Shanghai Bobby launches comeback in Belmont overnight stakes

Shanghai Bobby launches comeback in Belmont overnight

stakes

Juvenile champion Shanghai Bobby will

make his first start in more than five months when he competes in the $100,000

Aljamin overnight stakes on Friday at Belmont Park.

The Aljamin, carded as the 3RD race, will be contested at 6 1/2

furlongs and is restricted to three-year-olds.

Unbeaten in five starts as a two-year-old, including a win in

the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Shanghai Bobby seeks his first victory of

2013 following a runner-up effort in Gulfstream Park's Holy Bull in January and

a fifth-placing

in the Florida Derby on March 30. In April, the Harlan's Holiday colt was diagnosed with a

pelvic stress fracture that forced him to miss the Triple Crown.

With a strong performance on Friday, Shanghai Bobby could

target November races like the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita or

the Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct, trainer Todd Pletcher

said.

"We're very pleased with the way he has been coming back,"

Pletcher said of Shanghai Bobby, who has been training at Saratoga.

"He's grown up a bit, and it'd be good to get him started on a positive note.

The first thing we need to see is a solid run from him on Friday."

The Aljamin will be Shanghai Bobby's first sprint start

since his victory in the 2012 Hopeful going seven furlongs.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride Shanghai Bobby

for the first time in the Aljamin. Owned by Starlight Racing, Mrs. John Magnier,

Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the dark bay sophomore drew post position 3.

Shanghai Bobby's competition includes stakes winners Purple

Egg and Whiskey Romeo, as well as multiple stakes-placed runner Tenango.

"Even though it's an overnight stakes, it drew a

competitive field," Pletcher noted. "There are several nice horses in the race,

and I hope (Shanghai Bobby) is not rusty and that he's ready to go."

The field also includes Slan Abhaile and Dads Caps.

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