Undefeated in two starts, Tuskegee Airmen raises the stakes on Saturday when he travels to New York to headline a field of seven 2-year-olds in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct.
A son of Street Sense trained by John Servis, he will test graded company for the first time in the 9-furlong Remsen, after beginning his career at Parx and Delaware Park.
A debut winner going seven furlongs at Parx in late September, Tuskegee Airmen became a stakes winner three weeks after that with an impressive victory in the one-mile Rocky Run at Delaware Park.
Chief among his challengers on Saturday is the stakes winner Arctic Arrogance. A New York-bred son of Frosted, he has collected two wins and a second in three starts for trainer Linda Rice.
A debut winner at Saratoga, he came back to finish second in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Aqueduct, before rolling in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes, also at the Big A. Saturday will be his first start against open company.
The $250,000 Remsen is a qualifier for the 2023 Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis to the first five finishers.
Remsen Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis
Tuskegee Airmen
This son of Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Street Sense will look to prove himself in graded stakes company in New York on Saturday, and judging from his first two starts, he has a big shot.
Trained by John Servis of Smarty Jones fame, this undefeated colt finished full of run in his first two starts, winning smartly in a 7-furlong maiden race at Parx and a one-mile listed stakes race at Delaware Park.
The stakes are higher here, but he gives every indication of being a colt of class and one that will appreciate the added distance of the Remsen. With good early pace in here, he should come running again. He is the top pick.
Arctic Arrogance
This son of Frosted has shown plenty of talent in his first three starts for trainer Linda Rice. He has also shown plenty of speed in collecting two wins and a second in his first three starts. The last two came in stakes races, including a convincing score in the Sleepy Hollow at Aqueduct.
On the down side, the likely second choice has done all his running to date against fellow New York-breds and must now prove himself against open company.
He also must prove he can handle the stretch-out to two turns and nine furlongs. With other speed in the race, I am going to take a stand against him here.
Dubyuhnell
This well-bred son of Good Magic was able to break his maiden in his second start when he rallied wide to win going away on a sloppy track at Aqueduct. Clearly things will get tougher on Saturday, but so far, I like what I see.
Given some time after the win, he will be making his first start in eight weeks for trainer Danny Gargan. He has also found a spot where he is one of only two horses in the field proven to be able to rally.
Fourth in his debut at Saratoga, the winner has come back to become a graded stakes winner. I like him second best here only behind Tuskegee Airmen.
Il Miracolo
Antonio Sano trains this Florida shipper who broke through last time with an impressive maiden victory after finishing second in his first three starts.
Though well beaten in the race before that, he did run behind Mr. Ripple, who could be one of the more talented juveniles in the nation. A son of Gun Runner out of a Tapit mare, this chestnut colt should only get better as the distances increase.
Breaking from the rail, he will likely need to show early foot like he did in maiden score last month. He looks like a colt who is learning things and looks to be a viable value play in Saturday’s Remsen going 1 1/8-miles.
Midnight Trouble
This son of Midnight Lute ships in from Delaware Park where he has two wins and six top three finishes in six career starts. He is one of several horses in the race who should be forwardly placed early.
A winner of two straight to close out the summer, he graduated to stakes competition in the last two and has been competitive in both. Having said that, he had little answer for the stretch drive of Tuskegee Airmen last time in the Rocky Run.
While that one is my top pick, this one will need to do better to be a serious threat to him and the rest here.
Quick to Accuse
The second New York-bred in the field, this Horacio De Paz-trained bay finished 4 1/2-lengths behind Arctic Arrogance last time when second in the Sleepy Hollow.
Prior to that he was a near ten-length winner of a one-mile maiden race at Aqueduct in his second career start. Like everyone in the field, this will be his longest race yet and that could work to his favor as he looks to turn the tables on his New York-bred rival.
Still, I think there is more to this race than just beating Arctic Arrogance. He’s in with a chance, though, and could offer solid value as one of the longer shots in the field.
Prove Right
The most experienced young horse in the field, this son of Justify has only one official win in eight starts, but was taken down from the victory one other time.
Both times he crossed the wire first came in races shorter than six furlongs. His most recent effort was his longest try yet, and after setting the pace, he faded late to finish third in the local Grade 3 Nashua.
He is one of several who could be involved in the early pace, but of the likely pacesetters, others look more appealing.
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