday when he drops in class for his third start following a long layoff. But the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes is no easy spot for horses in murky form. Endlessly starts from post 11 in the turf mile, facing legit rivals that include stakes winners Bran and Air Force Red, class-drop closer Almendares, improving front-runner Final Boss, comebacker Nineeleventurbo, and Grade 1 winner Beyond Brilliant, making in his first start since 2022.
One thing Endlessly has going for him is upside. A four-time stakes winner on turf and synthetic early in his career, the 4-year-old colt has not improved since his ninth-place finish in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Maybe he plateaued. Maybe he deserves another chance.
Michael McCarthy trains Endlessly, who was off more than nine months prior to his third-place comeback in the Grade 3 American Stakes in April at Santa Anita.
“His comeback was very good, and he trained very well” afterward, McCarthy said.
The trainer expected improvement and shipped Endlessly to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Manhattan, which was scheduled for June 7 and postponed to June 8. The trip did not go as McCarthy hoped. He said he knew Endlessly was up against it “when the race was postponed, moved from the outer to the inner, and shortened. If you don’t have speed on the inner, you’re no good.”
Endlessly lagged near the back and rallied to sixth in a race won by the pacesetter. McCarthy will add blinkers to Endlessly on Saturday. Hector Berrios fills in for Umberto Rispoli, who is at Monmouth Park to ride McCarthy-trained Journalism in the Grade 1 Haskell.
Although McCarthy acknowledged Endlessly “is probably more effective going a mile and an eighth,” Endlessly is qualified to win the restricted Wickerr, which goes as race 7 on a card that includes the Grade 2 San Clemente for 3-year-old fillies and four maiden races for 2-year-olds.
Bran figures among the Wickerr favorites, stretching out from a pair of runner-up finishes in turf-sprint stakes. Primarily a sprinter, Bran finished third in the 2022 Wickerr and won a Del Mar route allowance last summer. Vincent Cheminaud rides Bran for trainer John Sadler, who also entered Final Boss. The Wickerr pace is likely to be set by Final Boss or Air Force Red.
Almendares, the beaten favorite in the Wickerr last summer, will be rolling late while dropping in class from a close fourth in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile. Phil D’Amato trains Almendares, whose rider is Antonio Fresu.
Watsonville is an upset candidate, stretching out from a turf-sprint comeback prep. Bran and Air Force Red finished second and third in that race, and trainer Mark Glatt was satisfied with the fifth-place finish by Watsonville.
“He ran evenly, he showed interest. I thought the race served its purpose,” Glatt said.
Tiago Pereira rides Grade 2 winner Watsonville, who prefers two turns.
Beyond Brilliant won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in 2021 at Del Mar, but he has not raced since November 2022. John Shirreffs trains Beyond Brilliant, whose rider is Drayden Van Dyke.
In addition to the Wickerr and San Clemente, which goes as race 9, the Saturday card includes a quartet of five-furlong maiden races for 2-year-olds. Race 1 first-time starter Mohaven has shown workout speed and might be the right choice against California-bred fillies. Race 4 entrant Sagunto has worked well for his debut against California-breds.
Race 6 firsters Cherry Cider and Super Corredora figure to dominate the betting in the special-weight for fillies. Race 8, a California-bred split of race 4, includes second-time starter No Joke Antares. His third-place debut was better than it looks, and he can spring an upset.
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