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Any Given Saturday eyes Brooklyn

Haskell Invitational S. (G1) hero ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted Humor) highlights a field of five entered in Saturday's $150,000 Brooklyn H. (G2) at Belmont Park. A four-length winner of the Dwyer S. (G2) two starts back at Belmont, the Todd Pletcher-trained sophomore colt exits a smashing 4 1/2-length score in the Haskell at Monmouth Park, site of this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Garrett Gomez will return to the saddle aboard the 118-pound highweight.

"This will be his first start against older horses, but we thought this race would be a good stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Classic," Pletcher said. "We're trying to do what we did earlier this year when he won a one-turn race here (Dwyer) and then won around two turns at Monmouth."

Runner-up by a nose in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) to Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]), who recorded a track-record time in that event earlier this year, Any Given Saturday shrugged off an eighth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to record impressive performances in his last two outings. He'll face only two older rivals in the 1 1/8-mile Brooklyn: 2006 Brooklyn runner-up AWESOME TWIST (Awesome Again) and recent allowance/optional claiming winner TASTEYVILLE (With Approval).

SIGHTSEEING (Pulpit) and HELSINKI (Distorted Humor) are also entered. The Shug McGaughey-conditioned Sightseeing captured the Peter Pan S. (G2) in mid-May and will attempt to rebound from a fourth in the Travers S. (G1). Helsinki, who hails from the Nick Zito stable, rallied from far back to grab third-place honors in the Travers.

From the rail out, the Brooklyn contestants are Sightseeing, Javier Castellano, 114; Any Given Saturday; Tasteyville, Mike Luzzi, 114; Helsinki, Alan Garcia, 112; and Awesome Twist, Kent Desormeaux, 114.

The $150,000 Gallant Bloom H. (G2) will take place one race before the Brooklyn. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint lost some luster when Grade 1 victress Dream Rush (Wild Rush) was removed from consideration, but it still promises to be exciting with a competitive-looking group of five distaffers. Multiple Grade 1 winner PUSSYCAT DOLL (Real Quiet) is in the line-up for Bob Baffert, and GREAT INTENTIONS (Cat Thief) merits serious consideration for top honors. The Michael Hushion pupil owns a 3-1-0 mark from four previous outings on the track, including a four-length romp in last year's edition of the Gallant Bloom.

Sophomore filly PRINCESS JANIE (Elusive Quality) will make her first attempt versus elders off a sharp 6 3/4-length score in the Mongo Queen S. at Monmouth Park. The five-year-old mare JAZZY (Arg) (Mutakddim) exits a score in the Capades S. at Saratoga, and Grade 3 runner-up CUABA (Smoke Glacken) rounds out the field.

Great Intentions will lead the way to the post under a 115-pound impost that includes Castellano. Next comes Pussycat Doll, Shaun Bridgmohan, 119; Jazzy, Gomez, 115; Princess Janie, Jose Lezcano, 114; and Cuaba, Desormeaux, 115.


 


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