European horses figure to command much of the attention in the $400,000 Man o' War Stakes (G2T).
The two that come to mind first are the Godolphin duo of Nations Pride and Silver Knott.
For those with short memories, Nations Pride, a homebred son of Teofilo, won last year's Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine and the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T) and Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) in 2022 as a 3-year-old for trainer Charlie Appleby.
Silver Knott is no slouch, either. The European-based son of Lope de Vega won the April 20 Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland and has placed twice in grade 1 stakes, including the 2022 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T)
There's also another starter in the May 11 1 3/8-mile turf stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack with European roots who just so happened to make a highly auspicious debut in the United States.
The Christophe Clement-trained Kertez began his career racing in Europe but relished the move to American shores as he won the March 30 Pan American Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park for his new connections in that aforementioned initial U.S. race.
Group 2-placed in Europe twice last year, he rallied from sixth in the mile-and-a-half Pan American to prevail by a nose over Harry Hood and another neck over stablemate Tawny Port in third—both of whom will return among a field of nine in the Man o' War.
"He was rank in the Pan American but still won. He's a beautiful horse with beautiful movement. He was impressive at Gulfstream," Clement said. "The European horses will be tough, but that's always the way it is. This was always the plan after the race at Gulfstream Park (to run in the Man o' War after the Pan American) and we'll stick with it."
Kertez, a 6-year-old gelded son of Intello, was bred by Wertheimer et Frere and was purchased and moved to the U.S. by the current connections of Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, and West Point Thoroughbreds. He was purchased for the equivalent of $158,604 at the Arqana-Saint Cloud The Arc Sale last year after previously racing for his breeder with trainer Andre Fabre.
Harry Hood, owned by Mashnee Stable and trained by Mark Hennig, was claimed for $50,000 last year and made his stakes debut in the Pan American, where the 4-year-old First Samurai gelding rallied from fifth but fell short by a nose.
Tawny Port, who is also trained by Clement, has been a revelation since moving to the turf. In six tries, he won the John's Call Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and lost by a neck two starts back in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T).
Owned by Peachtree Stable, the 5-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile is a multiple grade 3 winner on dirt.
"He's very game and he has a shot," Clement said. "He's looking good and training very well."
Belmont at the Big A, Saturday, May 11, 2024, Race 7Entries: Man o' War S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ohana Honor (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 118 Claude R. McGaughey III 6/1 2 2Kertez (GB) Joel Rosario 122 Christophe Clement 5/1 3 3So High (GB) Romero Ramsay Maragh 118 Naipaul Chatterpaul 20/1 4 4Harry Hood (KY) John R. Velazquez 118 Mark A. Hennig 15/1 5 5Tawny Port (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Christophe Clement 6/1 6 6Greek Order (GB) Jose Lezcano 118 William I. Mott 15/1 7 7Rocket and Roll (NY) Gokhan Kocakaya 118 Naipaul Chatterpaul 50/1 8 8Silver Knott (GB) Flavien Prat 122 Charles Appleby 3/1 9 9Nations Pride (IRE) Lanfranco Dettori 124 Charles Appleby 8/5
