Laurie

Ashley

1. J J Zo Zo (20-1)

J J Zo Zo switched to a pacesetting style in his third
start. He showed his tenacity dueling every step of the way, putting away an
early rival with a 21.67-second first quarter and a 45.29-second half. While fighting down
the lane, J J Zo Zo was passed by a neck but fought back while on the rail to
win by a head against state-bred maidens. I mention this because many debuting
2-year-olds get intimidated on the rail and will back down when passed. J J
Zo Zo returned to dominate the six-furlong Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth by
8 1/2 lengths in a paid workout. The Jose Lozano Sanchez trainee drifted
slightly before straightening out and stayed to task down the lane. J J Zo Zo
galloped under the finish line in 1:11.27, completing his final furlong in
12.65 seconds. He earned an 87 Brisnet speed rating and a decent 91 late pace figure,
considering he was under a hand ride. J J Zo Zo recorded two five-furlong pre-race
works in 50.8 seconds at Monmouth.

By Sea Wizard (Uncle Mo), J J Zo Zo is out of the winning
Stephen Got Even mare, Lost Princess, so a mile should be within his scope. However,
his family is light on graded black type; the most accomplished runner in J J
Zo Zo’s family is the multiple graded winner Horologist.

J J Zo Zo has 21-second first-quarter speed from the rail and
does his best as a pacesetter. He’s gritty, experienced, and won’t back down
from a fight. The question is how his class stakes up against this caliber of
rivals. Sometimes heart takes them further than breeding. Exotics play.

Trained by Jose Lozano Sanchez, J J Zo Zo ships in from
Monmouth, where he’s made all four of his career starts. In his first couple
of starts, J J Zo Zo pressed the pace, finishing third in his debut and fifth in
his second start. Sanchez switched up tactics and put the colt on the lead,
and he responded beautifully, getting his picture taken in his third start
and then following that up with a smashing 8 1/2-length victory in the six-furlong, $104,000 Smoke Glacken Stakes. If you feel like there’s a “but”
coming, it’s because there is. J J Zo Zo’s first three races were against New
Jersey-breds. The Smoke Glacken was an open race, but J J Zo Zo beat a bunch
of career maidens; the other seven entrants in the field have combined for
precisely two wins. To be fair, the third-place finisher Antisocial debuted
in the Smoke Glacken. Sanchez has never saddled a graded stakes winner. Jorge
Ruiz gets the call for the first time and has a 17 percent win clip with a 60 percent in-the-money rate over the last 30 days. Pass.

2. Tip Top Thomas (7-2)

Tip Top Thomas pressed a 21.95-second first quarter in his six-furlong
debut at Saratoga. He dueled to the wire with the gallant pacesetter while
holding off a late charge by another rival. It was an exciting close finish,
and the Todd Pletcher trainee out gamed them by a head. Tip Top Thomas
stopped the clock in 1:10.46, with a 12.93-second final furlong, earning a 93
Brisnet rating and a low 87 late-pace figure.

Two rivals returned, and both placed second at the same
level.

Tip Top Thomas recorded a trio of 4-furlong works in the 48 to 50-seconds range for the Champagne. The works were slower than his debut
pre-race breezes.

By eighth-ranked first-crop sire Volatile (Violence), Tip Top Thomas
is half to the multiple stakes-winning sprinter Gray Attempt and to Dua, who
was third in last year’s Chandelier (G2) and Sorrento (G3). Tip Top Thomas
may duel or press J J Zo Zo, but the classy colt has the advantage of Irad
Ortiz, Jr. in the saddle. Exotics play.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Tip Top Thomas debuted a winner
at Saratoga in a six-furlong, $100,000 maiden event. Only two of his nine
rivals have made subsequent starts since that race on Aug. 24, but those two
both finished second in their next starts. The colt closely pressed the pace
from second, was set down for the drive in the stretch, and took over from
the leader in deep stretch while fending off the late charge of the
third-place finisher. He received an 80 Equibase speed figure. Irad Ortiz,
Jr. has the return call. Contender.

3. Lethal Speed (50-1)

Lethal Speed closed from off the pace to graduate at
first, asking in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden event at Gulfstream Park. The Shivananda
Parbhoo trainee couldn’t keep up with the early pace and traveled near the
center of the track, about eight wide. He was slightly erratic down the stretch
from reacting to the whip, but jockey Jonathan Ocasio realized this and
switched to a hand ride. Lethal Speed targeted and passed other horses,
winning by a half-length, earning an 80 speed rating. His 80 late pace
figure is the lowest in the Champagne field.

Lethal Speed returned with two four-furlong works, the
latest at Belmont, in a slow 51.0 seconds.

Kantharos’s son is the first competitor out of the
winning Unusual Heat mare Lethal Legacy. The mare’s full sister, Lethal Heat,
is a multiple-graded winning sprinter and multiple Grade 1 placed. Despite
the sprinter/miler pedigree, Lethal Speed needs to improve to be competitive
here. At best, he could hope for a lower exotics placing if the pace is fast.
Pass.

Trained by Shivananda Parbhoo, Lethal Speed debuted a
winner at Gulfstream Park last month in a 6 1/2-furlong, $65,000 maiden event.
Of his ten rivals, only runner-up Rafid has made another start; Rafid is
winless in three starts but did finish second in the Aventura Stakes two
weeks after losing to Lethal Speed. Lethal Speed earned a 70 Equibase speed
figure for his debut. Parbhoo has just two graded stakes winners to his name
and hasn’t won a graded stakes since Trinniberg won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup
Sprint. Parbhoo, who only trains horses owned by his family, took a
hiatus beginning in May 2013 and just returned to the barns last year. Jose
Antonio Gomez gets the call. Pass.

4. Mo Plex (12-1)

Undefeated in all three starts, Mo Plex overcame trouble
and successfully rated in the Funny Cide Stakes against state-breds. The Jeremiah
Englehart trainee stumbled at the start and drifted out, then settled three
wide early behind the pace. He hung a little and drifted down the lane but
picked up the pace again once he came closer to his rivals, winning the photo
by a nose. Mo Plex completed six furlongs in 1:11.72, getting his final furlong
in 13.32 seconds. He has been training well for the Champagne, including a bullet four furlongs in :47.30 on Sept. 15.

By third-ranked first-crop sire Complexity (Maclean’s Music), Mo Plex is the first foal out
of an unraced half-sister to the multiple stakes-winning miler Little Daddy. Mo
Plex’s third dam is Florida Oaks (G3) winner and Grade 1-placed Anklet. Mo
Plex’s speed ratings are consistently in the high 80’s, and his late pace
figures are in the low 80’s. He has a nose for the wire and has overcome
trouble, plus he’s a Grade 3 winner. Exotics.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, Mo Plex is undefeated in
three career starts. The colt won a 5 1/2-furlong, $75,000 New York-bred event
in his debut. He followed that up with a score in the Sanford (G3) and the six-furlong, $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes for New York-breds. Mo Plex is a front
runner and earned a career-high 89 Equibase speed figure in his debut along
with a 79 in the Sanford (G3) and an 83 in the Funny Cide. Irad Ortiz, Jr.
was up for all three of those starts but will be replaced by Manny Franco since
he’s sticking with Tip Top Thomas. I’m not a huge fan of two of his wins
coming in state-bred company, however, he also won a graded stakes at
Saratoga. Contender.

5. Uncaged (9-2)

Uncaged lived up to his $450,000 Keeneland yearling price
by winning a six-furlong maiden event at first asking over a muddy Saratoga
track. He tracked the early pace and circled the pacesetters about six wide.
The Todd Pletcher trainee passed rivals, and the closers couldn’t keep up.
Uncaged won by 1 3/4 lengths and galloped out in front, looking like he could
go around again. He stopped the clock in 1:10.55 with a 12.71-second final furlong,
and earned a 92 speed rating with an 89 late pace figure. After his maiden victory,
Uncaged returned to the worktab, breezing 5 furlongs in 1:01.10, faster than
his pre-race work, which is a good sign. Since then, he’s had a consistent
series of four-furlong breezes in the 48 to 49-second range.

Curlin’s son has a classic pedigree. He’s the third foal
and second winner out of Delaware Oaks (G3) heroine Dark Nile. That one was
the only foal out of her unraced dam, but Uncaged’s third dam, Tres Coronas
is a stakes winner and Grade 3-placed miler. Uncaged took dirt and won going
away in his debut. He can improve off the effort and should love the extra
distance. Contender.

Also hailing from the Todd Pletcher barn, Uncaged debuted
a winner in a 6-furlong, $100,000 maiden event in the slop at Saratoga. So
far, none from that race has returned winners. Uncaged earned an 81 Equibase
speed figure for his effort. Pletcher is 18 percent with a 52 perce t in the money rate
with runners moving from a sprint to a route. Joel Rosario takes over from
Irad Ortiz, Jr., who again is sticking with Tip Top Thomas. Contender.

6. Vekoma Rides (8-1)

Vekoma Rides relaxed early in his debut, with ears
flopping while pressing the pace. He switched to business mode, flattening
his ears when asked for his best, made short work of his rivals, and then
coasted home with his ears up. The John Kimmel trainee traveled six furlongs
over a fast Aqueduct surface in 1:12.81, with a 12.80-second final furlong, while
not being asked for his best. He earned a 90 speed rating with a 92 late pace
figure, the second-highest in the Champagne field.

Vekoma Rides posted a steady pre-race breeze for the
Champagne, going 4-furlongs in 49.3 seconds, and a second-to-last bullet in 47.4 seconds.

By second-ranked first-crop sire Vekoma (Candy Ride), Vekoma Rides
is the sixth foal out of a Mr. Greeley mare, and none of his siblings own
black type. However, his extended family is stuffed with elite winners,
including graded winners and sires Congrats, Flatter, Eastern Echo, and
Roar. Vekoma Rides is inbred 3 x 4 to the superior mare, Long Legend, as she’s
Vekoma’s third dam and Mr. Greeley’s dam.

Vekoma Rides has high knee action with upright movement,
but I liked his push-button reaction when he switched from relaxed to
competitive back to relaxed. Contender.

Trained by John Kimmel, Vekoma Rides debuted a winner in
a six-furlong, $90,000 maiden event here at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. After
initially pressing the pace, Vekoma Rides took over, drew away and was eased
up approaching the wire, winning by a comfortable five lengths. He received an
82 Equibase speed figure, and, since the race was on Sept. 14, it’s tough
to say exactly what he beat since none of them have made subsequent starts.
Over the past five years, Kimmel is 16 percent with a 41 percent in the money rate with
runners coming off an 8-30 day layoff but just seven percent with a 26 percent in the money
rate in graded stakes, per Race Lens. Kimmel is also winless across the board in
stakes races in the last year. Kendrick Carmouche retains the mount. Use
underneath.

7. Smoken Wicked (12-1)

Smoken Wicked’s final placing has decreased the farther
he goes. He closed for a distant second place in the six-furlong Bashford
Manor, was third, bested 3 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2 furlong Saratoga Special. In
the seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes, Smoken Wicked was pressed early, put away a
rival, then tired a bit while arguing with the horse to his inside, and
couldn’t stave off the late drives of Chancer McPatrick, finishing 3 1/4
lengths behind in fourth place. Despite losing ground in the stretch of his
last three starts, the Dallas Stewart trainee’s speed ratings have climbed
from 79 to 94.

Smoken Wicked traveled back to Churchill after the
Hopeful Stakes. The sprinter’s Sept. 14 solo breeze of four furlongs in 50.4 seconds
was performed comfortably under a loose rein, the rider sitting chilly. He
returned with 1:01.30 five-furlong move at Churchill for the Champagne.

First-crop sire Bobby’s Wicked One (Speightstown) captured the Commonwealth Stakes (G3)
and placed in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1). Smoken Wicked is the second
runner and first winner in his immediate family. There’s little black type in
his family, although his second dam, Magic Smoke, won a stakes as a
2-year-old. Smoken Wicked has out-performed his $38,000 purchase price, but
he has a sprinter’s pedigree, and against this competition, a mile may be too
far. Pass.  

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Smoken Wicked debuted a winner
in a 4 1/2-furlong, $34,000 maiden event for Louisiana-breds. He won by 7 1/2-lengths for then trainer Sturges Ducoing with a 68 Equibase speed figure.
The colt was transferred to Stewart prior to his second start, a distant second
in the $225,000 Bashford Manor. He then finished third in the Saratoga Special
(G2) and fourth in the Hopeful (G1) after doing all the early leg work. Smoken
Wicked’s speed figures have improved with each start, and he’s also
progressively been asked to race longer distances with each start. Stewart is eight percent with a 16 percent in the money rate with sprint-to-route runners in the last year
and 15 percent with a 25 percent in the money clip in graded stakes during that same time
period, per Race Lens. Dylan Davis, who has not paired with Stewart in the
past year, has the call and will be Smoken Wicked’s fifth different jockey in
as many starts. Use underneath.

8. Colonel Bob (30-1)

Colonel Bob had a paid workout in his Parx debut,
settling behind the pace early before taking command and drawing off by 5 1/4
lengths. He was slow to switch leads in the stretch but was otherwise
professional. Five rivals returned, one won, and two were third in their next
start. The Robert Reid, Jr. trainee completed seven furlongs in 1:25.93, and his
final furlong in 12.70 seconds without being asked. He earned an 82 speed rating,
with a strong 91 late pace figure.

After his maiden victory, Colonel Bob returned to the
worktab with a sharp four furlongs in 47.4 seconds, quicker than his previous works.
He drilled a pre-race bullet four furlongs in 47 seconds flat, and should be on his
toes. 

By the Canadian-bred stallion Yorkton (Speightstown), Colonel
Bob is one of 14 foals produced by the winning Petionville mare, Honorville. Colonel
Bob’s half-sister Shoobiedoobydoo is a stakes-placed turf sprinter. Colonel
Bob’s third dam is a graded placed turf router; otherwise, there’s little
blacktype in this distaff line. Colonel Bob is quick by Parx standards. He’s
training well, but historically, horses from Parx don’t translate their
winning form to Aqueduct stakes races. Pass.

I got really excited when I saw this colt’s name thinking
that he was an imported son of the late Bob and John. Then reality smacked me
in the face when I remembered that Bob and John had passed away in Korea in
2018. But back to business. Trained by Robert E. Reid, Jr., Colonel Bob
debuted as a winner at Parx in a seven-furlong, $50,000 maiden event. Only one
rival from that field has gone on to become a winner; the eighth-place
finisher dropped into maiden claiming company in his next start and got the
win. He received a lowly 67 Equibase speed figure for the 5 1/4-length victory.
Jaime Rodriguez takes over from Mychel Sanchez. Pass.

9. Executive Order (15-1)

After pressing the early pace in his debut, Executive
Order dueled with the pacesetter and got caught up arguing briefly, but Jose
Lezcano urged him to move forward. The pair separated from their tiring foe
and won the 6 1/2 furlong contest by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:17.98 with a 6.86-second final
half-furlong. Executive Order earned a good 92 speed rating but a low 87
late-pace figure.

Executive Order paddles with his right foreleg, and his
action isn’t pretty, but he got the job done. However, he had the ultimate
equipment change shortly after the race and was reported as a gelding a few
days later.

Philip Serpe’s charge recorded two average works for the
Champagne over Belmont’s training track: four furlongs in 49 seconds flat, and five furlongs
in 1:02.2.

By Unified (Candy Ride), Executive Order is the fifth
foal and second winner out of the multiple stakes-winning sprinter, Reds
Round Table, who is the most accomplished runner in three generations of the
distaff line. Maybe he’ll hit the exotics, but I’m looking elsewhere. Pass.

Trained by Philip Serpe, Executive Order laid down the
law in his debut, winning a 6 1/2-furlong, $80,000 maiden event at Saratoga by
7 3/4 lengths. Most of that field has not made subsequent starts, and the ones
that have failed to get their pictures taken. Serpe has just two graded
stakes victories in the last five years, both with Leave No Trace, making him
13 percent with a 40 percent in the money clip during that timeframe. Serpe is excellent at
stretching his runners out with a 33 percent win rate and 53 percent in the money clip with
sprint-to-route runners over the last year, per Race Lens. Jose Lezcano gets
the return call. Live longshot.

10. Chancer McPatrick (6-5)

The undefeated Chancer McPatrick had trouble at the start
of the Hopeful Stakes, slamming against the gate while coming out sideways,
then bumping hard with Mentee to his inside, causing Flavien Prat to lose his
iron briefly. That left Chancer McPatrick 9 1/2 lengths behind the pace. The
pair made a sustained drive and circled the field wide enough for Prat to
grab a beer from the clubhouse. Chancer McPatrick hooked up with Ferocious to
his inside, who picked up on Chancer McPatrick’s passing momentum. Yet, Chancer
McPatrick outgamed that one to the wire by a half-length, finishing seven
furlongs in 1:23.44 with a 12.33-second final furlong. Chancer McPatrick earned a 99
speed rating and an outstanding 110 late-pace figure, the highest in the
Champagne field.

Chad Brown’s charge recorded a trio of 4-furlongs breezes
for the Champagne in the 48 to 49-second range.

By fifth-ranked first-crop sire McKinzie (Street Sense), Chancer
McPatrick is the third foal and second winner in his immediate family. His
second dam is Alcibiades (G1) heroine and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)
runner-up Dream Empress. Contender.

Trained by Chad Brown, Chancer McPatrick is undefeated in
two starts. The colt won his debut in a 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 maiden event at
Saratoga. He built on that by winning the Hopeful (G1) in his second start
despite hitting the gate, playing bumper cars, and Prat losing one of his
irons. That is quite a lot of things to go wrong for a juvenile in their
second start, but he handled himself like a professional. Chancer McPatrick
received an 82 Equibase speed figure for his unveiling and a field and career-best
92 for the Hopeful (G1). This colt is a closer, so the outside post shouldn’t
hinder his chances at all. Flavien Prat retains the mount. Contender.