Imperial Hint Tries for First Grade I in Vanderbilt

[Wandering Eyes]

Raymond Mamone’s diminutive 5-year-old Imperial Hint (Imperialism) came into last fall’s GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint on a five-race winning streak and nearly extended that to six before dropping a one-length decision to eventual champion Roy H (More Than Ready) at Del Mar. Two more wins later, he gets another shot at his first Grade I in Saturday’s GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga.

Dominating a Parx optional claimer in December of 2016, the dark bay repeated in the Fire Plug S., the GIII General George S., the GIII Smile Sprint S. and the Donald LeVine Memorial S., the last effort coming with a 109 Beyer. Comfortably annexing the Florida-bred Sprint S. in his seasonal debut Mar. 25 at Tampa, he suffered a rare defeat when sixth in the GII Churchill Downs S. before gutting out a game victory in the GII True North S. last out June 8 at Belmont to run his record to an impressive 10-for-16.

One of two other graded stakes winners in the field is Churchill Downs Racing Club’s Warrior’s Club (Warrior’s Reward), who has enjoyed a breakout 4-year-old campaign. Upsetting the GIII Commonweatlh S. at 23-1 Apr. 7 at Keeneland, he legitimized that effort when second by a head at the same price in the Churchill Downs. Second-last in the GI Metropolitan H., he comes in off of a third in the Kelly’s Landing S. June 30 in Louisville.

Woodford Racing’s Switzerland (Speightstown) spent the first seven starts of his career burning money, but has turned the corner this term. Losing at 2-5, 9-10, 2-5, 4-5, 7-2, 9-5 and 2-1 at three, he finally broke through in the Aqueduct slop Feb. 16. Transferred from Chad Brown to Steve Asmussen’s outfit after that, he has reeled off three straight comfortable tallies, including a 3 1/2-length score in the GIII Maryland Sprint S. when last seen May 19 at Pimlico.

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