Michael A. Foster’s dual graded stakes-winner Next will travel the farthest distance of his career in the $150,000 Birdstone Stakes, a 1 3/4-mile main track marathon for older horses July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Doug Cowans, Next was last seen scoring a 2 1/4-length triumph in the Brooklyn Stakes (G2) June 10 at Belmont Park where he led each step of the way in the 1 1/2-mile test and completed one lap around the massive oval in 2:31.01, nearly two seconds off Arangelo‘s winning Belmont Stakes (G1) time of 2:29.23 later that same afternoon.
Video: Brooklyn S. (G2)
“He’s doing good and everything went well out of the last race,” said Cowans, who earned the first graded wins of his career with Next. “He’s moved forward and we’re ready to go.
“The distance is always a concern since he never went that far, but he’s trained well. He’s run a mile and five-eighths before with no problem and with the plan we’ve mapped out for the season, the Birdstone fits right in there.”
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Next began his career mainly on turf for trainer Wesley Ward. Last April, Cowans haltered him for $62,500 out of a distant ninth-place effort sprinting seven furlongs over the Keeneland main track and won first off the claim with the son of Not This Time when stretching him out to 1 1/8 miles over the Churchill turf in a claiming tilt last May.
Next stretched out to 1 1/2 miles in his next start in the Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park, originally slated for the turf but moved to a sloppy and sealed main track. He relished the off going and romped to an 18 1/4-length score. He maintained his good form when capturing the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) by 6 1/4 lengths in the fall at Keeneland.
He was then third in the Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes to begin his 2023 campaign before winning the Brooklyn.
Flying P Stable, R.A. Hill Stable and Flying Partners’ multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Lone Rock will attempt to earn his first trip to the winner’s circle since the 2022 Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill Downs. Trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 8-year-old son of Majestic Warrior captured this event in 2021 and finished third in last year’s running, which proved to be the final start of his 7-year-old campaign.
Lone Rock, who took the Brooklyn and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) in 2021, has made two starts this year led by a close second to Calibrate in the Temperance Hill going 1 1/2 miles in April at Oaklawn. He was most recently last of six in the Isaac Murphy Marathon May 3 at Churchill.
Dual stakes-winner Dash Attack stretches out on the heels of a tidy 1 1/4-length off-the-turf allowance coup going one mile June 30 at Ellis Park. There, he dueled with Santos Dumont in the early stages before being met with a challenge from Big Blue Line and edging clear in the final furlong for trainer Kenny McPeek and owners Catalyst Stable, Magdalena Racing, Kevin Pollard and Patty Slevin.
Trainer Jeff Hiles and Thorndale Stables’ Time for Trouble also looms a threat, shifting from turf to dirt after a seventh-place finish in the Louisville Stakes (G3T) in May over a good Churchill Downs turf course.
The Birdstone, the eighth race Thursday, will be televisioned by Fox Sportso on FS2. Post time is 5: at Saratoga, on Thursday’s 10-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
Entries: Brooklyn S. (G2)
Belmont Park, Saturday, June 10, 2023, Race 6
- Grade II
- 1 1/2m
- Dirt
- $250,000
- 4 yo’s & up
- 2:22 PM (local)
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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