Lanier can give trainer first stakes win

Brett Santangelo’s first win as a trainer came three years ago at Turfway Park. The 25-yearold Santangelo is hoping the northern Kentucky track can provide the stage for his first stakes victory when Lanier runs in the $50,000 Forego on Friday evening.

Lanier is matched against 11 foes, led by Chicago raider Goneghost, a winner of 11 of 17 starts, and synthetic specialist Royal Son, a dual stakes winner at Turfway. The Forego represents a stiff challenge, but Lanier comes with the proper credentials. In two starts for Santangelo, both at Turfway, he won an optional claimer Dec. 15

before a second in the Prairie Bayou on Dec. 28.

Lanier earned a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure in the Prairie Bayou, a testing stakes race for the level that included millionaire Camelot Kitten, winner of last year’s Kentucky Cup Classic, and 2017 Spiral Stakes winner Fast and Accurate.

Only Lanier proved able to challenge winner Nun the Less in the 1 1/16-mile Prairie Bayou, taking command midway on the second turn before being outfinished down the lane. Lanier checked in a length behind the winner and four lengths ahead of thirdplace Royal Son.

Lanier is cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs and will try to improve upon a second-place finish in last year’s Forego. He is a 7-year-old gelding by Lewis Michael claimed for $40,000 by Tommy Todd’s Oakview Stable in November at Churchill Downs.

“He’s a pretty cool horse, super classy, loves the Poly,” Santangelo said.

Rafael Mojica Jr. retains the mount on Lanier, the 4-1 co-second choice in the morning line.

Also turning back in distance is Goneghost, the 3-1 favorite, who led throughout in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer at Hawthorne on Dec. 22. Like Lanier, he is speedy and versatile, having won races from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. He is also a winner on both dirt and synthetic, though his experience on Polytrack came at Arlington, not at Turfway.

Chris Emigh, aboard for all five of his races in 2018, rides Goneghost for trainer Scott Becker.

Of the favorites, Royal Son appears the greatest uncertainty over the Forego’s sprint distance, not having started in a race shorter than a mile since the summer of 2014, when he was twice second in sprints as a juvenile at Saratoga.