Favorites Seek Revenge in Waya, Belmont Sprint Stakes

McKulick and Idea Generation will line up in the Oct. 7 $200,000 Waya Stakes (G3T) with the opportunity to continue trainer Chad Brown’s dominance in the race.

The 3-5 morning line favorite, McKulick has finished in the top three each of her last three times out. In addition to winning the Glens Falls Stakes (G2T), the Frankel filly also finished second in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) and third in the New York Stakes (G1T).

A lifetime millionaire, McKulick provides Brown’s best chance at extending his success in the 1 3/8-mile race at Belmont at the Big A.

Brown has won the last four editions and six of the last eight. The two that he didn’t win—2018 and 2019—he didn’t have a runner entered. His past winners were Rocky Sky , My Sister Nat twice, Fools Gold , Guapaza , and Gold Espony.

Idea Generation, a 3-year-old daughter of Dubawi , is the longshot in the field of six at 15-1, following a seventh-place finish in the Virginia Oaks last time out.

Standing in the way of McKulick is Christophe Clement trainee Parnac . Her last time out, Parnac beat McKulick by 1 1/4 lengths in the Flower Bowl at Saratoga Race Course.

“They all say that she stole the race, I completely disagree,” Clement said. “She trained very well, looked very good, and had a great ride. In the last four furlongs, nobody could catch her. She ran a really good race and I was happy.”

Later in Saturday’s card, Clement will have the favorite in the Belmont Turf Sprint (G3T).

Bred by John O’Meara, Big Invasion has had a somewhat uneven year. He opened with a win in the Silks Run Stakes and later added seconds in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) and Harvey Pack Stakes. But the Declaration of War colt also finished seventh in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) and 13th at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1). In his defense, the Jubilee Stakes was just two weeks after the Jaipur.

“He’s very quick. The problem with him is we’re trying not to be too quick. Just keep him on the bridle and he’ll be fine,” said Clement assistant Christophe Lorieul. “He’ll break and maybe a couple of horses can come around him and he can be stalking, but he can be wherever you want—it’s just a matter of asking him.”

At 5-2 on the morning line, Big Invasion’s biggest opposition may come from 5-1 Thin White Duke .

The Phil Gleaves homebred, who he co-owns with Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hilliard, beat out Big Invasion by a neck in the Harvey Pack.

“Speed was holding well earlier in the meet, but he was giving forth some really good efforts,” trainer David Donk said of the Harvey Pack effort. “I was a little concerned with the pace early on. I thought it played in their favor, so I was quite impressed with the way he finished in that race.”