Soontobeking tangled with both open and statebred stakes competition last summer at Saratoga. After 11 months of continued stakes seasoning, the hard-knocking colt returns to the Spa in the $200,000 Mike Lee Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on Wednesday’s state showcase card.
Last July, Soontobeking was fifth in the Grade 3 Sanford, won by Mo Plex. Soontobeking had an excuse, as he was bumped at the start. With a cleaner trip, he was a much improved second to Mo Plex in the statebred Funny Cide in August, making a bold move between horses and leading in the stretch before getting nailed at the wire.
Since then, Soontobeking has made eight starts, with five placings in as many New York-bred stakes, including a win in the Gander going a mile on March 8 at Aqueduct.
“You appreciate the horses that always show up, and he does,” trainer George Weaver said. “He just overcomes with try.”
Soontobeking emerged from the Gander to shorten up to 6 1/2 furlongs on a muddy track in the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series. He raced in second throughout and kept on with good courage to be beaten 3 1/2 lengths by the front-running Prince Valiant, who has won three straight starts since finishing third in his debut for Todd Pletcher.
Soontobeking and Prince Valiant are both by the Uncle Mo stallion King for a Day, whose racing and stallion profiles suggest that the colts will continue to improve as 3-year-olds.
Grade 1-placed Mo Plex, a multiple open stakes winner who was third in the Gander, would have loomed large against familiar foe Soontobeking and upstart Prince Valiant in the Mike Lee. However, he will be forced to scratch, as Barn 85 at Saratoga Race Course, where he resides for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, was placed under a 14-day quarantine on May 30 due to a positive case of strangles, a highly contagious bacterial infection that generally affects a horse’s respiratory system.
Train the Trainer was second to the well-regarded Goal Oriented on debut in California for Mark Glatt. Goal Oriented went on to finish fourth in the Preakness. Train the Trainer was transferred to trainer Rob Atras to race in his birth state.
“Obviously, was pretty excited to get that call they were going to send him to New York to run,” Atras said. “He’s a very straightforward horse, very classy.”
Train the Trainer won his maiden for Atras at Aqueduct, rolling by five lengths against 3-year-old and up statebreds in early May. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84, which stacks up well in the division. Prince Valiant and Mo Plex each own career bests of 88.
“He’s still just a little bit green, but you can tell the ability is there,” Atras said. “We know there’s a couple tough ones in there, [but] I think it’s not out of the question he can improve.”
Bouwerie Stakes
In the sister race to the Mike Lee, the $200,000 Bouwerie Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies, Bernieandtherose will be going for her third straight stakes win against statebreds.
Bernieandtherose, who is by a Kentucky stallion in Accelerate but out of a mare by New York kingpin Freud, has won four of five career starts for Domenick Schettino. All of her wins have come at seven furlongs – the distance of Wednesday’s race – or at a mile.
Bernieandtherose is coming off stakes victories at Aqueduct against some of her Bouwerie foes. She won the East View at seven furlongs on Feb. 8 over Storm Changer and the Maddie May at a mile on March 8, with Howling Wind finishing third.
“She’s training forwardly and she’s doing very well,” said Schettino.
Bernieandtherose will be making her first start in about three months. Schettino is excited to get her started again and looks forward to stretching her out this summer.
Storm Changer was fifth in the Maddie May but bounced back to win the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series.
Charlotte’s Heart won her only start in her native New York in her debut on the Saratoga turf last year. She made her next three starts against open stakes company on Woodbine’s synthetic track, competing creditably.
She intrigues, as she will likely be tighter in her second start off a layoff and as she moves to dirt for the first time. Although she has run well on turf and synthetic, her sire, Kentucky resident Authentic, suggests she could relish the surface.
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