Barry Lee adds blinkers

BELMONT, N.Y. – It isn’t often a trainer makes an equipment change following a stakes victory, but Horacio DePaz is adding blinkers to Arlington-Washington Futurity winner Barry Lee for Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity at Belmont Park.

DePaz believes Barry Lee won the Arlington-Washington Futurity on his class. Now taking on better foes in this spot, DePaz feels Lee has to be better, and he’s hoping blinkers will aid him in that quest.

“Even though he is forward, he’s not on the bit on his own,” DePaz explained. “And when you do ask him, he just goes. We’ve been working him with the blinkers, he works easier and stays in hand much easier.”

Barry Lee, a son of Violence, won his debut at Laurel by 6 1/2 lengths, a day in which jockey Feargal Lynch sent him to the lead from the rail. Sent off the favorite in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 13 at Saratoga, Barry Lee, under Jose Ortiz, got hooked in a speed duel with Mo Diddley and finished eighth of nine.

“Jose asked him to go, and they went very fast,” DePaz said. “You want to let him get into the race without asking him.”

DePaz said the blinker addition will be a small cup. He said one of the reasons Barry Lee is running in the Futurity is to find out if he can handle a better caliber of horse.

Barry Lee will face just four rivals in the Futurity as the filly Happy Like a Fool will scratch to run in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron here.

Engage and Mojovation look to be the primary competition for Barry Lee. Red Peril and Smooth B complete the field.

The Futurity, which goes as race 8, and the Pebbles, which goes as race 9, are the final two legs of a cross-breed pick four wager that includes the Harvey Invitational Trot (race 8) and International Trot (race 9) from Yonkers. The pick four is a 50-cent minimum wager with a 24 percent takeout.

KEY CONTENDERS

Engage, by Into Mischief Beyers: 81-78

◗ Took advantage of a pace battle to win a six-furlong maiden race, despite drifting out, on closing day at Saratoga.

“He’s trained really well since, he does have a good draw [post 6], there are some nice runners in this race, he’ll have to take another step forward,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I like the way he’s training. He’s a fast horse.”

Mojovation, by Quality Road Beyers: 48-86

◗ A good-looking debut winner at Saratoga, finished a disappointing seventh in Grade 1 Hopeful, a race that has produced next-out Grade 1 stakes winners Free Drop Billy and Firenze Fire.

◗ After a disappointing breeze Sept. 29, Mojovation had a better workout last Saturday to earn his way into this race.

Barry Lee, by Violence Last 3 Beyers: 78-31-71

◗ Won the Arlington-Washington Futurity coming from off the pace.

◗ Got cooked in speed duel and faded to last in Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

◗ Gets blinkers in an attempt to help him gain position easier than he has in his previous starts.