Untamed Domain looking to end win drought in Kent

The Grade 3, $200,000 Kent Stakes on the Delaware Handicap undercard Saturday goes straight through Untamed Domain. He’s the most accomplished member of the field and has run several races that are good enough to win the 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for 3-yearolds. The thing is, his last start was not one of his better efforts.

Untamed Domain won the Grade 2 Summer last year at Woodbine, finished a rallying second in the 14-horse Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and this spring was second in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs. Most recently, he weakened to fourth in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park.

Granted, the Pennine Ridge’s top two were Catholic Boy and Analyze it, who came back last Saturday to finish first and second in the $1.2 million Belmont Derby, but Untamed Domain did not run his typical race. He raced much closer to the pace than usual and dropped back leaving the quarter pole.

Trainer Graham Motion thinks that in the Pennine Ridge, “we took him out of his running style a little bit,” and that the Kent plan is to “let him run his race.”

Look for Untamed Domain to be unhurried early and finish well. He will be reunited with Jose Ortiz, who has ridden him six times but was aboard Analyze It in the Pennine Ridge.

Untamed Domain is well spotted to break a five-race losing streak. He is from the first crop of the stallion Animal Kingdom, with whom Motion won the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup.

The Kent drew a field of nine, but Blame the Rider will be scratched, according to trainer Doug O’Neill, and will instead start in the $500,000 Indiana Derby on Saturday.

Hot Springs and Way Early look to be the most likely upsetters in the Kent.

Way Early lagged back in last position in the $500,000 Penn Mile in his most recent start, then finished with a good run into a quick final quarter-mile to get up for second behind Hawkish, who got the jump on him. Trainer George Weaver will add blinkers to Way Early’s equipment Saturday, which could lead to a more complete performance.

Hot Springs, a $750,000 yearling purchase by Woodford Racing at the 2016 Keeneland September sale, will be making his stakes debut. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Hot Springs comes into the Kent off backto-back maiden and allowance victories over the Churchill turf course. The 86 Beyer Speed Figures he earned in those races are comparable to those of his Kent rivals.

Duc de Calas will be making his U.S. debut after going 3 for 6 at some of the smaller tracks in France. Trained by Christophe Clement, he will be first-time Lasix and has been working steadily at Belmont Park since late April.