Stephens Runners Hope for Saner Pace in Amsterdam

[Wandering Eyes]

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more enervating pace in New York racing this year than the one that developed on the June 9 GI Belmont S. undercard in the GII Woody Stephens S. The race, a typical landing spot for 3-year-old colts who have shown speed but not the stamina required to compete in the Triple Crown series, had all of that speed on that display, as the leader clicked through a quarter-mile in :21.46 and a half in :43.68. Saturday, several of the pace actors from that day will return in the GII Amsterdam S. hoping for an easier early tempo and thus, a more successful outcome.

Leading the vanguard in the Woody Stephens was Robert Baron’s Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford), who pulled off an 18-1, frontrunning shocker in the GII Fountain of Youth S. in March. Setting a scorching pace in the GI Florida Derby, he backed up to finish last and was 15th in the GI Kentucky Derby after leading Triple Crown winner (Justify) through the first half-mile. Considering how hard he had to run at Belmont, the $37,000 Keeneland September pickup ran a remarkable race to finish third.

Chasing from second in the Woody Stephens and ending up a neck behind Promises Fulfilled on the wire was World of Trouble (Kantharos). Capturing his debut against $25,000 maiden claimers by 14 lengths last August at Gulfstream, the bay was second in the Florida Sire Affirmed S. in September and romped by 13 3/4 lengths in the Pasco S. Jan. 20 at Tampa. Tried around two turns in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, he flattened late to finish third.

Courtlandt Farms’ ‘TDN Rising Star’ Strike Power (Speightstown) turned heads when romping by eight lengths with a 102 Beyer in his unveiling last December at Gulfstream, and he followed that up with a more workmanlike score in the GIII Swale S. Second behind Promises Fulfilled in the Fountain of Youth, he was one spot in front of that one when eighth in the Florida Derby, but was well-beaten by his familiar foe when eighth in the Woody Stephens.

Woodford Racing’s Engage (Into Mischief) is the only one of the four coming out of the Stephens hoping for a repeat. Sitting far enough back to get a bit of a breather that day, the $550,000 OBS March purchase rallied to be second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Promises Fulfilled. The Chad Brown pupil has yet to be out of the exacta in six starts.

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