Interactif likely favorite in grassy Hall of Fame

Provided the race stays on turf as scheduled, a field of six three-year-olds

will square off in Friday's $150,000

National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) at Saratoga. The betting is

likely to center around three colts, one of whom, KRYPTON (Rock Hard Ten), will

be facing NORDIC TRUCE (Yes It's True) and INTERACTIF (Broken Vow) each for a

second time this summer.

Krypton's first battle against Nordic Truce came in the June 4 Hill Prince S.

(G3) at Belmont, where the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee edged his previously

unbeaten rival by a neck after a prolonged stretch duel. Nordic Truce had won

photos in the Transylvania S. (G3) and Dania Beach S., but was taken out of his

normal game plan of coming from behind when inheriting an early lead no one else

wanted in the Hill Prince. Nordic Truce, who has had at least two months

downtime between starts, goes for the surprisingly cold Christophe Clement barn.

Krypton next met up with Interactif in the July 17 Virginia Derby (G2), and

the Todd Pletcher charge proved slightly better when claiming second money

behind Paddy O'Prado (El Prado [Ire]) by 1 1/2 lengths over Krypton.

Interactif's effort at Colonial Downs was a continuation of the strong grass

form he had displayed earlier in his career, when he captured the With

Anticipation S. (G3) at the Spa by 4 1/4 lengths, the Bourbon S. (G3) by a

length, and narrowly missing in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) and

Hallandale Beach S. The probable favorite will be ridden by Javier Castellano.

The Hall of Fame has attracted one overseas invader, PARIS VEGAS (Maria's

Mon), who has yet to win on turf. Following two wins over synthetic in France,

the gray ran up the track in two French Derby (Fr-G1) trials, the Prix Noailles

(Fr-G2) and Prix Greffulhe (Fr-G2). Last time, he was made the even-money

favorite for the Austrian Derby, finishing second to the unheralded Tingly

(Country Reel).

There are two others in the main body of the nine-furlong inner turf test.

GRAND RAPPORT (Grand Reward) enters off a turf debut victory against first-level

allowance foes at Monmouth, where he made a sweeping seven-wide rally to score

by a head at 39-1. CITRUS KID (Lemon Drop Kid), meanwhile, has the pedigree to

take to turf but has been sidelined since finishing unplaced in the January 23

Lecomte S. (G3). Victor of the Dover S. and third in the Remsen S. (G2) last

season, Citrus Kid has only tried grass once, that being his career debut at

Saratoga last summer where he finished far back in a field that included

eventual Grade 2 winner DEAN'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy) and Paddy O'Prado.

COLIZEO (Distorted Humor), who won the Northern Dancer S. (G3) two back and

was third in the Barbaro S. last time, goes for the same connections as

Interactif and is a main-track-only entrant.

The undercard includes the $70,000

Lake

Luzerne S., a seven-furlong heat for New York-bred three-year-old fillies.