Mohaymen turns back in King’s Bishop, A.P. Indian seeks fifth straight in Forego

Fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) two starts ago, Mohaymen will turn back to a sprint for the first time since his juvenile season when he lines up for the $500,000 King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga. The gray Tapit colt tops a nice field of 13 3-year-olds.

The King’s Bishop is one of two dynamite 7-furlong races for males along with the $700,000 Forego (G1), which will feature a well-matched cast of 12 older horses.

Sprint champions Runhappy (2015), Lost in the Fog (2005) and Squirtle Squirt (2001) have captured the King’s Bishop en route to the Eclipse Award, but the precedent certainly exists for Mohaymen to be successful, with Triple Crown participants Discreetly Mine (2010), Visionaire (2008), Hard Spun (2007), More Than Ready (2000) and Honour and Glory (1996) all proving best in the last 20 years.

A leading Kentucky Derby contender on the East Coast following wins in the Remsen (G2), Holy Bull (G2) and Fountain of Youth (G2), Mohaymen sustained his first career defeat when finishing a well-beaten fourth to Nyquist in the Florida Derby (G1). He was freshened following the first leg of the Triple Crown, returning with a fourth as the favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy (G2) on July 30, racing evenly after a stumbling start.

After considering the 1 ¼-mile Travers, Kiaran McLaughlin is looking forward to the cutback in trip.

"It's huge, and if he wins it, it's off the charts," the trainer said. "He's won four Grade 2's and to win a (seven-furlong) Grade 1 is huge as a stallion. He's 2-for-2 around one turn. He broke his maiden at six (furlongs) and won the Nashua (G2) at a mile at Aqueduct."

Junior Alvarado retains the mount on Mohaymen.

Unplaced in the Kentucky Derby, Tom’s Ready showed a preference for 7-furlongs in the Woody Stephens (G2) on the Belmont Stakes undercard, rallying to win going away by 1 ¼-lengths. The Dallas Stewart-trained More Than Ready colt will try to make it two straight with Joel Rosario. Mind Your Biscuits merits respect following a 1 3/4-length score in the local prep, the July 30 Amsterdam (G2). The New York-bred son of Posse was making his first start versus open rivals last time for Robert Falcone Jr. and will add the services of John Velazquez.

The top three finishers from the July 9 Dwyer (G3) at Belmont Park -- Fish Trappe Road, Economic Model and Tale of S’avall – are all in with a chance in the deep field, and the exciting Summer Revolution will make his stakes bow with a 2-for-2 record, crushing allowance foes most recently at Saratoga. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, Summer Revolution will show speed with new rider Javier Castellano.

Bob Baffert has shipped in a promising pair from Del Mar, with Drefong and Jazzy Times trying stakes rivals off convincing allowance wins. The front-running colts registered triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings last out and are well-drawn toward the outside, with Jazzy Times breaking from post 9 with Rafael Bejarano and Drefong in the outermost gate with Mike Smith.

Bird Song is another up-and-coming sophomore making his stakes debut, winning a Saratoga allowance last out for Ian Wilkes. Rounding out the field are Rated R Superstar, who exits a rallying win in the Carry Back (G3); Noholdingback Bear, who invades from Woodbine after a runner-up against elders in the Bold Venture (G3); and Star Hill, who has posted a three-race string of thirds in the Indiana Derby (G2), Woody Stephens and Pat Day Mile (G3).

In the Forego, A.P. Indian will seek to remain perfect in his fifth start this year. The 6-year-old Indian Charlie gelding exits a 1 ¼-length win in the July 30 A.G. Vanderbilt (G1) over the track and the extra furlong appears to be of little concern considering the Arnold Delacour trainee is 3-for-3 at 7-furlongs. Regular rider Joe Bravo will be in for the mount.

Grade 2 victor Catalina Red also returns following a third in the Vanderbilt along with Grade 3 winner Anchor Down, who experienced a rough trip from the rail finishing sixth and draws better in post 5 Saturday. Marking and Ready for Rye, who finished second and third to A.P. Indian in the July 9 Belmont Sprint (G3) last out, will also take another crack at the likely favorite.

Stallwalkin Dude and Chief Lion, the top 2 from the August 12 Tale of the Cat at Saratoga, are also entered along with Limousine Liberal, who finished second in last year’s King’s Bishop and the same position most recently in the Smile Sprint (G2) at Gulfstream.

Mohaymen photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese

A.P. Indian courtesy of Chelsea Durand/Adam Coglianese Photography