Wake Forest won last year’s renewal and beat Patterson Cross in a Grade 2 at Gulfstream in March with Charming Kitten and 2015 winner Twilight Eclipse further behind. Chad Brown’s charge is also preferred to Sadler's Joy, who is closely matched with Taghleeb on recent running in Graded races at Gulfstream. Dermot Weld sends ZHUKOVA, a dual Group 3 winner in Ireland last year and a Listed winner at Cork on her recent reappearance. With a strong possibility of rain softening the ground, she may well prove good enough with John Velazquez’ presence in the saddle another positive.
Sadler's Joy (USA) 18-5 (8-5) Angle wide, last jumps, won at Gulfstream 1m 4f stks gd in Apr beating Designed For War (8-5) by hd, 8 ran.
Charming Kitten (USA) 13-2 (8-6) Bothered upper,rolling, 2nd of 8, 1 1/4l behind Itsinthepost (8-8) at Keeneland 1m 4f stks (1) fm in Apr.
Wake Forest (GER) 2-1fav (8-7) Rated,7w upr,game,up, won at Gulfstream 1m 3f stks gd in Mar beating Patterson Cross (8-5) by hd, 11 ran.
Zhukova (IRE) 1-3fav (9-5) Tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, progress early straight and pushed along to lead over 1f out, ridden and kept on well inside final furlong, won at Cork 1m 4f lst fll stks (1) Good - Yielding in Apr beating Island Remede (9-0) by 2l, 7 ran.
Taghleeb (USA) 3-1fav (8-11) Outkicked ins top trio, 4th of 8, 1 1/4l behind Sadler's Joy (8-5) at Gulfstream 1m 4f stks gd in Apr.
Highland Sky (USA) 16-10fav (8-9) Steadied,7w,determined, won at Gulfstream 1m gd in Feb beating Ice Cutter (8-9) by 3/4l, 12 ran.
Patterson Cross (USA) 19-5 (8-5) 4w2nd,4-5w, miss btwn, 3rd of 8, 1/4l behind Sadler's Joy (8-5) at Gulfstream 1m 4f stks gd in Apr.
Twilight Eclipse (USA) 11-1 (8-7) Off pace,lack rally, 10th of 11, 4 1/4l behind Wake Forest (8-7) at Gulfstream 1m 3f stks gd in Mar.
