Strong group for Morrissey

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Thursday’s $100,000 John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga may be restricted to New York-breds, but a trio of horses coming out of open races – Long Haul Bay, Eye Luv Lulu, and Gold for the King – figure to command the most attention in a talented group.

The eight-horse field for the 6 1/2-furlong Morrissey also includes last year’s winner, Celtic Chaos, and millionaire Weekend Hideaway.

Long Haul Bay won a Grade 3 race in just his second career start, rallying to a convincing victory in the Bay Shore Stakes last spring at 3. But the season ended abruptly for the son of Quality Road after only one more start, a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens.

Long Haul Bay was sidelined 10 months before returning to register an easy allowance win against New York-breds then ventured out against open company to finish second to Switzerland in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint over a sloppy track at Pimlico on May 19.

“The time off really did him well and I thought he ran a fine race to finish second last time behind a very good horse who got loose on the lead,” said Chad Brown, who trains the homebred Long Haul Bay for Alpha Delta Stables. “I think this race makes a lot of sense for him and I’m hoping to use it as a bridge to a better race against open company. At first glance, there didn’t seem to be a lot of speed in the field. Hopefully the pace will pick up and it will set up well for him.”

Eye Luv Lulu got hung wide chasing the leaders before finishing seventh in the 2017 Morrissey while trained by Rudy Rodriguez. Now with trainer Jason Servis, Eye Luv Lulu is coming off arguably his best race yet, a third-place finish behind top sprinters Limousine Liberal and Whitmore in the Grade 2 Belmont Sprint under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“Irad said he had to move him a little prematurely after [Whitmore] got through on the rail, and it might have cost him at the end last time,” said Servis. “I’ve got him nominated to the Vanderbilt, but he’s doing great right now, so we’re going to run him here.”

Gold for the King showed improved speed in an optional $62,500 claimer at Belmont earlier this month, sprinting to the lead and winning by 5 3/4 lengths. He received a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. Gold for the King won a pair of New York-bred stakes in 2017.

Celtic Chaos is winless in six tries since rallying to a neck decision over a muddy strip in the 2017 Morrissey, and returns Thursday while making his first start since being transferred to trainer Brad Cox’s barn earlier this year.

Weekend Hideaway is back with statebred competition for the first time since a third-place finish in the Affirmed Success at Belmont in April. Now 8, Weekend Hideaway won the 2014 edition of the Morrissey but was scratched from the starting lineup last summer.