Discreetly Mine is the one to beat in Amsterdam

Grade 2 scorer DISCREETLY MINE (Mineshaft) tops a field of 10 sophomores in Monday's

$150,000

Amsterdam S. (G2), a 6 1/2-furlong event at Saratoga that serves as a prep

for the King's Bishop S. (G1) on August 28. A convincing 1 1/4-length winner of

the six-furlong Jersey Shore S. (G3) in his last outing, the Todd Pletcher

trainee has been installed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line.

A versatile colt who broke his maiden last year at the Spa going the

Amsterdam distance, Discreetly Mine captured the 1 1/16-mile Risen Star (G2) at

the Fair Grounds and finished a close fourth in the nine-furlong Louisiana Derby

(G2) in advance of the 1 1/4-mile mile Kentucky Derby (G1), in which he was 13th

behind stablemate Super Saver (Maria's Mon) after a rough trip.

"He's the kind of horse that does a lot of things well," said Pletcher of

Discreetly Mine, who was second to D' Funnybone (D'wildcat) in the seven-furlong

Woody Stephens (G2) two starts back. "His last two races sprinting have been

good. That's not to say we won't stretch him out down the road, but hopefully

this will be a springboard to the (seven-furlong) King's Bishop."

Owned by E. Paul Robsham Stables, Discreetly Mine recorded a pair of

runner-up finishes in the Futurity (G2) and Champagne (G1) to close out his

juvenile season while trained by Stanley Hough.

Pletcher, who won last year's Amsterdam in track record time with Quality

Road (Elusive Quality), will give a leg up to John Velazquez, and Discreetly

Mine will carry high weight of 123 pounds.

Another hoping to use the Amsterdam as a springboard to the King's Bishop is

GENERAL MAXIMUS (Freud), who was most recently second to the Jim Dandy

(G2)-bound Friend or Foe (Friends Lake) in the restricted Mike Lee S. at Belmont

Park on June 20. The New York-bred colt won his only start as a two-year-old and

returned to the winner's circle at Gulfstream Park to kick off his 2010

campaign. Subsequently fourth in a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream, he was

given a rest and then turned over to trainer John Terranova, who sent him out to

post a 3 1/4-length win in the New York Stallion Stakes Times Square Division on

May 2.

"In the Amsterdam, we're going to see how he stacks up against the better

three-year-old sprinters," Terranova said. "I thought he ran very well in his

first two races off the farm, and I think he's sitting on a big race. We are

hoping to shoot for the King's Bishop."

Javier Castellano rides General Maximus, who will be coupled in the wagering

with last-out maiden winner CATALAN (Holy Bull) and is listed at 6-1 on the

morning line.

Another New York-bred, MAKE NOTE (Read the Footnotes), will be making his

first start in open company and first in a graded stakes in the Amsterdam. The

George Weaver-conditioned colt, second to General Maximus in the Times Square,

has been a consistent performer from the start with a mark of 3-2-2 from eight

races, his only out-of-the-money finish coming when he was fourth in the Mike

Lee. He's listed at 15-1 with Edgar Prado.

SAFE TRIP (Tale of the Cat), third to Discreetly Mine when making his stakes

debut in the Jersey Shore, won his first two starts of the year at Churchill

Downs for Eddie Kenneally and is eligible to keep improving. He's the 4-1 second

choice on the morning line with Jose Lezcano. The Nick Zito-trained LATIGO

SHORES (Malibu Moon), an impressive allowance winner at Delaware Park two starts

back and fourth behind Trappe Shot (Tapit) in the Long Branch S. last time,

comes next at 9-2. The Chick Lang S. (G3) runner-up will pick up the services of

Calvin Borel.